1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
Groovy, proggy post psychedelic goodness.
2. What did you think of the opening tracks?
'Good Winds' kind of drags a bit, but the atmosphere has that knotty, Krautrockian haze that never ceases to be engaging. Great keyboardisms throughout the second half especially!
3. What did you think of the later tracks?
This is a fairly short album overall: 'How The Gypsy Was Born' and 'Take Care Of Illusion' both quite impressed me, but the wah-wahtastic 'Duty' was what convinced me that this was one of those albums I've been missing out on for far too long.
4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
Inga Rumpf is indeed a helluva vocalist: I'm not as as crazy about her as a few of our fellow PRAC members are, but its certainly a fine fit for Frumpy's sonic excursions.
5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
It appealed to my golden age proghead side veraciously, but the excessively jammy nature of the record somewhat limits the scope of when I'll want to be sitting through it or not.
6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Better, especially by the time I got to 'Duty'.
7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
Uh....good and spacey I suppose? The instruments were more comprehensible to me, lol.
8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
Yep! Everything had the drive of a sucker punch here, especially the guitar and drumwork.
9. What did you think of the production?
Fine for the era: a bit muddy by today's standards obviously.
10. How well do you already know the band/artist?
Nah.
11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?
Heavy Progressive Rock...perhaps Krautrock.
12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
Liked it at first listen, but my impressions haven't really changed the more I've heard it.
13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
'Duty', followed by 'Take Care Of Illusion'.
14. And the one you liked least?
Probably 'Good Winds', if I HAD to pick one.
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?
N/A.
16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?
Definitely, although not sure how much overall.
17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?
Not really, but I enjoyed the record from a song-to-song basis.
18. Did the album end well?
Yessir it did!
19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
Fuller production maybe? A little orchestral embellishment here and there might not have been too bad either....xD
20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
Twas quite cohesive I think, sonically and in mood. For better or for worse, you can't fault Frumpy on their consistency.
Overall Album Rating: 7 out of 10
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