FROM THE NEW WORLD

For their second release Pell Mell were upgraded to a sextet with the addition of keyboard player Dietrich J. Noll.This way Thomas Schmidt was free to focus on his work on violin.The band changed also label, leaving Bacillus for Phillips and a chance to be wider recognized.''From the New World'' was recorded at Rhein-Main-Tonstudio in Frankfurt and released in 1973.

Pell Mell now sounded a little more ambitious, having writen down longer compositions with improved space for instrumental themes, but at moments they sounded less original than on their debut.The long title-track is the perfect example of such a description, a mix of Classical Rock and organ-driven Progressive Rock with highs and lows.It is characterized by the monstrous violin drives and solos of Classical nature by Schmidt, some nice vocal parts led by Rudolf Schön, where the band still sounds grounded in its psychedelic past, and a few nice melodies.But it also contains some non-sense organ torturing, jazzy bits and piano interludes, like if you listen again to a German-born KEITH EMERSON.I am trying to find the reason of the existence of the following ''Toccata''.It is like if the previous track is extended for four more minutes of endless, virtuosic solos.''Suite I'' from the flipside is definitely more cohesive and rewarding.Good interplays, excellent vocal lines, melodious textures, dreamy violin work and a fair dose of keybard pyrotechnics result a strong track - maybe the best of the album - which you can listen with joy.The 11-min. ''Suite II'' eventually gives some space for some nice guitar runs and solos among the rich keyboard-based ideas of the group.It also features over the top multi-vocal arrangements and the excellent combination of Schmidt's spacey flutes and crying violins in the middle of the composition.Very nice piece of music, which sounds a bit different from the rest of the album.

Pell Mell proove to be technically accomplished with each release, but compositionally the album ends up to be a bit uneven.The ''Suite'' pieces are simply beautiful but the opening pair is of questionable quality and rather unoriginal.Still recommended, especially if you prefer your Prog Rock with strong Classical overtones.