ENTRANCE

Alright, this one certainly qualifies as one of the worst album covers in all of music history. A guy pissing on a tree in the woods isn't exactly the best way to advertise that you are a German based funk rock brass band trying to follow in the footsteps of American bands like Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears! EMERGENCY was formed by Czechoslovakian Hanus Berka in 1970 and consisted of others from the former Czechoslovakia, a German and an Englishman but after the lackluster response to the band's self-titled album EMERGENCY disbanded only to resurrect itself shortly thereafter with a completely new lineup.

Berka was back on sax and keyboards but also expanded his contributions to flute and mellotron on this sophomore album ENTRANCE. The rest of the new lineup in eluded Frank Diez (guitar), iøí Matousek (keyboards), John REdpath (drums, vocals), Curt Cress (drums) and the only other member from the debut to return, Otto Bezloja on bass. This lineup would also implode after the release of ENTRANCE leaving Berka to start with an entirely new band once again. Now that's determination! Given the new lineup it's not surprise that ENTRANCE took on a completely new vibe than its predecessor.

While still very much in the camp of an American brass rock sound based on funky blues rock, EMERGENCY's approach on ENTRANCE was much more varied. There is much more detail on piano rolls with some honky tonk and stride piano workouts. The brass instrumentation had been deemphasized to a mere saxophone presence which only supplements a call and response approach alternating with the vocals. Some solos do occur. It sounds like the trombone is still present at moments but no credits are giving so perhaps an unknown session musician provided a few parts here and there. There are also more parts dedicated to guitar solos and the jam band feel is much stronger than before. It feels like the band adopted the sound provided on the closing cover track of the debut album "Gimme Some Lovin" by The Spencer Davis Group. Diez is a much more accomplished guitarist than Newby from the debut.

Also since there are two percussionists on ENTRANCE, there is a stronger emphasis on doubling the drumming grooves and thus on its way to sounding a bit like Santana minus the Latin flavors. The occasional flute appearances bring a bit of Focus to mind. At this point EMERGENCY sounds like a hodgepodge of Focus, Santana, Traffic and a funky jazz-rock band and perhaps English jazz-rock bands like The Web. The compositions are generally better laid out than the straight forward debut and given the leap in progressive rock evolution in the previous two years seems fitting. There are more examples of individual instrumentations soloing during the extended jams afforded by the lengthy time lengths. Only five tracks on this one with all exceeding seven minutes.

There is also more attention paid to the dynamics with a starker contrast of slower and more upbeat tracks. Overall this one is a slight step up from the debut but considering it was released in 1972 a bit lackluster in comparison to other jazz-fusion pioneers of the era. The overall sound of ENTRANCE sounds like it should have been released in 1970 so clearly these guys were a bit behind the curve. Hardly essential but an interesting artifact from the vaults and i'm quite certain that what i call the "Look I'm Pissing On A Tree!" album will not be rediscovered as some sort of lost classic. Still though these guys could jam for sure and had they not been drowned out by dozens of more interesting bands may have actually scored some success!