RADIO GNOME INVISIBLE PART 1 - FLYING TEAPOT

I unfortunately have a reissue of this record that does not include what I understand are extensive pictures, lyrics, and text to explain this bizarro-world of pot-head pixies, octave doctors, and planet Gong in general. No matter, I’m not a dedicated enough fan to try and figure it all out anyway, and for me an album like this is more for casual enjoyment than it is for detailed analysis and a multi-generational scorecard and landscape map. I have Tolkein and his ilk for that sort of thing.

Anyway, the humor here strikes me as a bit more European than what I would be likely to grab hold of. No matter – this is a fun album on its own merits. The heavy use of synth and keyboards make this an energetic adventure even without the story line. I especially like the use of saxophones because they are not meant to give this music a jazz/fusion flavor, which seems to be about the only time saxophones were used in this period. The crashing piano chords on “Flying Teapot” and elsewhere are totally fun and give the music a child-like adventurous edge.

I’m not sure what “The Octave Doctors and The Crystal Machine” is supposed to be about, but the tongue-in-cheek seriousness of the extended synth passages here seem to be setting up a pivotal moment in the record. Unfortunately for me, I don’t get that from the following “Zero The Hero And The Witch's Spell”, but I do get that this was 1973 and most or all of these guys were definitely experimenting with head candy of some sort.

“Witch’s Song/I am Your Pussy” left me stranded as if the album was not actually complete. As I understand it this is the first in a trilogy, so I guess that makes sense.

I may take the time to actually set down and read up on these guys and try to get the whole story behind this album and the tales it sets up, but for now I was just impressed to find a somewhat scratched up copy of it and thoroughly enjoyed the listens. Four stars.

peace