Frumpy 2 --- Frumpy --- 1971
1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
After a typically bombastic proggy opening it settled into a sort of cross between early Genesis and mid-seventies Floyd. Pretty laidback really considering the big opening. I was put in mind of "Fearless" off "Meddle", oddly. Great keyswork. Never listened to an album with only four tracks before. Interesting.
2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
Let's make that opening track, as there are so few. I liked it: had a real organic seventies prog vibe to it, the sort of thing some bands try to reproduce now but most fail because you have to have the feel from the times, and for that you more or less need to have come FROM that time. This sounds genuine prog.
3. What did you think of the later tracks?
Second one was more uptempo and rockier, with some great organ work but I'm not sure two ten-minute tracks following each other was the way to go really. "Take care of illusion", the shortest track (just over seven minutes!) was the fastest and most uptempo one with a lot going on at the organ and also at the frets. Lots of power in there. Some nice strings effects in the closer, and it's more relaxed than any of the others: a twelve-minute ballad? No, far from that. Probably the best of the tracks really.
4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
Definitely reminded of an early Roger Waters; bit raw in some ways but quite melodious. Wiki tells me it's Inga Rumpf; I always thought Inga was a girl's name? Christ! It IS a girl! Well she certainly doesn't sound like any female singer I'VE ever heard!!
5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
Yes, very much keyboard driven of course, almost to the exclusion of everything else. That said, there are some really great guitar solos.
6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Started off well, sort of stayed that way. The lengths of the tracks sort of threw me a little though.
7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
Not a lot really. Very little of it made sense to me. "How the gypsy was born" was a retelling of an old Native American folktale, and "Duty" was pretty unsettling. Don't know what the hell was going on in "Take care of illusion"! I am surprised though that given the length of three of the songs that the lyrics are so short and sparse.
8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
I don't think this was clarified, but this is meant to refer ONLY to FULL instrumentals, so if the album has none, ignore it. As I will here.
9. What did you think of the production?
Very seventies: big and brash, a little over the top at times, bombastic and maybe just a little overblown.
10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
As Manuel said, "I know nothing"....
11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Classic Progressive/Space Rock.
12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
I only listened the once, wasn't too bothered about giving it a second shot.
13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
Probably "Duty", due to the big instrumental jam ending.
14. And the one you liked least?
The rest were all ok, nothing I hated.
15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Again, this question should be ignored if the album is NOT a debut, only. This isn't, so I'm passing over it.
16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
Meh, not really. It was okay but I doubt I'd seek out any of their other material.
17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
No I did not. Can I say Hippy ****?
18. Did the album end well?
A twelve-minute closer is always asking a little of the listener, but in general, yes I think they pulled it off. "Duty" went through enough changes to keep in interesting right through, great jam session about the midpoint (nice to see the guitarist getting his licks in) which goes right to the end. Mind you, I don't like the pitchbend ending so from that point of view, no, but generally yes, it was a good one to end on. Just the track itself should have ended better.
19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
I'd liked to have seen what they did with shorter songs. I do like epics, but three out of four tracks is pushing it a little for me.
20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
I wouldn't call it cohesive as such, but not quite hit-and-miss either... hmm.
Ratiing: 7 out of 10