GARUDA

RMO's second album is along the same lines of what we heard from their first: a good jazz rock on the borderline between the early 70's JR and the later 70's Fusion music. The quintet (KB, drummer, bassist and wind player plus androgyn frontperson Margit Haberland on vocals, percussions and ac guitar) released on the legendary Brain (green) label in Conny Plank's studios Garuda (with a cool and intriguing artwork), which might appear to be if not conceptual at least thematic.

As all tracks are linked by short (never above one minute length) interludes of Swiss Games separating the main compositions: the five Zwischenspiel pieces, each penned by a member of the group), but even then I don't think there is much of a message to catch. It seems that the group's message was mostly the good times, abundant and precise interplays between all members. Right from the opening 10-min Slapstick (which is anything but), you know that you won't be rocking your socks off: while there are some Nucleus elements in the music, the group lack the sheer power of their UK counterparts, while Passport is not far away. The first side's best track is Torso Im Sommerwind, but nothing that enthusiasting either.

The second side starts on the deep and introverted 12-min title track, which shines as the album's highlight, but I have trouble getting interested in the unfocused and slightly ethnic Mama Kubu, sounding like a cheap but more psych Osibisa crossing Doldinger's Passport.

While I wouldn't consider anything of Release Music Orchestra as essential, their early albums are definitely worth hearing if you are into JR/F. And since I am one of them, I'll add another half star.