Shake Well

Performer: Guru Guru
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Guru Guru: Luigi Archetti (guitars); Razem R�bel (electric bass); Mani Neumeier (sound effects). Personnel: Mani Neumeier (vocals, drums, percussion); Razem R�bel (vocals); Hans Reffert (guitar, lap steel guitar); Luigi Archetti (guitar). Additional personnel: Claus Veeser (saxophone); Hans Reffert. Audio Mixers: Mani Neumeier; Luigi Archetti. Audio Remasterer: EROC. Recording information: Klang & Hammerstudio, Konstanz (12/1990-??/1993); The Fikenback Festival (12/1990-??/1993). Translators: Markus Schurr; Matt Goodluck. Despite the liner notes' and the band's claim that in the '90s, Guru Guru still played something they called "Psychedelic Ethno Rock," the Guru Guru of 1993, led by Mani Neumeier resembles the earlier incarnations remotely at best, and Shake Well is the proof. Along with guitarist Luigi Archetti, and bassist Razem R�bel and a pair of guests in guitarist Hans Reffert and Claus Veeser, Guru Guru sounds more like Rush during the late '80s. There is more in the form of straight-ahead rock and very little resembling the classic Krautrock of the band's early years. "Reality" is a guitar-oriented pop song that one can imagine Geddy Lee singing without effort; the inclusion of a wobbling version of the nugget "Mystery Train" is embarrassing, offering a view of how little feel the band has for rock classics. "Space Baby" is a narrated piece with spacy guitars, keyboards and an echoey beat. The long spoken word bit sounds more like Bono than Neumeier, and then it kicks right into Rush "Red Barchetta" territory. It's the closest thing here to Guru Guru's roots. Does that make this a bad record? Not at all. In fact it's quite pleasant, has many different kinds of tunes, and stays guitar heavy without collapsing under its own weight. Make no mistake, this sounds much more like a German band trying for a fresh start than a legendary one doing something new. The guitar riffing of Archetti works well in this context because he's a master of classic rock structure (check "Well, Well"). He uses the power of his instrument to root the sound more in the ground that to take it off into flights of fancy, and therefore the band's entire sound is built around it. The faux funk cuts , such as "Desire" and "I Want You" plain don't work. The others are a mixed bag, but the hypnotic "Time, What Time,?" and the aforementioned "Well, Well" do the job and then some. There is a bonus cut on the SPV edition in a live version of "Ooga Booga Special." ~ Thom Jurek

One of the original groups of the now famed Krautrock movement of 1970s Germany, Guru Guru positioned themselves quite clearly on the psychedelic rock end of the musical spectrum, considerably more so than their more proto-techno and ambient oriented colleagues. A predominantly instrumental act, Guru Guru mixed elements of free jazz, world music, and heavy American acid rock to create their sound. The band called it quits at the dawn of the 1980s, but have proven to be a quietly influential act on a host of contemporary psych bands.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25