Look at these magical fellows!! (1) PARABRAHM GREETING- A wild spiritual space landscape with the lead witch himself haunting the joint with a un-strained falsetto that says I have NO vocal influences. (Research it and try to find someone singing in this style pre- 71) This piece sinks into (2) DWELLERS OF THE THRESHOLD- An instrumental jam that ascends/descends into Hallelujah? (3) HELP ME LORD- A teenage Axle Rose runs to the mirror and lip-synchs into his mom's hair brush on this one. And from this his style (?) was born... I hate saying this because I do not like Axle and those who have not heard this band may be turned off by the comparison, Let me add, Axle is to Ronn Goedert what Motley Crue is to the Spiders From Mars, Both M-Crue and the Spiders are considered to be "Glam" but there is a huge difference! Now that we cleared that up, back to this song... OK, The back up vocals on this song does sound a bit like those early 70s park dancing Jesus freaks, not unlike the cast of Hair, but compared to the opening song alone it only adds to the insane genius of this LP. (4) DON'T CLOSE YOUR MIND- This is great! You may not like the keys in this song but if you like new bands like STEREOLAB or even SUPERGRASS ("In it for the Money") you should be well familiar with these sound. Take note also of the BEATLE influenced back/vocals... Great! This song also should clue us in on what a great live band they probably were. You don't hear this in studios any more, multiple vocal tracks, odd changes while still keeping its Pop sensibilities. Who are these guys? What is this song? Prog.? Pop?, Acid rock?, Space jazz? Metal?? It is all of that! Thus making it none of that! (5) YOU'RE THE ONE- Which one sings this? I used to think it was the intellectual space nerd with the glasses... No, it is all Mr.Goedert... So which one is Ronn? Is he the cool cat dressed in black with 13/7 on his face?... No, Ronn is that Paul Stanley (minus the star) look alike with those crazy slacks! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to the song, If Alan Parsons had produced Abbey Road with out George Martin, this synth happy piece could have been a quirky contender for side B. A great marchy pop song that puts us to sleep with its lullaby ending only to re-awaken us with the dreamy flow of ... (6) SLEEPWALK- I have not heard the pre WHITE WITCH project The TROPICS, but with the pop genius of this piece with its '60s sensibilities I would love to hear them. The only signature of the '70s on this is the keyboards and it works for them unlike......let's say.......STYX! A friend of mine said "yea, sounds all retro like STYX!" No! I shouted, "You do not get it! You are simplifying these kinky headed bastards by simple sound signatures! Not every one who plays distorted guitar sounds like HENDRIX do they?!" To this he responded "yea, kinda" And there-in lies another story. This song completes side A and I should mention, we really have not heard a Metal song. Why do people think they are an average metal band? Putting them in a metal category is why no one gets this band. They are beyond what the average metal fan can even comprehend. -------------------------------------------------- Side B starts with (7) HOME GROWN GIRL -Not a favorite of mine but even this basic rocker works with the rest of the LP being so diverse. If the whole LP sounded like this song, I will say that these pages would not exist, at least not by my hand. Call me crazy but if you compare this song to the Sorcerers Eyes song on side B of the RAIDERS non bubble gum LP "Collage" You may hear similarities in the vocal styles. (8) AND I'M LEAVING- I understand that Ronn auditioned to be the lead singer for this new band the TROPICS were putting together. I hope Ronn was the first up to the mike, because if I heard the beautiful, versatile vocal style that is demonstrated on this cut, swirling at me from some unknown singer ..The audition would be over! (9) ILLUSIONS- OK... This is Axle's GOD and Master, flooding his super spirit through this space/metal machine, hovering... looking down on his tiny creation with an intensity that reveals little Axle for what he is... A mirror freak, marionette dancing and squawking like the drunk, shirtless redneck he is. And what do the grunge uniformed kids see? Only the dancing monkey, never the mad genius cranking the music box over his shoulder. Only in this case, the coin collecting monkey makes off with all the coins, while the real genius stands unnoticed as the crowds disperse. Does any one get that? I thought about doing the analogy of Ronn Goedert comes down from his mountain to check on his flock only to find them worshiping the golden calf that is Axle Rose, but I thought, "No need to get all biblical about it." (10) IT'S SO NICE TO BE STONED- Funny little vaudeville, pro pot song that unfolds into a chorus of space hippies, swaying next to a spaghetti western piano player, making a stoned attempt at a synchronized can-can. If I am off base on this, write me and correct me please. Otherwise crank up the headphones and enjoy the dance. (11/12) HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF CHANGING/JACKSON SLADE- Gutsy lyrics, tripped out keys, that at some point turn into Billy Preston (Let It Be LP.) There is a BEATLE styled break in this song that blows me away, complete with British accents. This song is why I thought there were at least 3 singers. When I was 13, I got chills when Ronn sang "Mother Fuck! I think things like that kept them real. They were not just spiritual new age hippies with a message for all of us. (13) THE GIFT- ok.........They did have a mission and a message for us all. ------------------------------ TAKE ME TO A SPIRITUAL GREETING! TAKE ME HOME |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |