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: :
King of
Agogik -
Membranophonic Experience : : |
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Band/
artist: King of Agogik
Title: Membranophonic Experience
Released: 2006
Label: Saustark Records |
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Track
list:
1. Welcome
2. Mc Wok (voyage to Innocence)
3. The King of Agogik
4. Bishu
5. King’s Dream
6. Yeti’s Awaken
7. Bassomania
8. DDW
9. Go Where the Pepper Grow
10. King’s Garden
11. The Sun Set
12. Scottish Maiden
13. Ora
14. Yeti Naked
15. The Lobero
16. Me and the Birch
17. Mc Wok (Return to the Wales)
18. On The Past |
: : The Players : :
Hans Jörg Schmitz: Drums, keys, guitar, sounds and samples; Additional
players: Dirk Wilms: guitars, bass (4), mandolin, ebow; Volker Cornet:
Rickenbacker bass (1,2,17); Pantelis Petrakakis: bass (7,9,10,11,13),
guitar (7) |
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: :
Membranophonic Experience : :
Unlike one would first think, the brain of a drummer DOES in fact
consist of things, up to 18 of them actually. This album is a voyage
through Hans Jörg Schmitz’s memories, his thoughts and visions. And very
conveniently the album does begin with a ”Welcome”. Followed then by a
14 minute monster, which introduces us to quite a repertoire of music,
adapted from bands such as Genesis and other great classic prog bands.
And by that I mean the song is actually pieces of older songs,
presumably collected together as an appreciation.
The thing is, as mentioned in the sleeves, Mr. Schmitz has gone through
a quite deal of sampling, which appears to be a hobby of his, and we are
later on introduced parts from artists like Pink Floyd and The Beatles,
heck we even get to hear Mr. Martin Luther King, and several times.
But what comes to staying together this album is quite lacking. It
appears as if it’s an album made by a splendid drummer,
wannabe-keyboardist. And at that, the most this album has to offer is
brilliant drumming. Such are tracks from 3 to 5, which seem a bit
incoherent with the whole image, but still as separate songs are good,
and worth listening to. The songs are obviously based on the drumming,
and brought along with simple guitars.
Then we’re followed by 6 Yeti’s Awaken, which is a collection of samples
put together, and then drummed on. A very oceanic piece, which gives a
very relaxant feeling when listening to properly. This is possibly the
best track on the whole album. Even though some rambling at times,
something that sounds like it’s there only to break the atmosphere. The
track to follow is the story of the development of the bass to the
electric bass and the difference between them. Again, a promising start
with great playing, transferred into samplings and cut short. Which
leads us to the next one, which is actually his version from Alan
Parson’s Project’s A Dream Within A dream from their first album, some
might know the Orson Welles –part. Yet again ends to a drumsolo, and
still after 5 listenings, I’m not sure where exactly the song changed to
the ninth, ”Go Where the Pepper Grow”.
I’m most sure it is not what the author meant, but what I’m getting here
is 14 tracks of rhythmic sections with different setups ending all too
suddenly and beginning alike.
Come to track 15, The Lobero, which I assumed once I first read it to be
a bolero, as would fit a drummer. Then later I noticed I had read it
wrong, but in the end it ended up being a bolero, so I was quite right
there. This is one of the pearls on the album. Even though I never liked
boleros, the Edward Krieg-like mystic melody in the background is good
enough to keep one interested through the whole 7 minute piece. And then
Me and the Birch Hans Jörg Schmitz does what he does best. It is a 10
minutes drum solo, a very creative one, I give him that. Though not
enough to make an average listener bored by the time it reaches 5
minutes.
Mc Wok part 2 goes on from where the 1st part ended, lots of Tony
Banks-like samples. The record ends as it begins, but leaves the
listener quite empty. Except for the two tracks I mentioned, the album
seems to lack something vital. And this reduces the pleasure got from
listening to music. I would recommend this only to people who are really
into sampling, and/or drumming. For those are pretty much what this is
all about. As a whole listening experience I would give this album 3 out
of 10 with a little caution. The record had it’s moments, and thus isn’t
worth any less.
Rating: 3 (out of 10)
Reviewer: Tuomas Renvall
: : Visit the Artist’s
Website :
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: : Discography : : |
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