GETTING UP FOR THE MORNING

Swiss band Krokodil released a bit of a classic with their 1971 album `An Invisible World Revealed', an addictive mix of swampy bluesy acid rockers with heavy psych flavours and plentiful Mellotron (prog listeners should instantly track down the CD reissue of that album, which adds two lengthy jams that just make an already terrific album even better - it's butter, baby, it's HOT!). Most of their other four albums never quite delivered the same excellence, but the follow-up to `...Invisible', 1972's `Getting Up For The Morning' comes damn close. As expected of the band, there's a ton of bluesy jams, fragile ballads and acid-rock fire, but the second side of the LP brings some subtle Krautrock elements mixed in, and overall there's a very upbeat quality to the music that is truly infectious and a joy to listen to.

Album opener `Marzipan' is an energetic harmonica-fuelled and acid-rock burning electric guitar powered gutsy swamp-rocker. Full of lengthy solos, one or two moments even briefly reminding of Jimi Hendrix, it makes for a kick-ass opener, but the best is yet to come. `And I Know' is a blissful acid ballad with a drowsy melody, it's full of delicate and dreamy David Gilmour-inspired guitar licks, and the piece could have easily appeared on any of those early acid/psych albums from Pink Floyd. Electric piano ripples, warm group harmonies in the chorus, while wafting Harmonica brings a dusty old western sound, and when the soaring Mellotron arrives in the second half, it takes on a restrained near-orchestral grandiosity to get swept up in. `Rabatz' is a short funky Southern rocker with dirty lead guitar slinging, and `Was There A Time' is a brief psychedelic interlude to close the first side, a sitar drone with mind-bending narration over the top - far out, man!

The second side brings some light but welcome Krautrock flavours to the album, instantly noticeable on `Schooldays', just listen for the fuzzy distorted guitar riffing in the background, stoned phasing electronics and the rattling maddening drumming. Drifting flute darts around, funky wah-wah guitar powers through and treated harmonica hovers in the air. Next up, being the sixth track, of course it makes sense to title it `Song No 2' (Ha, they beat you to it, Mr Steven Wilson, take that!)! It's an acid-folk vocal ballad bookended with wasted floating acoustic guitar and sleepy hazy harmonica, mellotron trickles, the warmest bass playing (that even takes flight with tasty soloing in the second half, almost like it's actually singing), before the middle gently moves up in tempo into a joyful sprightly electric guitar chill-out just like the first two Agitation Free albums. The rambunctious drumming and more urgent guitar strums just before the end even briefly remind of Amon Duul 2. `The 12th of March' is a frantic bluesy rocker to close on, full of heavy guitar grooves, a joyful and catchy vocal, more leaping harmonica, and the purring bass playing especially rumbles with purpose here, but it's a shame about the uninspired fade-out during a scorching electric guitar solo.

This fourth Krokodil album is consistently good all the way through, even if there's some moments (especially during the first half) that will be a little too straightforward for progressive rock fans who want something more interesting and complex. But Krokodil were a very strong hard-rocking band who displayed plenty of imagination and musical taste, a bunch of talented musicians who constantly showed great musical skill without ever bogging their music down in stuffy over-arrangements, instead letting their music have a real lively energy. `Getting Up For The Morning' is another great achievement from then, and anyone who enjoyed `An Invisible World Returned' should definitely consider looking into this one as well.

Four stars.