REFLECTIONS !

I had mentioned to my spaced-out, Krautrocking Brother-In-Law a couple of months ago how badly I wanted to have TWENTY SIXTY SIX AND THEN's debut album. Well would you believe he shows up the day after my birthday with this cd in his hand. To be honest it's far from a legit recording but it's the thought that counts. It was the best birthday gift I received this year. We proceeded to have a few beers while listening to this recording then OUT OF FOCUS' live album. It was a good evening. So my copy is 40 minutes long containing the first four tracks that were on the original album minus the short 3 1/2 minute closer. Now the tracks on this particular release are earlier versions of the debut because the master tapes have long been lost. Some who have heard both prefer these longer earlier versions anyway. There is some mellotron and flute but this is mostly organ and guitar led with a fantastic rhythm section. Vocals are in English.

"At My Home" has a good beat as the organ plays over top. Vocals join in. This is catchy. Flute before 2 1/2 minutes followed by an instrumental break I really like that is led by the organ. A nice and heavy rhythm section here as well. Vocals are back before 6 minutes. "Autumn" builds slowly before it kicks in with a killer rhythm section. Vocals after 1 1/2 minutes. This is excellent. I like the lyrics too. The guitar is smoking 3 1/2 minutes in then the tempo picks up a minute later. It settles again with almost spoken vocals. It's melancholic with mellotron to the end. "Butterking" makes me laugh, especially where he sings "The butterking !" then the music goes da da da ! Like in an old TV show. This song opens with nature sounds then you can hear someone walking then he says "Butterfly" and in comes the music, and it kicks in heavily. Piano after 2 minutes as the tempo picks up. It settles with acoustic guitar, drums then vocals. Flute arrives then it picks up again.

"Reflections On The Future" was the original title track and almost a side long one at that. This is my favourite track. A nice heavy intro with lots of bottom end as the guitar plays over top. It settles a minute in with vocals. A heavy rhythm arrives before 5 minutes as the guitar lights it up in a big way. Killer ! It settles back before 7 minutes as the vocals return. Check out the organ and bass combo before 10 minutes. It turns experimental and spacey after 11 minutes until 14 1/2 minutes in. Klaus Schulze would be proud. Passionate guitar and vocals to end it.

By the way you too can hear these songs on YouTube. There's no video with them just the audio, but please check them out. To my Brother-In-Law who's always in a psychedlic haze, thankyou.