NOT TOO LATE

4.5 stars really!!!

Actually this disc must be considered as OOF's fourth full-blown album, although it was never released until 1999, but was recorded in 74. It is their last known recording session (except for one track in 78), I believe that the band only existed in a sporadic manner from 74 onwards and this might explain why this was not released at the time. Graced with a weird artwork (a painting from the guitarist's wife), this aptly titled album was released on the specialist label Cosmic Egg, a subsidiary of Ultima Thule in the late 90's. By 74, the band had now admitted saxman Ingo Schmid-Neuhaus and guitarist Gohringer into the band as full-fledged members. The disappearance of Hennes Herring, (heading towards Sahara, another excellent German band) and the added second guitarist (making the group now a sextet), however changed the sound slightly but the album stays within the "OOF guidelines" (if such thing ever existed), and the spirit remained progressive since the group's drive to an ever-more jazzy sound was again respected.

Only five tracks (and two of two apparently nameless) again taking a progressive step upwards into OOF's constant march towards jazz-rock, NTL is the first album that can really be called a full blown jazz-rock album, as opposed to jazzy prog/psych rock and brass rock previously. The badly named That's Very Easy is a constantly changing tempoed track where Moran's voice seems to have lost whatever capacities it had to irate some listeners. Less up to front,one must be reminded that the previous double album FLMA was almost instrumental compared to the group's first two albums, but he concentrates on his flute here. X is probably the weakest link on the album, sporting a drum solo towards its end, but other wise it is still a full-out fiery 100 MPH track. The short The Way I Know her is an acoustic guitar track, but unlike their previous songs in OOF and FLMA, here it sounds less folky. Drechsler's other track, Y, starts on a lengthy intro of guitar arpeggios that you could almost imagine on an early Genesis album if they weren't over a sax instead of a flute, before Moran and Ingo take the debate to much higher grounds before Drechsler's goes into a wild searing & soaring solo, and the "brass section" answering it in a Colosseum fashion. The closing Spanish Lines is the album's apex starting out again of a Heckstall-Smith fashion, before the track veers through a succession of superb impressions, everytime stepping up the ladder, bringing the excitement and tension to an unbearable level, then closing it up much the same way they had started it: Kolosseum-al!!!

Just as worthy as their other three historical albums (even if this one is not really as historic for obvious posthumous reasons), NTL is yet another wild escape into the Munich-based group's realm. For some strange reasons, the group will only record one more small session in 77, before folding the next year, some five years after releasing their last album (NTL not counting), but OOF was definitely an awesome group and there are very few groups that released four such perfect albums, that none of them without so much as a weak tracks throughout their entire works.

An excellent vintage jazz-rock music!

I have never heard this band (even the name!) until a friend of mine introduced me this album "Not Too Late" (1999 Remastered) by Out of Focus. To my surprise that this album came out in the 70s and I did not know at all at that time. In fact, it blew me away at first spin of the album especially with its dynamic composition, blending great guitar solo and flute (oboe) throughout the music Out of Focus delivers. I cannot categorize precisely on the kind of jazz-rock music they play but for sure there are bits of Canterbury as well as old school jazz style with sort of bid band arrangement.

The opening track "That's Very Easy" starts off with a jazzy ambience demonstrating saxophone as lead melody followed with vocal line. The song moves excellently with vintage jazz-rock style while guitar solo and flute provide intertwining roles as lead melody during music interlude. It's noticeable that the flute as well as guitar solo are stunning and energetic. Sometimes the music projects the sound of classic rock style. The second track "X" demonstrates what so called a dynamic jazz-rock music with guitar as main melody maker plus improvisation arena of the music. Throughout the song, there are interesting segments with its dynamic style stemming from brass section work at some transition segments as well as great drum solo towards the end of the song. The opening track is really excellent. You might compare this song with those of Weather Report or Jaco Pastorius solo albums or Soft Machine. They are not alike but in some ways there are similarities.

The third track "The Way I Know Her" is different than the previous two tracks as it contains an acoustic version using acoustic guitar, vocal, and flute. It's not really an interesting song but when the flute comes into play, it sounds quite interesting to my taste. "Y" starts with a saxophone solo followed by cymbals. It reminds me to the intro of Chase music ("Woman of The Dark" I think). The music moves dynamically with woodwind as soloist and the accompanying music reminds me to Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" especially the way keyboard / piano is played. The guitar solo is truly stunning and makes me replaying this song after it ends. I also like the brass section that enriches the textures of the music. The concluding track "Spanish Line" is a dynamic song at the very beginning until the end. The rhythm section is very Canterbury in style and it reminds me to one song under Khan "Space Shanty" album. It's very interesting as the flow of the music is excellent and the brass section dominates the rhythm section as well as lead melody. At the end, guitar also provides its wonderful solo. This is truly an excellent track!

Overall, this is a true gem of the seventies and it contains songs with excellent composition combining great solo work by guitar, saxophone or flute in jazz-rock vein. You might vein some elements of jazz music ala Dave Brubeck, Weather Report and also Canterbury. It's beautifully blended nicely here by the band. Those of you who love Soft Machine would also find this album by Out of Focus is interesting. Despite my tendency to progressive metal music, I can fully enjoy this using my jazz-rock nerve because sometimes I can fully enjoy Weather Report, Jaco Pastorius etc. If you have some nerves of jazz rock music, I bet you would love this album. It's an excellent addition to any prog music collection. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

These songs were recorded in the spring of 1974 (after "Four Letter Monday Afternoon"), but not released until 1999. I have to say i'm a big fan of this German band and this album doesn't disappoint in the least. I just love their sound especially the sax, flute and guitar.

The drums and sax standout early on the opening track "That's Very Easy".This is the perfect soundtrack for a lazy summer's day. Flute 2 minutes in followed by guitar then vocals as it settles. It picks up before settling again with flute. It kicks in before 6 1/2 minutes with guitar. Nice. Vocals are back late. Great tune. "X" is an instrumental and it's such an incredible track. The sax, flute and guitar all sound so good. They seem to simply jam in a tasteful yet passionate manner. The opening soundscape is reprised before 7 minutes. Drum solo 8 1/2 minutes in. "The Way I Know Her" is a short tune with vocals, strummed guitar and some flute. "Y" is another long instrumental. Sax, gentle guitar and cymbals to start. It kicks in at 2 minutes with sax leading.The guitar before 4 minutes is excellent. "Spanish Lines" features a foundation of bass and drums as guitar and sax play over top. A change 2 minutes in as it becomes more intense before settling back later.

Easily 4 stars and a must if your into any of their first 3 studio albums.

An album of discarded material that was recorded during the late Müncheners' 1972 sessions that produced the Four Letter Monday Afternoon album. (The band broke up and never released any albums after 1972.

1. "That's Very Easy" (9:04) opens as a more jazzified music that feels as if it came out of the recent 1960s--like something from THE ANIMALS or ARGENT (even without any keyboards!) spiced up with Moran Neumüller's Mick Jagger singing voice. (I keep hearing Mick singing the theme song to the current Apple TV series, Slow Horses, "Strange Game," virtually every time I hear Moran sing.) Te instrumental passages are, of course, the much larger portion of the song, with a very nice pastoral jazz section in the middle over which Moran's acrobatic flute solos for quite some time before the music ramps up to some heavier pschedelic blues-rock in the seventh minute. The guitar work in this section of the song is as powerful as anything I've ever heard by Clapton or Page. I'm not sure if it's newcomer Wolfgang Göhringer or founding member Remigius Drechsler. Cool song/suite that definitely has its progginess. (18/20)

2. "X" (10:57) a song that bursts out as if from the 1960s (or a 1970s porn soundtrack). Awesome! The music blends and smooths out for the second minute in which Ingo Schmid-Neiuhaus' alto sax solos. The two-burst horn-section-led theme that opened the song then returns as if as a chorus before we return to a smoother section over which the guitars take a more prominent role: one soloing in a JOHN TROPEA-like blues-jazz fashion while the other plays gentle rhythm in support. Drummer Klaus Spöri really shines! The guitarists are also good--very creative in their solos--one doing a pretty amazing TERRY KATH solo in the eighth minute. (17.875/20)

3. "The Way I Know Her" (3:36) with its Spanish-style played acoustic guitars, this little folk pop song sounds very cute-- almost in a DONOVAN-like way. Moran's singing and flute playing are, of course, front and center in all respects of this fine little song. (8.875/10)

4. "Y" (7:51) sounds like an étude mélange getting ready for some of the other more polished/finished songs that would be released in 1972. Based around a "Take Five" kind of motif. I like the exploration of melodies as performed by the both of the guitarists and both of the saxophone players. (13.125/15)

5. "Spanish Lines" (9:11) a song whose opening could very easily be mistaken for something from THE ALLMAN BROTHERS but then with the joinder of the Spanish-styled horns and new chord sequences we have something that kind of fits the style suggested by the title. But then, quite suddenly, at the 2:00 mark the band turns down a downhill path that presents some interesting and carefully-manouevered territory in which bass and rhythm guitars and even the soloing saxophone seem quite trepidatious while the drummer is willing to take his chances by travelling at more- dangerous speeds--descending out of the high grounds to find everyone as excited and on-board as he is with the thrilling speeds, wind blowing through their hair in their open-top 1935 Mercedes-Benz 770. (17.75/20)

Total Time: 41:39

B/four stars; an excellent collection of songs that never made the grade for the band's final 1972 94-minute album but are here put on display for their worthiness. These are much more developed "finished"-sounding songs compared to the stuff on the follow-up album to this one, 2002's Rat Roads. but they do not have the blessing of the one amazing song that Rat Roads has.