Customer Reviews

Electric Sandwich

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
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German blues rock band's sole release. I've seen this CD available online for awhile now, finally got to hear it. This disc is often tagged as krautrock - but only the eight-minute opening cut "China" is kraut-like but the rest of the CD is pretty much blues rock, in the same vein as Ten Years After, Thin Lizzy and certain Zeppelin tunes. Better tracks off this 1972 obscurity are "It's No Use To Run", "Archie's Blues", "Material Darkness" and the added bonus cut, a three-minute single version of the previously mentioned "China". Line-up: Jorg Ohlert-guitar, organ & keyboards, Klaus Lormann-bass, Jochen Carthaus-harmonica & sax and Wolf Fabian-drums. Nothing outstanding, but okay.

This won't knock you on your heels as will some German progressive rock, but it is pretty good.

Electric Sandwhich is basically one or two chord guitar work outs; lots of phase shifting and other effects that make this decidedly early 1970s German prog.

You can do a alot better, and since you are reading this, I don't have to name the bands. But this is enjoyable if not the cream of krautrock.

WARNING: If you don't like your Krautrock heavy and loud, then avoid this album. But for those of us who feel that ALL Krautrock should be at least a little heavy and loud, then this CD is a must. First off it must be noted that the production on this lost classic was handled by the legendary Dieter Dierks who started out producing heavy Krautrock groups like HAIRY CHAPTER, early SCORPIONS, and ELECTRIC SANDWICH and ended up working further wonders with SCORPIONS and German Metal Gods ACCEPT, among others. So right off the bat, you know that the guitar is gonna be loud and heavy. But that certainly DOES NOT disqualify ELECTRIC SANDWICH's 1972 self-titled debut from being categorized as Krautrock. There are plenty of extremely spaced out jazz fusion, soundscape, and experimental moments on this early and seemingly quite drugged out Brain Records release. Certainly this is way heavier than AMON DUUL 2 or CAN's early 70's releases (ELECTRIC SANDWICH may also have been better musicians, although that's a separate debate in itself), but it fits in perfect with other heavy duty German groups of the era such as LUCIFER'S FRIEND, BLACKWATER PARK, HAIRY CHAPTER, NIGHT SUN, heavier GROBSCHNITT and JANE, etc. I guess it's all in one's definition of Krautrock. What cannot be denied however, is that this is one album that definitely deserved to be remastered and re-released on CD!!! Not only is this re-release of interest to those who love the Krautrock movement and all its offspring (particularly those on the Brain Records label), but more importantly, this is a lost puzzle piece in the development of heavy prog rock (and by implication an early contribution to the puzzle of Metal history) and should be of EXTREME interest to Heavy Metal historians who love searching the early 70's for any hint of heavyness. Well this album is a forgotten treasure! Totally spaced out, drugged out, pre-stoner Metal from way back in 1972. A total classic if that's your area of interest. You won't find any better munchies than ELECTRIC SANDWICH! So if you're into the heavier side of the German prog rock movement commonly referred to as Krautrock, this release is ESSENTIAL!!! A total lost cult classic!!!