Elastic Rock Band - Faruk's Traum 1980 (Germany)

Here is another long-lost jazz-rock from Germany; despite the band name, this is definitely typical 70s fusion jazz-rock. First check out the outrageously humorous cover art of a dog wearing snoopy-style aviator sunglasses, as if he was undergoing a bizarre misfit experiment in abnormal animal psychology involving elucidating the dreams of canines under the influence of-- progressive jazz?
I don't understand why this style is so reviled today and so utterly abandoned, those of us who love music will understand how our art is like plato's world of ideals offering a release from the incessant wheel of suffering into a universe of perfection that is attainable and usual with the help of headphones and a record such as this.

Though it's described as average by many in the community even an average from this period is pretty good music. And this is almost to the level of the incomparable Missus Beastly (in my opinion!). To me standouts are Glolock's Dance with its definite National Health chord changes and Hopperesque bass soloing, the ensuing title track with its very Chick Corea keyboard patterns moving to acoustic piano then again electrified, and the first 2 tracks on the second side. Notice in particular how well composed these progressions and patterns are as compared to the average fusion record.

On "Point of View" we have that heavenly breeze of space-synth sound performing arabesques above a guitar melody. Suddenly a minor chord appears, out of the blue as if a shadow. "Fur Carlos" uses the same keyboard as Carol Ann from Soft machine 7 (or is it 6), the almost pure tonal bliss of outgoing spacecrafts to Plato's world of perfection and ideal forms, for me. An interesting part of this track is the riveting chords being rapidly and gently strummed on electric guitar behind the melody. (That fast beat under slow melody combo has been overused to death in tv soundtracks to convey an aura of mysterious suspense.) Later the track moves into traditional and overdone jazz rock territory. At least the first minute of this one is worth listening to!

Hope you can enjoy this lost lost classic of the genre. Credit for this particular rip to master Shige.

TRACKS:
1 Sommertag
2 Für J.H.
3 Gloloks Dance
4 Faruks Traum
5 Point of View
6 Für Carlos
7 Unsere Altbauwohnung

MUSICIANS:
Fahr, Wolfgang (1) (electric guitar, ovation guitar)
Grünwald, Alex (2) (keyboards) Munju
Krüger, Mathias (2) (electric bass, percussion) Schittenhelm, Julius
Zelinka, Jan (3) (drums, gong, timbales) Missus Beastly; Schittenhelm, Julius

Guests:
Zadlo, Leczek (4) (soprano & tenor saxophone (1, 6, 7)) Anima; Music Community; Sunbirds

Gloclock's Dance:



Point of View: