When they couldn't found the tapes on the album Reflections On The Future, they made an album of recording prior to the album recording session, with longer much longer versions of the same track they re-record to the Reflections On The Future album, and they included the proposed single that I talk about in the Emergency No Compromice, after these recording Gerhard (Gagey) Mrozeck went on to the Kin Ping Meh around there recordings of their second album in 1972, and on their third album in 1973 Geff Harrison had arrived too, and Veit Marvos went to play with the Emergency, and he made a couple of solo albums too.
01 - At My Home (7:58) 02 - Autumn (9:06) 03 - Butterking (7:17) 04 - Reflections On The Future (15:48) 05 - The Way That I Feel Today (11:11) 06 - Spring (13:02) 07 - I Wanna Stay (3:59) 08 - Time Can't Take It Away (4:38)
Geff Harrison - Lead Vocals Gerhard Mrozeck - Guitar, Vocals Veit Marvos - Keyboards, Vocals Steve Robinson - Keyboards Dieter Bauer - Bass Konstantin Bommarius - Drums
Guests: Wolfgang Schönbrot - Flute Curt Cress - Drums
Reflections On The Future 1972 LP United Artists 29314
Reflections On The Past 1987 DLP Second Battle Treasuries 001
Reflections! 1989 CD Second Battle SB025
Reviews from the net
2006 & Then are: Geff Harrison on lead vocals, Gagey Mrozeck on guitars, Dieter Bauer on bass, Konstatin Bommarius on drums and Steve Robinson with Veit Marvos both sharing duties on organ, electric piano, vibes, synthesizer, mellotron and vocals (the name '2077 & Then' comes from adding an extra thousand to the number 1066, year of the historical battle of Hastings). Their heavy progressive style has been compared to that of Deep Purple, Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly. After releasing their first album, individual members got involved in different projects that never really stood the test of time, so 'Reflections on the Future' is their only legacy, and a fine one at that.
Their dramatic organ-drenched, complex music sometimes dons symphonic elements, but the band isn't afraid to dive into some heavy guitar/organ jamming either, featuring elements of jazz, some high-octane rhythmic parts and quick changes, mixed with weird psychedelic electronic effects - the hoarse vocals, however, perhaps better suited to conventional hard rock, may take some getting used to.
Their record company (Second Battle) re-released the album in 1991 under the name 'Reflections on the Past'. Considered a collectors item, it also contains unreleased masters and some bonus practice sessions from an early rehearsal session in 1991. In 1994, the cd 'Reflections!' came out, compiling tracks from both, plus some which had been considered for a second album that never materialized. A combination of poor sales and a ruined German economy at the time sadly forced the premature death of this fine German band, only months after the release of their first album.
If you enjoy ELP, The Nice and Jethro Tull or some of the bands mentioned above, do check out this Germanic prog band. Some killer material awaits you.
---
Apparently when Second Battle in Germany wanted to reissue "Reflections on the Future", a rather obscure German prog rock album released in 1972 on United Artists, the master tapes were apparently lost (especially since United Artists, as a record label ceased to exist long ago). So this CD apparently contains 1971 alternate versions of the entire "Reflections On the Future", as well as bonus material that originally surfaced on "Reflections on the Past". So I don't think I'm getting the original "Reflections on the Future" on this CD reissue, but it don't seem to matter. Because this is some truly killer heavy prog rock with killer Hammond organ. This stuff really grows on you.
The band at least had sense to use an English-born vocalist (in this case, Geff Harrison, later of KIN PING ME). His vocals did throw me off as he sounds at times like BS&T's David Clayton-Thomas, and at other times like Rod Stewart. Not exactly the style of voices I'm accustomed to in prog rock, so I don't alway think the vocal passages were the best thing of the album, but there are exceptions, especially "Autumn". "Butterking" oddly reminds me of Genesis (mainly because of the Gabriel imitations here - did these guys pick up a copy of "Trespass", or was it just coincidence?), but with more keyboard pyrotechnics. "Reflections of the Future" is a prime example of the good and bad of this album, the vocal sections just aren't up to par, but when the instrumental passages come in, they just kick butt (plus the band really goes off the deep end with some disturbing electronic experiments on the VCS-3 synthesizer and Mellotron). "The Way I Feel Today", like "Autumn", is another excellent cut where even the vocal sections are great. Since the vocalist was sounding like David Clayton-Thomas here, I was expecting to hear some BS&T type of horns anytime (ditto for the opening cut, "At My Home"), but not at all! The three additional cuts are "Spring", "I Wanna Stay" and "Time Can't Take it Away". "Spring" is an all-instrumental organ-driven piece that never made it on "Reflections on the Future", while "I Wanna Stay" tends to be a more straighforward rocker. "Time Can't Take It Away" is rather mediocre, complete with clichéd female backup vocals. Anyway, incredible music, especially if you like such acts as ELP, The Nice and Jethro Tull, and perhaps even Genesis.
---
One of the best hard-prog records ever made ! From the very first time I hear it I was speechless, amazing! It is very German, hard, dense, complex, some times reminds me of early Collosseum, but deeper and more powerful . This is a must-have for any goog prog collection .
---
When I first heard this CD, I was really amazed. Forget all those words about ELP or Genesis, this album is pure kraut rock at its best. The music varies from heavy rock to prog, jazz and psychedelic.
At my home is superb opening with great strong vocal. My favourite songs are (together with the first one) Butterking (nearly Zappa's kind of humour) and Reflections on the future. Although I'm not a huge fan of krautrock bands like Can or Guru Guru, this particullar album is overhelming.
All who like heavy music with great musicianship must have a copy of this (unfortunately it's a problem here in Slovakia to find it). Five stars, because it is probably the best German krautrock album.
|