STRAIGHT TO THE KRANKENHAUS

SECRET OYSTER had been riding high since the release of its second album "Sea Son" which not only made them Denmark's #1 progressive jazz-rock band of all time but also caught the attention beyond the motherland's borders. The band spent a great deal of time touring, so much so that it became more and more difficult to find the time to spend in the recording studio. During the promotion of "Sea Son," the band was approached by the ballet dancer and choreographer Flemming Findt to perform the soundtrack music for the ballet "Vidunderlige Kælling" which accompanied the live performances where the main actress Vivi Flemming performed nude and at times painted gold. The experimental ballet was a huge hit and not only extended SECRET OYSTER's popularity but offered them a cushy financial return which allowed the band to take their music to the next level.

While the band was touring Germany the members found it amusing that they would consistently see signs for KRANKENHAUS which is the German word for hospital and to relieve the boredom and tension of constantly touring together in a small bus, the band members and crew would amuse themselves by yelling in unison STRAIGHT TO THE KRANKENHAUS, a phrase that everyone found so incredibly hilarious that it became the official title of the fourth and last album that SECRET OYSTER released during their five year existence. Likewise when the band was on tour in Stockholm, Sweden the members were equally amused by a painting of a political looking fat cat dude being interviewed on TV while sitting in a Chesterfield chair. This painting was not for sale but the band scored the rights to craft a reproduction which would become the cover art which they deemed a perfect visual to accompany the comical album title.

Given that time off the road was minimal, SECRET OYSTER recorded its two final albums simultaneously. Both the "Vidunderlige Kælling" and STRAIGHT TO THE KRANKENHAUS overlapped and became quite confusing as to where the band's particular style was supposed to be given that it wasn't revealed which tracks were for which project. The results of this confusion guaranteed that both albums had similar stylistic developments however while "Vidunderlige" focused more on a lighter jazz driven tracks that emphasized the saxophone and keyboard parts, KRANKENHAUS reprised aspects of the band's previous works with heavier guitar and bass drive and a return to the rock aspects that made "Sea Son" stand out. The mix of what came before and what the ballet material led to crafted another unique album that sounds like no other.

While the Mahavishnu Orchestra compositional approach had always been a heavy influence on SECRET OYSTER, on STRAIGHT TO THE KRANKENHAUS it's even more pronounced. While the jamming passages of the first two albums are still present, the nine tracks on this final release focus on tighter compositions that offer more variations not only in tones, timbres, tempos and ratios between jazz and rock but also offered more complex musical motifs that allowed the various instruments to take a turn in soloing around. The album ranges from the feisty opening "Lindance" which immediately showcases a Jan Hammer styled keyboard workout accompanied by a drone but also finds the rest of the band upping their game with more complex drumming gymnastics and tighter transitions from various passages. The title track steers away from the Mahavishnus with a return to the funk-fueled jamming of the past.

The tracks continue to diversify with "My Second Hand Rose" chilling out with a lower energetic delivery and more reminiscent of something not he "Vidunderlige" soundtrack. "Delveaux" takes the same approach but "Stalled Angel" seems to incorporate all of the band's past into a single track with funky, jazz, rock and various musical motifs in rotation including a wild scorching hot keyboard solo. The rotisserie of jazz, rock and symphonic prog workouts continues right up to the most Mahavishnu sounding track of all, the closing "Leda & The Dog" which seems heavily inspired by "Birds Of Fire." The Laser's Edge re-releases also feature two excellent bonus tracks that fit in quite well with the original track listing.

Despite SECRET OYSTER having lost none of its popularity this would be the last stop for this spectacular Danish jazz prog rock band. Originally having been promised by Columbia Records to promote the band in the USA as the next best thing since The Weather Report, the record company backed out and left the band hanging. The uncertainty and changing tastes in the music industry left the band members exhausted from constant years of touring and recording as well as being disillusioned by the sudden collapse of promises and possibilities. The band slowly began to splinter with members leaving and moral diminishing until it was finally decided that the end of the era was over and time to move on. SECRET OYSTER performed its last live show in December 1977 and in its wake left four beautifully crafted albums that have more than stood the text of time. Many consider STRAIGHT TO THE KRANKENHAUS to be the band's finest moment and in terms of technicality and professionalism, it certainly is the peak of the band's four album run. On a personal note i still prefer the wild and unpredictable debut "Furtive Pearl" over the rest but this final chapter of the SECRET OYSTER experience is certainly a very close second.

4.5 rounded down