Label: Arcangelo Records (Japan), ARC-7356 (PROI-1130)
Style: Art Rock
Country: Hamburg, Germany
Time: 48:46
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 316 Mb
For those of you who were there when this album was released, FRUMPY was one of the classic rock bands with its distinctive vocalist Inga Rumpf. I was just 10 years old at that time and by the time I knew the band it was 5 years late already through their legendary hit "Singing Song". From this song it was quite obvious that the unique quality of the band was basically at its lead singer, especially with her unique timbre. The story started when four musicians were all members of Irishman O' Brian-Docker's folkband The City Preachers, which was founded in Hamburg in 1965.
The band's debut album "All Will Be Changed" was released in 1970. For me personally, this is an excellent album regardless it's prog or not. It doesn't matter, I think. One thing so peculiar about this album is its sound that really represents the sound of the seventies. Well, talking about 70's music you must have known how the sonic quality of rock music recorded during that time sounds like. This kind of sound is so distinctive that sometimes I compare with the modern sound technology with state of the art digital equipment through the music of Porcupine Tree, for example. I can feel the difference and in a way people might say that modern technology record is much better than the old days but no one now can produce the seventies sounds, do you find one? That's what I really enjoy about this debut album by FRUMPY.
Musically, I also consider that this is an excellent one in terms of songwriting, composition, cohesiveness and musicianship. Jean-Jacques Kravetz plays important role in producing various keyboards sounds especially the use of Hammond organ. Karl-Heinz Schott provides dynamic bass for especially tracks with jazzy touch. Carsten Bohn Bandstand does a good job with his drums. The opening track "Life Without Pain" (3:50) is basically a classic pop music. The band starts its full potential with second track "Rosalie, Part 1" (6:00) - "Otium" (4:22) - "Rosalie, Part 2" (4:14). Hammond organ makes its wonderful solo accompanied with bass guitar work in "Otium". It's really stunning and it's so seventies!
"Indian Rope Man" (3:19) brings the music into different style but still maintaining the singing style of Inga Rumpf. Bass plays dynamic fills accompanying piano as well as organ. It's another good track to enjoy. In "Morning" (3:24) again Karl-Heinz Schott provides dynamic bass in upbeat tempo. It continues seamlessly to "Floating, Part 1" (7:39) followed with Hammond organ solo in "Baroque" (7:36) and it ends excellently with "Floating, Part 2" (1:25).
(progarchives.com/album.asp?id=11328)
01. Life Without Pain (03:50)
02. Rosalie (Part 1) (06:00)
03. Otium (04:22)
04. Rosalie (Part 2) (04:14)
05. Indian Rope Man (03:19)
06. Morning (03:24)
07. Floating (Part 1) (07:39)
08. Baroque (07:36)
09. Floating (Part 2) (01:25)
10. Roadriding (04:02)
11. Time Makes Wise (02:49)
Enjoying this. Thanks for the post.
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