Tanz Der Lemminge

Performer: Amon Düül
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: German art-hippie communards Amon Duul II were among the Krautrock genre's most unusual propositions. Less doggedly motorik in their approach than contemporaries Neu! and Harmonia, less self-consciously arty than groups like Faust and Can, their acid-drenched brand of psych-rock combined a wildly primitive streak with sophisticated prog-like arrangements. TANZ DER LEMMINGE, a brain-melting, epic double album set from 1971, stands as a definite statement of the group's early sound. Toning down the doom-laden guitar freakouts of their previous effort, YETI (1970), for a gentler, more acoustic palette, the follow up stretches out across four LP sides consisting of extended jamming, folksy vignettes, and freeform improvisations. TANZ. opens with an extended suite of acoustic jams cryptically titled "Syntelman's March of the Roaring Seventies." Building upon a thematically introduced melody through various connected movements, the song moves deliberately from gentle folksiness to fragmented, abstract weirdness. Meanwhile, "The Marilyn Monroe Memorial Church," a long form-free improvisation, bears almost no traces of the band's rock roots, recalling instead the proto-industrial soundscapes of groups like Kluster. While TANZ DER LEMMINGE marked the last album of Amon Duul II's most experimental phase, the sheer variety of approaches and sensibilities on display also makes it a recommended entry point for neophytes. There aren't many double art-rock albums from the early '70s that have stood the test of time, but then again, there aren't many albums like Tanz, and there certainly aren't many groups like Amon D��l II. While exact agreement over which of their classic albums is the absolute standout may never be reached, in terms of ambition combined with good musicianship and good humor, the group's third album, is probably the best candidate still. The musical emphasis is more on expansive arrangements and a generally gentler, acoustic or soft electric vibe; the brain-melting guitar from Yeti isn't as prominent on Tanz, for example, aside from the odd freakout here and there. You will find lengthy songs divided up into various movements, but with titles like "Dehypnotized Toothpaste" and "Overheated Tiara," po-faced seriousness is left at the door. The music isn't always wacky per se, but knowing that the group can laugh at itself is a great benefit. The first three tracks each take up a side of vinyl on the original release, and all are quite marvelous. "Syntelman's March of the Roaring Seventies" works through a variety of acoustic parts, steering away from folksiness for a more abstract, almost playfully classical sense of space and arrangement, before concluding with a brief jam. "Restless Skylight-Transistor Child" is more fragmented, switching between aggressive (and aggressively weird) and subtle passages. One part features Meid and Knaup singing over an arrangement of guitars, synths and mock choirs that's particularly fine, and quite trippy to boot. "Chamsin Soundtrack" exchanges variety for a slow sense of mystery and menace, with instruments weaving in and out of the mix while never losing the central feel of the song. Three briefer songs close out the record, a nice way to get in some quick grooves at the end. ~ Ned Raggett

Uncut (p.74) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[A]n incredible odyssey of sonic inventiveness."

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