EDMUNDO LOPEZ

Diggin' out a couple of progs ...

COUPLA PROG had no album release during their existence from 1969 to 1975 which is a great surprise. The members decided to work without any commercial approach. The band's complete material was recorded at four sessions between 1970 and 1972 and buried in the archives until the beginning of this century. Broadcast moderator Walther Krause from Radio SWF Baden-Baden had been very impressed with the band and so he invited them to record their songs at his studio for several times. Now the presented result is something very authentic, pure, because without overdubbing or any other reworking. The Prog opera 'Edmundo Lopez' seems to be the centerpiece, recorded in 1970 but first released 30 years later by the german label Long Hair Music.

This 60 minute opus is provided with a gripping story about Edmundo, a young south-american who gets between the lines of a civil war. Grown up and teached to non-violence he's pressed into the army, escapes, defends himself and others with a gun and finally is sentenced to death for that. Rolf Peters (guitar, vocals), the creative brain, was responsible for the concept, influenced by the current political situation. But now to the music. The songs are blending into each other, basically Heavy Bluesrock similar to Vanilla Fudge for example, full of suspense, theatrical and dramatic in parts because of the story and also provided with typical freakish Krautrock elements of that time. The vocals are weakening here and there but COUPLA PROG's strength is without a doubt the amazing Hammond drenched keyboard work.

Präludium is a classical piano opener followed by a symphonic Introduction with informations about Edmundo. Suddenly the song gets very dramatic with a distorted guitar and overbearing organ blending into Alone in the mountains with a fantastic piano intro and then changing into a Hammond controlled blues theme. With the next songs the orientation at bands like Vanilla Fudge, Procol Harum and perhaps Atomic Rooster is clearly distinguishable. COUPLA PROG additionally decorates this with special psychedelic aspects which are making the music unique. Kaki Gatal is a good example for that, compelling, with breaks and mysterious effects, partially grooving - a very interesting song. Finally Extroduction informs about the bitter end of the story - musically once more with a symphonic touch.

As for the summary 'Edmundo Lopez' is certainly not a keen competiton to other rock operas like 'Tommy' for example. Nevertheless it's a very unique document of the early german progressive rock phase - 3.5 stars.

Interesting story around this lost Kraut-Rock band from Baden-Baden, which emerged from the 7-piece act Wilde Reiter GmbH in 1969.The four remaining members, these were guitarist/singer Rolf Peters, drummer Hubert Donauer, bassist Reiner Niketta and keyboardist/singer Wolfgang Schindhelm, changed the name to Coupla Prog and were among the occasional visitors of the Südwestfunk's Studios.The second time Coupla Prog visited the studios on 16.07.1970 it was for recording their most ambitious work, the 60-min. opus ''Edmundo Lopez'', eventually released only some 30 years later by Long Hair.

''Edmundo Lopez'' is a concept full-hour work around a young man from South America, condemned to be a soldier part of a civil war but acting like a man of peace and thus, he was sentenced to death.Musically this work is divided in 11 movements, ranging from Psychedelic Rock to organ-driven Heavy Rock and influences from early PINK FLOYD and SOFT MACHINE as well as DEEP PURPLE, THE NICE and even FREE are more than evident.For the most of its part the album explores the territory of psychedelic jams and organ-based power grooves with little imagination and the whole release is heavily centered around the concept's lyrics.Organ solos, scratching guitars and a rhythm section with a steady and confident performance are the main characteristics, accompanying Peters' and Schindhelm's vocals, but there is no diversity or really adventurous themes to be found.A few parts of the album has strong Classical influences on the keyboard parts, but overall the instrumental sections tend more to improvisation than to some tight playing.The opening and closing tracks seem here the most interesting with some decent breaks and performances.

An album, that has not aged well.Too one-dimensional, ''Edmundo Lopez'' has a great historical value but musically this one heads only to suckers of early-70's Kraut-Rock or organ- driven Psych/Prog.