Ghosts: Post Terminal Reflection [SOUNDTRACK]

Spectrum

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 12, 1999)
• Original Release Date: August 21, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Raven [Australia]
• ASIN: B0000250V8
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #499,714 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Australian prog survivors, October 4, 2003

By	A. Dutkiewicz "jan-luke_adam" (Norwood, South Australia Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Spectrum or its inverse, Murtceps, was a schizophrenic Australian prog band from the early 1970s. With a number of their contemporaries they changed Australian society forever - and resulted in the international success of bands like ACDC, The Angels and INXS.

Murtceps was a latter incarnation of the Spectrum band, who wrote hit songs like "I'll be gone", which has a great harmonica and percussion sound that supports the anti-materialistic lyrics. Spectrum developed a reputation for extended and progressive live music, so they used the Murtceps alter-ego to play a slightly tighter, more relaxed and usually poppier kind of music - check out "Esmeralda", rather like a take on The Beatles' "Lady Madonna" to get an idea of that direction here.

There are intelligent and original depths in the lyrics and the music: "Superbody" has lyrics and a sound closest to anything an Australian band got to Franz Zappa perhaps with the exception of the usually more commercially inclined Daddy Cool's version of "Make your stash", which is also covered here.

Their sound is stongly driven by blues and country and western/eastern, featuring especially interesting extended passages with organ, electric piano and recorder, rather than flute: no synth or mellotron here. The guitar is mainly used as a rhythm instrument, but there are some off-beat solos included in some of the longer tracks, especially "Fly without its wings". The bass on "Some good advice" is kept deliberately simple and repetitive, which for me undermines some otherwise quite funky and bold playing.

Along with bands like Mackenzie Theory (all instrumental jazz-rock), Piranha (Latin influenced), Healing Force, Taman Shud, Kahvas Jute, Company Caine, and ACDC's predecessor Fraternity they were the pioneers of prog rock in Oz in the early 70s.

This album has plenty of highlights and is well worth visiting. It certainly shows that Australian bands were up there with the best of the experimental progressive rock musicians in the early 70s.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of The Great Bands of the 70s, February 11, 2001

By A Customer

If you have heard of this great Australian Band it will probably be your familiarity with the Classic Hit 'Ill be Gone'. Spectrum with their excellent mix of blues/rock and the strong personality of the core of Spectrum Mike Rudd took Australia by storm. Their complex lyrics are nothing short of amazing and their guitar and organ instrumentals will touch your soul. Do yourself a favour and purchase this cd before it is lost forever.