Atomic Rooster [Import]

Atomic Rooster | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 13, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Repertoire
• ASIN: B000006Z62
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #333,387 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Friday The Thirteenth

2. And So To Bed

3. Broken Wings

4. Before Tomorrow

5. Banstead

6. Sly

7. Decline And Fall

8. Play The Game

Editorial Reviews

Import reissue of 1970 album includes one bonus track, 'Play The Game'. Repertoire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A hint of things to come for Atomic Rooster, January 5, 2004

By 

Nate Olmos (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Atomic Rooster (Audio CD)

Atomic Rooster's debut album is a showcase for the virtuosic talents of keyboardist Vincent Crane and drummer Carl Palmer, the latter defecting afterwards to form Emerson, Lake and Palmer. At this juncture, the band has yet to establish its individual style, but many of the key ingredients are already in place here. Vincent Crane organ playing is already very much accomplished, with its jazz, blues and classical influences very prominent in his solos. The additional overdubbing of guitar parts by future AR guitarist/vocalist John Cann on "Friday the 13th," "Before Tomorrow" and "S.L.Y." help fill out the sound.

The songwriting here is tentative compared to on subsequent AR releases. On "Atomic Rooster," the songs are constructed primarily around unison guitar/organ riffs and jazz/blues themes, offering little more than platforms for Crane and Palmer to demonstrate their chops. The instrumentals "Before Tomorrow" and "Decline and Fall" are good examples of this. The former is a modal jam that features Crane wailing away on his Hammond while abusing the wah-wah pedal, before John Cann takes a solo that threatens to burn through both stereo speakers. "Decline and Fall" is a jazz-rock workout showcasing both Crane's and Palmer's chops, Palmer showing off his skills in a drum solo equal to, if not superior, his future efforts with ELP. "Banstead" and "Winter" afford the opportunity for Crane to branch out and incorporate classical influences into Atomic Rooster's songs and give the band its "progressive rock" credentials.

The lyrics only hint at the Satanic and death-like imagery that would pervade their followup classic, "Death Walks Behind You. Bassist/vocalist Nick Graham's melodramatic delivery works well on songs such as "Banstead," a depiction of Crane's stay in a mental hosptal. "Winter" is a quiet piece with a melancholy vocal by Graham, highlighted by Crane's jazzy piano and Graham's flute solo. However, on tunes such as "And So to Bed" and "S.L.Y.," Graham's vocal stylistics verge on the parodic, as he veers on the edge of becoming a hack blues-shouter.

While most people would buy this album just to hear what Palmer sounded like before he joined ELP, "Atomic Rooster" holds its own. While much of the album sounds tentative in light of what was to come later, the main musical ideas that Crane would develop to the fullest with AR are laid out for everyone to hear.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tripping through the past, October 2, 1999

By 

Clyde D. Hoops "thingols" (Back where I started from in Oceanside California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Atomic Rooster (Audio CD)

Having formed Atomic Rooster from the recently demised Crazy World of Arthur Brown (of 1968's Fire fame), this was the first release from Vincent Crane, Carl Palmer and Nick Graham

Elements of the time are apparent on such songs like "and so to bed" which is reminiscent of Deep Purple of the time... In Rock, Fireball/ the Nice ...the Nice(1969 album). In general the entire music scene after the demise of the Beatles where searching for the new direction to go. Fortunately for some and unfortunately for others the band never really caught on in the US.

Nick Grahams vocals are best heard on songs like "Broken Wings" as well as the Organ prowess of the late Vincent Crane and Carl Palmer on percussion is really on fire here, less subdued than with ELP

The real surprise about this band is why they never caught on bigger considering the acts that were a going concern at the time, which this band could have held their own against (Savoy Brown, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Pre "Smoke on the Water" Deep Purple).

The band had a long career until the unfortunate death of Vince Crane, and have a very interesting "Heavy" rock catalouge. Very Good, Very Interesting.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars really darn good, April 20, 2010

By 

B. E Jackson (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Atomic Rooster (Audio CD)

I absolutely *love* Atomic Rooster's debut. The guitars, organs, drums and everything else is constantly played in what can only be described as an "appealingly sloppy" way. Seriously!

Sloppy in that a bunch of musical instruments are either playing at once or jumping in a thousand different directions, but appealing because most of it is quite memorable, melodic, and simply *rocks*.

These are EXACTLY the kind of rock albums from the early 70's I look forward to hearing the most. Along with Lucifer's Friend, Bloodrock, and Captain Beyond, you absolutely NEED Atomic Rooster's debut.

"Friday the 13th" is a straight forward rock song with vocals that actually become better with time. "And So to Bed" contains jazzy vocals similar to a few Grand Funk and Blues Image songs I could name. Songs like these definitely sound a bit odd at first, but with time you may learn to appreciate them. The lyrics in this song are well... strange, hehe. It's actually one line that catches my attention, but I'm not allowed to say which one!

My absolute number one favorite song is "Winter". A *chilling* (no pun intended) example of lyrics I can relate to, and I mean that in the most haunting way possible, because I'm relating to exceptionally depressing lyrics. Wow, haha. This song immediately strikes a strong reaction out of me every time I hear it, and that reaction is mostly an urge to cry.

I swear this song was written for me even though I wasn't even born yet when this album was released. Oh, and the flute solo in the middle is incredibly fitting. Flutes always remind me of wintertime, for whatever reason (and watching kids build snowmen!)

Another favorite is "Before Tomorrow". Talk about an extremely intense guitar jam!! It's the guitar playing I enjoy the most because each line really is fantastic, but the keyboards (which are played just as frequently) serve their role quite nicely as well.

A song that reminds me of the classic Texas rock band Bloodrock is "Banstead". Just *listen* to those vocals and tell me they don't sound exactly like Bloodrock.

"Decline and Fall" is probably the weakest song here, but it's not *that* bad. I could do without the slightly overlong drum solo near the end of it though. I've heard enough of those over the years. "Broken Wings" is a nice attempt at a soul ballad combined with rock. Good stuff.

A GREAT album in my opinion, and a must own for all early 70's rock lovers.