Music Banter - View Single Post - I know what I like: Trollheart's History of Progressive Rock and Progressive Metal

Trollheart · 02-06-2021, 10:10 AM

Album title: Earwax
Artist: Association
Nationality: Dutch
Label: Munich Records
Chronology: Debut
Previous Experience of this Artist: None
Tracklisting: Spider/Hit the P. Tit/Elsen/Earwax/Round A’bout Nine/Jazzper
Comments: Okay so this is the band I mentioned who were touted as being “about 80% electronics” which is quite impressive in 1970, when electronic music could be said to be in its infancy really. I also see my two other least-favoured words, jazz and preceded by free, so this may be a bad step for me, but let’s see. Terrible name for an album, but there you go: those crazy Dutchmen eh? Well right off it sounds a lot more prog that the Argentinian lads did, for a start. Nice rhythm to it and Toto Blanke on the guitar certainly knows what he’s about. Some pretty fine drumming here too from Pierre Courbois, a good start to the album and now we’re onto the longest track. At eleven minutes and change the oddly named “Hit the P. Tit” has a much more freeform, avant-garde feel and immediately I like it less, but that’s just me. Can really hear the jazz now, plus there are a lot of effects, which, given they have no synthesiser or anything, are made with the likes of the drums and the guitar, and quite impressive if not my thing.

“Elsen” is a short little thing, just over a minute, quite nice, then the title track is another jazz jam; I mean it’s nice but about as far removed from prog as maybe Coltrane is. Sweet drum solo. “Round A’bout Nine” has some interesting work on the guitar strings going, a lot of plucking and so forth, nice bass line, interesting effects. “Jazper” is a nice sort of relaxing mostly piano-driven piece with those brushed drums(?). All quite palatable and all not in the same building, never mind room, as prog. Definitely outside the garden, over the wall, across the street, down at the corner and turn right and then just keep going.

Favourite track(s): Spider, Elsen, Jazzper
Least favourite track(s):
Overall impression: If you’re a jazz fan I reckon you’ll love this. If you’re a prog head, but not into jazz, there’s little or nothing here for you. I don’t quite get the “80% electronics” quote: there are some very clever effects, but I’d say it’s 90% jazz more than anything else.
Personal Rating:

02-06-2021, 10:10 AM	#195 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Earwax Artist: Association Nationality: Dutch Label: Munich Records Chronology: Debut Previous Experience of this Artist: None Tracklisting: Spider/Hit the P. Tit/Elsen/Earwax/Round A’bout Nine/Jazzper Comments: Okay so this is the band I mentioned who were touted as being “about 80% electronics” which is quite impressive in 1970, when electronic music could be said to be in its infancy really. I also see my two other least-favoured words, jazz and preceded by free, so this may be a bad step for me, but let’s see. Terrible name for an album, but there you go: those crazy Dutchmen eh? Well right off it sounds a lot more prog that the Argentinian lads did, for a start. Nice rhythm to it and Toto Blanke on the guitar certainly knows what he’s about. Some pretty fine drumming here too from Pierre Courbois, a good start to the album and now we’re onto the longest track. At eleven minutes and change the oddly named “Hit the P. Tit” has a much more freeform, avant-garde feel and immediately I like it less, but that’s just me. Can really hear the jazz now, plus there are a lot of effects, which, given they have no synthesiser or anything, are made with the likes of the drums and the guitar, and quite impressive if not my thing. “Elsen” is a short little thing, just over a minute, quite nice, then the title track is another jazz jam; I mean it’s nice but about as far removed from prog as maybe Coltrane is. Sweet drum solo. “Round A’bout Nine” has some interesting work on the guitar strings going, a lot of plucking and so forth, nice bass line, interesting effects. “Jazper” is a nice sort of relaxing mostly piano-driven piece with those brushed drums(?). All quite palatable and all not in the same building, never mind room, as prog. Definitely outside the garden, over the wall, across the street, down at the corner and turn right and then just keep going. Favourite track(s): Spider, Elsen, Jazzper Least favourite track(s): Overall impression: If you’re a jazz fan I reckon you’ll love this. If you’re a prog head, but not into jazz, there’s little or nothing here for you. I don’t quite get the “80% electronics” quote: there are some very clever effects, but I’d say it’s 90% jazz more than anything else. Personal Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018