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Posts tagged Triumvirat
Triumvirat – Russian Roulette (1980) (@256)
21 Feb 2010
(Review from stevelukather.net)
“Russian Roulette”, the last project under the name Triumvirat is a very impressive pop effort, full of session musicians and featuring the comic relief and lyrics of Arno Steffen on vocals.
It was again an enormous departure however, from the band’s trademark sound. Like its predecessor, it is more of a Jurgen Fritz solo album than a Triumvirat album.
The punkish “Party Life” was released as a single, and the group performed a live lip-synch on Platenkuche TV show in Germany. Overall a diverse album that included an infectious reggae jam on “Ballad of Rudy Torner”.
Line-up:
- Jurgen Fritz / piano, moogs, organ, percussion, synthesizers
with
- Arno Steffen / lead vocals
- Jeff Porcaro / drums
- Steve Lukather / bass guitar, electric guitar
- Tim May / electric guitar, acoustic guitar
- Robert Greenidge / steel drums
- Neal Stubenhaus / bass
- Pete Christlieb / saxophone, clarinet
- Mike Gong / electric guitar
- David Hungate / bass
- Alan Estis / congas, maracas
Track List:
01. Party Life – 3:29
02. You Can’t Catch Me – 4:09
03. Come With Me – 4:02
04. Games – 4:15
05. Cooler – 4:32
06. The Ballad of Rudy Torner – 4:23
07. We’re Rich On What We’ve Got – 4:10
08. Twice – 2:45
09. Rien Ne Vas Plus – 4:42
10. Roxy – 6:30
11. Russian Roulette – 5:53
12. The Ballad of Rudy Torner (Bonus with English Intro) – 4:20
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Triumvirat – A La Carte (1978) (@256)
20 Feb 2010
(Review from amazon, progarchives.com)
With a new line-up (with Fritz remaining the only constant), Triumvirat recorded “A La Carte” in 1978.
The resulting sound is drastically different, a lot more pop overwhelmed with orchestrations (violins, cellos, trumpets and lots of choirs). There are catchy/upbeat melodies but only hints of their early sound. Mark Isham’s flugelhorn on “Jo Ann Walker”, Jurgen Fritz’ organ on “A Bavarian in New York”, and the ballad “For You” could be notable.
This album can safely be put in the same category as Caravan’s “Better by Far” or Gentle Giant’s “Giant for a day”.
Line-up:
- Jurgen Fritz / keyboards
- Matthias Holtmann / drums
- Werner Kopal / bass
- David Hanselmann / vocals
with
- Richard Hurwitz / trumpet
- Bill Lamb / trumpet
- Mark Isham / trumpet
- Vinnie Fannele / trombone
- Randy Alcroft / trombone
- Marie Robinson / French horn
- Allen Robinson / French horn
- Tommy Johnson / tuba
- Bob Hardaway / tuba
- Jene Cipriano / tuba
- Sam Bogossian / viola
- Denise Buffom / viola
- Linda Lipsett / viola
- Dan Neufels / viola
- Fred Seykora / cello
- Glenn Grab / cello
- Juliana Buffom / cello
- Gloria Strassner / cello
- Steve Edelman / bass
- Buell Neiblinger / bass
- Gordon Marton / violin
Track List:
01. Waterfall – 4:54
02. (Oh
03. Jo Ann Walker – 4:47
04. For You – 5:50
05. I Don’t Even Know Your Name – 4:52
06. A Bavarian In New York – 5:37
07. Original Soundtrack From The Movie O.C.S.I.D. – 3:49
08. Darlin – 3:44
09. Goodbye – 4:33
10. Waterfall (Bonus Single Edit) – 3:38
11. Jo Ann Walker (Bonus Single Edit) – 3:42
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Triumvirat – Pompeii (1977) (@256)
19 Feb 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
After “Old Loves Die Hard”, Hans Bathelt left the band too, leaving Fritz as the only original member. Famous session drummer Curt Cress joined in. A new bassist was also introduced.
This is another conceptual album about Roman history, this time not about gladiators and wars but about the natural cataclysm and volcanic explosion in Pompeii.
The album starts very promising with the Earthquake that has a very similar sound and atmosphere as Spartacus, great changes, and strong keyboard solos. Other highlights include “Viva Pompeii”, “The Rich Man and the Carpenter” and “Dance on the Volcano”.
“Pompeii” is generally considered as the start of the downward slope for Triumvirat. Fritz’s songwriting (and Barry Palmer’s interpretation) starts to fail to generate the same excitement it used to do on their previous works.
Line-up:
- Curt Cress / drums, percussion
- Jurgen Fritz / keyboards, percussion
- Barry Palmer / lead vocals
- Dieter Petereit / bass
Track List:
01. The Earthquake 62 A.D. – 6:21
02. Journey of a Fallen Angel – 6:16
03. Viva Pompeii – 4:18
04. The Time of Your Life – 4:37
05. The Rich Man and the Carpenter – 5:59
06. Dance on the Vulcano – 3:32
07. Vesuvius 79 A.D. – 6:33
08. The Hymn – 7:17
09. The Hymn (Bonus Single Edit) – 4:13
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Triumvirat – Old Loves Die Hard (1976) (@256)
18 Feb 2010
(Review from allmusic)
After “Spartacus”, Helmut Kollen left the band and was replaced by Dick Frangenberg on bass who already played with the band well before the release of their first album. They also added a British vocalist to their line-up and recorded their fourth studio album.
The elements of progressive rock are wonderfully marbled throughout these seven tracks, highlighted by the ten plus minutes of “Panic on Fifth Avenue” and the brashness “The History of Mystery”.
Barry Palmer’s voice climbs and descends to the backdrop of such keyboard machinations as the Hammond C3 organ and Moog synthesizer. Jurgen Fritz implements light delicacies of piano and strings to contrast the sometimes dominating feel of the synthesizers.
While anything but dark, the music on “Old Loves Die Hard” peaks and sometimes hovers with a colorfulness that presents each song with some musical livelihood. There’s an assertiveness that’s cast throughout this album thanks to the whole-hearted fusion of percussion and bass, coming to life especially on “A Day in a Life”.
Line-up:
- Hans Bathelt / Slingerland percussion
- Jurgen Fritz / Steinway Grand piano, Hammond C3 organ, Moog synth., Fender-Wurlitzer hohner-piano string ensemble
- Dick Frangenberg / Fender bass
- Barry Palmer / lead vocals
Track List:
01. I Believe – 7:52
02. A Day In A Life – 8:15
03. The History Of Mystery – Part One – 7:50
04. The History Of Mystery – Part Two – 4:00
05. A Cold Old Worried Lady – 5:50
06. Panic On 5th Avenue – 10:31
07. Old Loves Die Hard – 4:28
08. Take A Break Today (Bonus 7″ Single) – 3:44
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Triumvirat – Illusions On A Double Dimple (1973) (@256)
17 Feb 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
The band’s second album title refers to the Dimple brand of Scotch whisky and its “illusions”. This is a concept album with each side of the original LP being a single piece of uninterrupted music. Each one breaks down into 6 song parts, connected by Moog solos or drumming interludes.
The band extended their line-up calling in their original bassist, the Cologne Opera House Orchestra, plus an 8-piece brass section, plus 3 female backing vocalists.
The sound is pleasant and melodic, featuring lots of fine work on the Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer and Grand piano. Triumvirat also delivers lots of flowing shifting moods with warm vocals, fine acoustic guitar and even some saxophone.
The instruments, the melodies and the lyrics fit perfectly to produce a classic progressive/symphonic rock album.
Line-up:
- Hans Bathelt / drums
- Jurgen Fritz / keyboards, vocals
- Helmut Kollen / guitar, bass, vocals
- Hans Pape / lead vocals, bass
with
- Peter Cedera / back vocals
- Hanna Dolitzsch / back vocals
- Vanetta Fields / back vocals
- Brigitte Thomas / back vocals
- Ulla Wierner / back vocals
Track List:
01. Illusions On A Double Dimple – 23:23
02. Mister Ten Percent – 21:36
03. Dancer’s Delight (Bonus Single) – 3:34
04. Timothy (Bonus Single) – 4:10
05. Dimplicity (Bonus Single Edit) – 3:17
06. Million Dollars (Bonus Single Edit) – 2:35
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Triumvirat – Mediterranean Tales (1972) (@256)
16 Feb 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
Triumvirat is a classic 70s German progressive band. Starting as a trio, the band is highly inspired by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and often referred as one of the most talented progressive rock groups ever. Led by ‘maestro’ keyboard genius Jürgen Fritz, Triumvirat stunned even the most casual rock fan with its virtuoso performances.
The maturity of the band is tangible even in their debut album: Fritz on keyboards is more melodic than being an Emerson show-off but his classical background is as impressive. He shreds when the time is right but he switches often in a song so it’s not always a cavalcade of notes. Triumvirat is also well backed with Hans Bathelt on drums. He’s playing with a modest kit but he’s killing it with off-time beats, great bass drum/ snare combos and toms fills.
Incredibly the album starts with a 16 minutes multi part epic “Across the Waters” in which the band combines various classical influences that go from Baroque to Romantic.
“Eleven Kids” is a simpler song, which starts with a classical keyboard instrumental strongly supported by powerful bass and drums, but soon changes into a simpler tune where the band shows their pop side even when you can find some psychedelic fugues and classical chords.
“E Minor 5/9″ is a more eclectic song with strange timing where bass and drums carry the weight of the music except in the middle srction where a psychedelic keys semi solo breaks the repetitive rhythm and gives extra brightness.
The closing number, “Broken Mirror” is where we take a glimpse at the band’s future classical sound — incredible piano and complex structure that prepares the listener for Triumvirat’s next two releases adding a jazz fusion section.
This edition of the album also adds two singles (each both A and B side) as bonus tracks, “Be Home by Tea” being a single edit of a part of the opening track.
Line-up:
- Hans Bathelt / drums, percussion
- Jurgen Fritz / organ, electric piano, piano, synth, percussion, vocals
- Hans Pape / lead vocals, bass
Track List:
01. Across The Waters – 16:37
02. Eleven Kids – 6:09
03. E Minor 5/9 Minor /5 – 8:03
04. Broken Mirror – 7:20
05. Be Home for Tea (Bonus Single Edit) – 3:38
06. Broken Mirror (Bonus Single Edit) – 3:24
07. Ride in the Night (Bonus Single) – 4:28
08. Sing me a Song (Bonus Single) – 4:37
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Triumvirat – Spartacus (1975) (@256)
30 Sep 2007
(Review from allmusic.com, progarchives.com, Crack in the Cosmic Egg, wikipedia)
Originally a classical rock trio, during its early years, Triumvirat initially played Top 40 songs at local venues in Cologne. The Nice and Emerson, Lake and Palmer heavily influenced Triumvirat’s musical direction and the band incorporated some of Nice/ELP music into their repertoire (Rondo among others). With a penchant for elaborate concepts, the band featured lengthy complex suites, and a song style that was totally unlike ELP.
Based on the famous Roman gladiator who led the rebellion against his homeland, the music supports the album’s concept quite solidly, with the better tracks coming in the form of the sporadic “School of Instant Pain” and the nine- minute “March to the Eternal City,” which gathers a menacing conglomeration of bass guitar riffs and pointed keyboard work.
The music becomes effectively motivational toward the concept at the proper times, enabling the band’s idea to remain fresh and colorful as the music is played out. Jurgen Fritz’s hammond organ and moog intervention gives Spartacus a genuine progressive air, culminating as it should on the final track. Triumvirat’s staunch, stern notes and articulate keyboard meandering is balanced quite impressively with Helmut Kollen’s electric and acoustic guitar work.
All compositions sound tasteful and features a lush and varied keyboard, ranging from the soaring string-ensemble and warm grand piano to bombastic hammond organ runs and moog synthesizer flights. The moods shift from mellow with strong vocals and acoustic piano to heavy outbursts or bombastic parts with exciting keyboards.
It is a wonderful and compelling progressive rock experience.
Line-up:
* Jürgen Fritz / Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, Steinway grand piano, string ensemble, electric piano
* Hans Bathelt / drums, percussion.
* Helmut Köllen / bass, acoustic, & electric guitars, vocals.
Track List:
01. The capital of power (2:40)
02. The school of instant pain (6:22)
a) Proclamation
b) The gladiator’s song
c) Roman entertainment
d) The battle
03. The walls of doom (4:01)
04. The deadly dream of freedom (3:51)
05. The hazy shades of dawn (3:09)
06. The burning sword of Capua (2:42)
07. The sweetest sound of liberty (2:38)
08. The march to the Eternal City (8:51)
a) Dusty road
b) Italian improvisation
c) First success
09. Spartacus (7:42)
a) The superior force of Rome
b) A broken dream
c) The finale
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