Posts tagged Exmagma

(Review from green-brain-krautrock.de)

This, the band’s third album from 1975, was intended as a double-LP but never got released until recently.

While all the influences, from Hendrix via Soft Machine to ‘Bitches Brew’-Miles Davis, remained intact, the band at this stage had clearly developed a great ability in songwriting and singing. Which made a difference compared to their first two -strictly instrumental- albums, which didn’t always make things easier for the average rock fan. ’3′s not Kraut, it’s not rock, it’s not jazz, it’s not avantgarde. It’s all of that in perfect balance! And the result is much bigger than the sum of the parts.

Line-up:
- Thomas Balluff / organ, electric piano, clavinett-c effects
- Fred Braceful / sonor drums, percussion extraordinaire
- Andy Goldner / fretless electric bass, electric guitar, alto sax, tape recorder

Track List:
01. Box 25 – 3:35
02. My Baby’s Gone I’m Out Of Tune Blues – 2:07
03. Torpedo Tits – 3:58
04. Fred Braceful Is Talkin’ To Bread Faithful – 1:13
05. It’s So Nice – 6:05
06. Rock & Roll – 7:45
07. Weltstar – 0:17
08. The Pope – 5:49
09. Uberm Beutental – 3:19
10. Dr. Phil S.H. – 7:34
11. Qu’est-ce Que c’est- – 1:19
12. Da Da Too – 2:28
13. Stoned Chicken – 5:25
14. In Arkansas Steht ‘n Atomkraftwerk – 1:11
15. Full Moon Again – 12:06
16. Walkin’ On Ice – 4:27
17. If I Could – 0:18

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(Review from progarchives.com)

With two young veterans from Germany’s R’n'B scene who happened to be talented musicians and an extraordinary African American drummer who seemed to have the swing right there under his skins and all over his muscles and bones; the band was originally formed as Magma, later changed to Exmagma after finding out about the French outfit of the same name. The trio of Braceful’s infinite dynamics, Balluff’s avant-garde sensible creativity and Goldner’s vigor and refinement created their sound. Funny how the band’s name makes a straight allusion to the trio’s resignation of its original name – this sort of humor that is evident in the album covers is also present in the music itself, among the obvious cleverness provided on the articulated jams, improvisational moves and strategic variations.

The 1973 eponymous debut album is an outstanding example of experimental jazz-rock with a high degree of psychedelic heat and a lucid progressive-oriented awareness.

‘The First Tune’ is the first tune in the album, although more exactly it is a conglomerated series of various tunes. With a basis of organ, bass and drum kit, the band first indulges on a slow-tempo 3 minute jam full of psychedelic vibe; the second section is a brief interlude that states a denser aura, featuring distorted clavinet and a more distorted bass guitar (pretty much like Soft Machine at its noisiest), while the drummer brings complex adornments to his steady funky rhythm pace; the third and last section turns down the density a bit while retaining the power and the funk-oriented foundation. ‘Tonjes Dream Interruption’ further enhances the Soft Machine connection (“Third” and “Fourh” eras) in a very robust fashion, while ‘Interessante Ole’ travels to the North American territory of free jazz, featuring sustained flows on organ and bass conveniently supported by Braceful’s precise swing and soaring rolls. ‘Two Times’ follows with its 2-part sequence: the first one is very soul-oriented, led by the bass guitar’s pounding line, while the second one shifts to an extroverted jazz-rock climax.

The album’s second half is occupied by the gigantic piece ‘Trippin With Birds / Kudu / Horny’, a convincing manifesto of Exmagma’s pretentious of explosive experimental jazz-rock. The artistic goal encompassed in this 19-minute musical journey is so challenging that it really has to be a crowning moment in the history of krautrock, rivalling with the quintaessential weirdness of Faust, the exquisite dynamics of Agitation Free or the Dadaist spirit of Amon Duul II. The ‘Trippin’ with Birds’ section is a deconstructive full of electrifying tension and surreal landscapes that include ultra- spacey organ effects, tortured sax improvisations and calibrated dramatic percussive interventions. The ‘Kudu’ section enters a gradual transition to a jazz-rock jam partially structured under a “free form” guise, plus some extra Hendrixian ingredients (on organ, not guitar). In moments like this, a close relatedness between Exmagma and other jazz-krautrock heroes such as Embryo and Dzyan can be felt. Finally, the ‘Horny’ section finds Goldner switching to guitar, somehow emulating Guru Guru while the whole ensemble aims at a moment of solid dispersion. This monster track is the perfect closure for this spectacularly abrasive gem of krautrock.

Line-up:
- Thomas Balluff / organ, electric piano, clavinett-c effects
- Fred Braceful / sonor drums, percussion extraordinaire
- Andy Goldner / fretless electric bass, electric guitar, alto sax, tape recorder

Track List:
01. The First Tune – 7:37
02. Tonjes Dream Interruption – 4:17
03. Interessante Ole – 2:50
04. Two Times – 2:25
05. Trippin With Birds / Kudu / Horny – 18:48

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