Music Banter - View Single Post - That 70's Thread - Anteater's Reviews Of Cool **** You Should Already Have

Anteater · 01-25-2010, 09:33 PM

Triumvirat – Illusions On A Double Dimple (1973)

"The ProggyMouse likes this...you should too!!"

1. Illusions On A Double Dimple (22:59)
2. Mister Ten Percent (21:22)

From mid-1969 through the summer of 1970, the success of groups such as The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull and Yes had begun to create waves and ripples throughout the music scenes of various countries both large and small, but particularly in Germany, who at this time was caught up in a variety of musical upheavals. While the bands who would later give rise to Krautrock and early Electronic experimenation were still finding their sea legs, a piano player by the name of Jürgen Fritz was astounding audiences at little bars and venues across the country, covering everything from Top 40 pop hits to Procol Harum and early ELP tracks, and became inspired greatly by much of what he was covering. Together with drummer Hans Bathelt and bassist Werner Frangenberg, Fritz formed a trio which would take Germany by storm for the next half decade or so, which he dubbed Triumvirat and by the release of their 1972 debut Mediterranean Tales were called by presses around the globe "The German ELP", and dismissed as derivative by many.

Their following sophomore record, however, proved that such a title was not befitting at all. For you see folks, 1973's Illusions On A Double Dimple added guitar and sax and a bludgeoning bass lead into the keyboard-lead approach that sounded better than anything their more famous English contemporaries had ever done or would ever do. Featuring two 20-minute sidelong epics and a cool ass album cover, it is difficult to comprehend how phenomenal this release must have been upon release back in prog. rock's heyday. Hell, it still sounds brilliant today.

The opening title track starts off gently enough on a catchy piano note and Gabriel-esque capella before beginning to gather speed around the minute mark where the synthesizers and pummeling drums begin to set in. Some interesting themes are established, as well as a fair amount of acoustic guitar woven like a ribbon amidst a blistering bass, all of which grows steadily sharper and more interesting as everything winds further and further toward an inexorable conclusion. It's the sort of affair that makes you wish you had been listening to these guys from the beginning instead of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as this is one of the hardest biting prog. epics ever set to song by any band.

(Excerpt from title track)

'Mister Ten Percent', however, doesn't even try to build up before launching into a drum+bass bone crunching lead that speeds up punkishly while the piano grapples forth at specific intervals. The backing vocal work is quite reminiscent of Yes circa Close to the Edge, but it adds rather than detracts to the feel of the piece. Twin to Side A's title cut, if a bit more straightforward at times, 'Mister Ten Percent' never loses itself in overt synth wanks or unmemorable noodling; rather, the piano is always tasteful, plus an interesting flamenco section pops up starting around the 4:00 minute mark, followed by some sax at 5:30, and so on and so forth until you are either boggled by the constant twists or dragged along hypnotically by the grooves and discernible themes at play. No matter which it may be, it's one hell of a 20 some odd minute ride, and stronger than what we opened with too.

(Excerpts from Track 2)

I know progressive rock isn't everybody's thing, especially the keyboard-heavy breed, but when even the most pretentious brand of a pretentious genre is executed with this kind of throughfulness and punch, you can't help but either enjoy the heck out of it or respect it from the bottom of your heart & soul.

Recommended, then, to classical junkies, progheads, and to anyone who is looking for something rather challenging to grace their musical taste buds for a short time or eternity alike. Either way, you really can't go wrong with a cute-as-buttons rodent nibbling its way out of an eggshell...it's just too awesome to deny!