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avestin ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
![]() Posted: January 06 2008 at 14:39 |
CAROL OF HARVEST - Carol of Harvest
Bio from PA page:
One of the many German bands to release a single album on a private label and watch it grow into a collector's dream. Carol of Harvest played a dreamy blend of Progressive Rock and Folk with female vocals that might be compared with Mellow Candle and early Clannad mixed with Jane, Pentangle and Renaissance. The music has the added edge of long arrangements with Moog synth and acid guitar solos, and in reality has little to do with Krautrock.
Information on the band members is very hard to find, helping to shroud this hard to find album with an air of mystery. CAROL OF HARVEST "Carol of Harvest" reviewschronological order | showing only reviews with more than 200 caracters ![]() Brainchild of guitarist Axel Schmierer, who wrote all tracks and English lyrics, this album radiates beauty of groups such as The Trees or Hoelderlin’s Traum. Compared to the Trees (most striking comparison) is the beautiful female voice of Beate Krause, but also the large instrument passages which are given even more room than on any tracks of The Trees’s two albums. If some progheads have doubt that all f those folk rock groups from the turn of the 70’s decade are progressive enough to be on the Archives, here you will have absolutely no doubts: if this folk is not prog, than there can be no such thing. Lenghty opener (16 min) Nightcap is a pure delight wiçth an acoustic guitar emerging from the winds and adopting a melody that will closely resemble one from Roger Waters on The Wall, and the vocals (Sandy Denny anyone?) takes us quickly to a superb ambiance mixed with KB of the era but played divinely slow to fit the music. Just before the 7 min-mark, the track picks up speed but repeats the previous pattern and Schmierer’s soaring solo does you wonders in terms of spine chills before dying out. A sonar tone brings you back to life along with the siren’s chant: you must be Ulysses tied to his mast. The tunes picks up speed once again than calms down to the returning sonar and so on… Second (short) track is much more trad folk and closing a stunning first side. The second side starts very much in the mould of its predecessor (maybe a bit too much) but slightly less expansive on the instrumental side and Treary Eyes is also in that typical mould between Pentangle and The Trees while the 10 min closer brings back some of the majesty of the first side of the vinyl. Most of the lyrics (perfectly sung in English) are not reaching far or have no deep meaning but still positive and charming. The three live bonus tracks bring little more to the album (the sound quality is average and the songs are unremarkable but have a space rock sound), but they do not interfere with the overall fluidity of the album as well as its enjoyment. Part of the excitement of this album is to discover a great to superb folk prog album that belongs with the best of the decade but was recorded so late that it went unnoticed and can now be seen as a lost and forgotten gem. Posted Thursday, March 09, 2006 | Review Permalink ![]() Posted Tuesday, June 13, 2006 | Review Permalink allister@hotm
![]() Posted Wednesday, July 19, 2006 | Review Permalink ![]() As only small negative aspect of this record is the similarity of the songs, so there are no big contrasts on the music. There are three long compositions here, which lengths vary from six to sixteen minutes, and two shorter more conventional folk songs. The opening track “Put on Your Nightcap” rises from ethereal winds or waves, as undistorted amplified electric guitar begins to weave the soothing web of sound. The lyrics criticize war and institutional religion, and during the violent days of our time this is sadly a good song as background music while watching muted television news. The composition is interesting, as it has many different and very beautiful sections in it. “You And Me” is then a traditional folk with acoustic guitar and the lady singer, and it has even few major chords, which are a rarity in this record. ”Somewhere at The End Of The Rainbow“ is another longer stunning psychedelic voyage like the first track. I was so hypnotized whilst listening to this, that I forgot to write down any thoughts about it. ”Treary Eyes” is another shorter tune, which is followed by the song ”Try A Little Bit”, which is the last longer tune of the original album, and played with amplified guitar. The last three songs are bonus tracks from a concert, which are only on the CD, which is obviously the media which you’ll have to have in order to listen this record, as the price of vinyl version of this album is ridiculously high. The sound quality of these live recordings is not very good, I must admit. ”River” is a short, instrumental psychedelic rock passage, which works as an intro for the following song ”Sweet Heroin”. (?!) This performance starts with a moody, abstract sound wall, from where mysterious and powerful song rises. The composition has a mellow and calm feeling, where the fast and loud parts emerge from time to time. The vocals are also treated with weird effects during the verses. ”Brickstone” is then only a short excerpt from an interesting sounding performance, alas this is faded out after a minute as the tape maybe ran out. The greatest moments of this album are among the most essential musical moments that I have yet founded from the genres of both artistic folk and psychedelic music. Therefore I recommend it warmly to the fans of moody and beautiful art music! Posted Friday, July 21, 2006 | Review Permalink ![]() Carol of Harvest unfortunately released only one album, and that originally only in the form of a small private pressing. The album was re-released in the nineties, and again on CD several years after that. Prior to these releases this music was pretty much reserved for those who were fortunate enough to pick it up at its original release, or those who had thousands of dollars to invest in an auctioned copy. Today the CD is available for little more cost than that of any modern popular band, and includes three live tracks of unspecified origin. There is almost no information available on the web or in library archives that gives many clues as to where and why these guys came into existence. Too bad, because I’m quite sure the story is fascinating. I also cannot find any evidence any of them pursued music as a career after the band folded, with the exception of bassist Heinz Reinschlüssel who ended up in the pop-nostalgia band Rey Vulcano, with whom he apparently still performs. Again, too bad: singer Beate Krause has a folk-laced, almost operatic voice that should have graced the grooves of many albums, and guitarist Axel Schmierer’s sound is in the finest David Gilmour / Steve Rothery tradition. Jürgen Kolb’s moog would have placed him well in any number of psychedelic, symphonic, or even hard rock bands of that day; while the rhythm section, though not exactly stellar, is well-suited to their subdued supporting role. The band’s name is taken from the American poet Walt Whitman’s epic ‘Leaves of Grass’, and specifically from the stanzas where he describes the wasteland of the battlefield strewn with casualties, and where he philosophically posits that carrying-on with life is all that remains to do for the survivors (the CD’s liner notes include an excerpt from Whitman’s poem). This sentiment is similar to Voltare’s idea of “cultivating our garden” in the depressing but hopeful ‘Candide’. And this is also the sentiment of the band, particularly in the lengthy opening track “Put on Your Nightcap”, in which Ms. Krause croons in hypnotically appealing tones about war and its aftermath. Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention comes to mind, as does the activist/musician Peggy Seeger. But it is important to note this album was recorded in 1978, not a decade earlier though that is what it sounds like. Considering the common musical fare of the late seventies, it’s not surprising this one never made any kind of impression on the masses. Our loss. The opening track starts out sounding very much like an old Fairport Convention, Joan Baez, or Peter, Paul & Mary folk song, but quickly proves its mettle by progressing into a borderline psychedelic work with rangy, soaring guitar by Schmierer and a sporadically heavy rhythm. This is undoubtedly the highlight of the whole album, although the rest is well worth many listenings. “You and Me” is the track most often played on college radio or obscure compilation albums when Carol of Harvest gets represented. This is probably because it is short, mellow, willowingly upbeat, and more representative of the folk side of the band. From there the band launched into another extended track with “Somewhere At The End of the Rainbow”, which sounds remarkably like the later British band Mostly Autumn, or maybe even Stream of Passion. This is another track that skirts the boundary between hippy and acid folk, and manages both with equal skill. The almost bluesy guitar solo in the middle is simply beautiful, and also features the only really prominent bass lines on the album. “Treary Eyes” is another short tune, and like “You and Me” features acoustic guitar and very understated keyboards. This one reminds me quite of a bit of the interaction between Nancy Wilson’s acoustic guitar and sister Ann’s soulful singing on Heart’s ‘Dog and Butterfly’ album, and in fact was recorded around the same time. The first few guitar chords of “Try a Little Bit” are suspiciously similar to the Animals’ rendition of “House of the Rising Sun”, and the track does manage to stray well into the psych R&B sound of that band almost immediately. The guitar work here is again exceptional, intricate and emotive while at the same time disciplined. Aside from the opening track this is probably the strongest work on the album, and the noodling moog and loose bass line sound much closer to the end of the decade in which is was recorded, as opposed to the rest of the album that sounds like a Woodstock-era throwback. The final three tracks on the CD are live, which of course begs the question of when and where they were recorded. Not sure, but there is definitely an enthusiastic crowd. “River” and “Brickstone” are heavier and more melodic than the original album, and the keyboardist seems to have traded in his moog for an analog organ of some sort. The recording quality of these tracks isn’t so good, but both songs are energetic and fun to listen to, although not representative of the rest of the album. The remaining live track is “Sweet Heroin”, which I’m positive is a cover of someone else’s, but I don’t know whose. This is an intensely psychedelic composition with extended instrumental passages, moaning vocals courtesy of Ms. Krause, and overall a Jim Morrison Doors-like feel. This is easily the heaviest work on the album, and the crowd responds enthusiastically. Ms. Krause borders on sounding like Patti Smith as she spits out the vocals in between flights of guitar fantasy. Again, great track, but not consistent with the rest of the album. So in all this is an outstanding album, with only a couple of very minor quibbles to keep it from being considered a masterpiece. Primarily is this feeling that the band was originally scoping this as a concept album (as evidenced by the band’s name, artwork, and opening track), but for some reason the theme doesn’t seem to quite hold throughout. Also, the lack of any kind of detailed credits or liner notes is a bit disappointing considering the relative obscurity of the band. This is a tack that bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and even punk bands could pull off, but it’s just annoying with this band. Maybe this is a masterpiece anyway, but for now I’ll say it is a solid four stars, and will perhaps revisit that someday. peace Posted Saturday, March 17, 2007 | Review Permalink ![]() Posted Thursday, December 13, 2007 | Review Permalink ![]() 1. Put On Your Nightcap (16:02) Line-up/Musicians- Beate Krause / vocals Releases informationCD Reissue Second Battle SB 064 (2001) Edited by avestin - January 06 2008 at 14:40 |
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avestin ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
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No takers? This is a fabulous album! |
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avestin ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
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Mikerinos ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: August 11 2005 Location: Planet Gong Status: Offline Points: 8890 |
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I've wanted to check this album out for a while, now I want it even more.
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PhideauxFan ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: August 14 2007 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 4579 |
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I am not a huge fan of 70s prog rock, I prefer hard-rock of this period.
But when I heard for the first time Carol Of Harvest, I was very impressed. Some kind of mix of folk, acid, psyché and soft hard-rock 70s. All that I like. ![]() The 1978 German edition of the LP is very hard to find, and also very expensive! This album exists on CD with live bonus (2000) and it was reedited in LP at the end of 2007. Two songs in streaming on this blog: http://fox.cyna.fr/4838/carol-of-harvest/ . ![]() |
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avestin ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
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^^
Thanks for the info and links!
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avestin ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
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bump
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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Guys what is up with this? Is Carol Of Harvest releasing a new album this year?! Look at this: http://carol-of-harvest.com/
I know its a newbie question but why is there a new polish female vocalist called Eva? Has Beate quit the band? Or has she passed away? Any information on this whatsoever is highly appreciated. Thanks a lot guys!
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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Haha, so im the only excited about this news :D
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Certif1ed ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 08 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 7559 |
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Oddly enough, my copy arrived yesterday.
Bit busy at the moment - but a review will surely follow
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The important thing is not to stop questioning.
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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Holy crap, is it already out? Do you know what the album is called? Is Krause doing vocals again? Where did you buy it? Tell me more! Please! This is amazing news.
Edited by Detric - July 30 2008 at 11:47 |
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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Their one and only album from 1978, always manages to give be goosebumps whenever I hear it, which is pretty often. I just cant believe more people arent more aware of this new album. I am dying to hear it, and I dont even know what its called cause there is absolutely no information about it. Even PA didnt add it to the archives. Still Certif1ed apparently got his hands on it. Any help about this record would be very much appreciated, since their debut holds a special place in my heart, and forever will.
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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Where is the review Certif1ed?
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Speesh ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: December 21 2006 Location: NJ / VT Status: Offline Points: 435 |
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Isn't he talking about the self-titled? Great album though, a follow-up would be great. But I can't find any info either...
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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I really hope he isnt. But then what is this all about?
I cant believe no one is paying attention to this. Or they just havent heard their debut from 78. The new record, will ofcourse not be as good, but I cant wait to hear it regardless..
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Plankowner ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 09 2008 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 4006 |
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First time I've heard of it, will check them out. Thanks.
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Detric ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() Joined: March 17 2006 Location: Denmark Status: Offline Points: 117 |
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No prob dude. To anyone who havent heard their one and only record from 78', read this:
"One of the many German bands to release a single album on a private label and watch it grow into a collector's dream. Carol of Harvest played a dreamy blend of Progressive Rock and Folk with female vocals that might be compared with Mellow Candle and early Clannad mixed with Jane, Pentangle and Renaissance. The music has the added edge of long arrangements with Moog synth and acid guitar solos, and in reality has little to do with Krautrock. Information on the band members is very hard to find, helping to shroud this hard to find album with an air of mystery." Edited by Detric - August 21 2008 at 13:14 |
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Plankowner ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 09 2008 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 4006 |
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Yep. Explains the price tag. Should be here early next week.
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Plankowner ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 09 2008 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 4006 |
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Thanks Avestin, very nice album.
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