SOLAR MUSIC - LIVE

This is one of the rare prog live albums that out-rocks those of most standard rock bands, a spacey symphonic progressive album that is largely guitar oriented, thanks to the dual axes of Stefan Danielak and Gerd Kühn help achieve this result. The bass of Wolfgang Jäger and Eroc's drums also serve as backbone to one of the best jam sessions in history, and the fact that every note seems to be planned does not take away from the effort one iota. Nothing in "Rockpommel's Land" could prepare us for what is here.

While we have to put up with the "histrierocs" before things really get going, it's worth the wait. The meat of the album, tracks 2 thru 6 are all top notch, containing an appealing contrast of insanity and contemplation, accent on insanity, but my favourite track is actually "Golden Mist", perhaps because its keyboard orientation contrasts so drastically with everything else. Within those glorious 11 minutes, we are showered with all manner of keyboards, but especially electric piano and mellotrons/string synths that build to a spine tingling crescendo in the last minute before giving way to accordion!

While the last track and the bonus are less interesting and prevent a 5 star rating, this is still a classic of 1970s symphonic and a pinnacle of sorts for the movement. Even 30 years after exploding onto the scene, Solar Music Live is still hot.