A. J. KAUFMANN

— First review of this album —

Had A.J. released the demos for this album instead of this album, it'd be just as good as "Stoned Gypsy Wanderer", and surely be a better space rock album than "Hippie". Take "Kali" for example - the demo sparkles with fuzz guitars, drums, and raw vocals, whereas the rendition found on the actual "Alpha Persei" album lacks power and conviction. "The Night We Met Amon Düül II" is actually better here than on the demos, but that's not my favorite song from the whole set. To be honest, it's hard to choose one, because in my opinion nothing really stands out from the fairly "normal norm". The more rocking tracks are my favorites here, like "L.A. Layla", "Silver Light", or "Ballad of a Peaceful Man". "A Violin Insane" is punk rock again, but this time really fun. I think this album has been recorded in 2017, which makes it actually pre-date some songs from the "Hippie" album. I find it amazing that The Swamp Records re-released this in 2022. The label did a great job, as it gave more people the chance to hear this material. I'd much prefer to have them release the demos though, but maybe that's only me. Overall, this album stands somewhere between "Hippie" and "Stoned Gypsy Wanderer", but is certainly not better than the latter, and maybe just as good as "Hippie" but a bit different. So, 2 stars, but make that 3 if you're a hardcore fan.

"Stoned Gypsy Wanderer" was the second official physical release for A.J. Kaufmann, and, as many reviewers and heads have said before, his best album so far. It was originally released on CD with Kendra Steiner Editions (Texas, USA). This here release is the vinyl one for Australian Ramble Records. The album is soaked in the spirit of the psychedelic 60s, but presents the genre in a modern-thinking and sounding way. Lyrically, in my opinion, with allusions to Artaud, Breton and Baudelaire, it is almost a masterpiece. Musically, it has some weak spots, but this time I won't analyze the album track by track. It's a concept album after all and should be listened to as such without separating the songs. I hear echoes of Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Pearls Before Swine, Syd Barrett, Country Joe and the Fish, Chrome, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Robyn Hitchcock - but most of the reviewers already noticed it. What I love about this album is that it's not a collection of inspirations, or a mere 60s revival work. It's original, fresh, and stood well the test of time having been finally presented on vinyl. I'd give it 4 or 5 stars with ease were I to write a review for my own blog or another website. But, as we're on a prog rock website, I will give it 3 stars. The elements that define prog-rock could be here (check out "Wine of Rape" for some prog-pop vibes), but this is not a progressive rock album even being a concept LP, just a psychedelic one - maybe best compared to the spirit of 13th Floor Elevators. As Jerry Kranitz of Aural Innovations wrote back in 2014: "Stoned Gypsy Wanderer is a captivating set of songs which mine the Psychedelic, Folk and Prog realms and are then stamped with A.J.'s own personal touch.". That's it, folks.

— First review of this album —

"Hippie" is the 3rd official physical A.J. Kaufmann release, following 2011's "Second Hand Man", and 2014's "Stoned Gypsy Wanderer" (re-released on vinyl in 2021). The set kicks off with "Alleygates Of Sin", which sounds like a lost late Hawkwind or Gong track to my ears. The lyrics are funny too, and suggest that maybe Mr. Kaufmann has been listening to Motorhead and Amon Duul II while writing them. The title track and "1970 Avenue" is simply punk, and not my favorite at all. "Hippie" is followed by "Spaceless" which sounds like Neu! on downers, or a less handsome cousin of Opa-Loka. Boring, really. "Brain Devastator" is like an unnecessary 21st century comment on "Brainstorm". "1 City 2 CIty 1" and "Sonnenengelküsse" are both like psychedelic industrial jam sessions. "Behind The Veil Of Isis" with its lo-fi sounding drums is my favorite track on the album. "Premature Burial" seems to borrow its main riff from Amon Duul II's "Eye Shaking King". The ADII influence on this album is rather big, because as stated in a recent interview, both artists actually met in London back in 2015, where some tracks for "Hippie" were recorded. I don't know what to make of this album, really, but I think overall it's a thing for lovers of ADII and Hawkwind and Chrome and Butthole Surfers, and maybe space rock and punk and psych rock in general. But weird and not everybody's cup of tea for sure.

— First review of this album —

The legend of Polish rock, Wojciech Korda, once compared A.J. Kaufmann to such big songwriters as Donovan, Bob Dylan or Frank Zappa. Certainly, you can add Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits to this group, although Kaufmann's youthful vocal stands in stark opposition to both ballad masters, because a large part of the ballads from the group of 12 original songs filling the album "Second Hand Man" is in typical for them, calm and dark style, with a slightly "lazy" approach. Some of the songs ("White Lady", "A Lesson In Love") are kept in a muted, almost minimalist style (guitar plus voice), some have the form of more complex sounds including synthesizers and drum machine (such as "Just For Love","Me And My Little Mademoiselle"), in some of them, like in "There's A Sign", the harpsichord buzzes pleasantly in the background, while at other times the accordion ("Curtain Song") unexpectedly takes over the main instrumental role. Kaufmann's duets with Anka Hołowiecka are also rather nice (especially on "White Lady" and "The Night Has Come"). Sometimes it gets very rocky ("Second Hand Man", "Just For Love"), sometimes psychedelic ("The Night Has Come", "The Claw"), and sometimes almost club-like ("The Wistful Song"). Overall, this album is a thing for lovers of chamber, ballad music, fans of the "singer / songwriter music" genre, to listen to after dark, in the silence of a late evening.