Phil Dirt - Reverb Central - PO Box 1609, Felton, CA 95018-1609 USA Franke-Echo-Quintett - Die Fruehen Jahre (The Early Years)
 | Early DDR rock'n'roll! These early sixties tracks predate the beat scene. Franke-Echo-Quintett sounds like they were pretty darn cool given their isolation behind the iron curtain. |
Picks: In The Mood, Peter Gunn, Brasiliana, Show-Beat, Seeschlob, Hava Nagilah, Round About Midnight, Eskimo, Ungarisches Hirtenlied
Track by Track Review
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
This is a high energy rendering of the Ernie Fields and his Orchestra's "In The Mood," done much as fifties studio rock bands did things. This wouldn't work at all except for the intense energy.
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
Done as if Duane Eddy was the inspiration, Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" is tuff and intense, with very twangy whammy dipped guitar and loud raucous sax. Great drums and thundering bass complete one hell of a version of this venerable song!
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
This is a perplexing number for me. It's full of energy and sports an interesting melody, yet the beat and sound really don't bring me back to it at all. It's fun, but forgettable.
Show-Beat Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
"Show-Beat" is all jam. There's just no real melody, but it does have a lot of energy and a fun rhythm.
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
"Seeschlob" has a somewhat haunting melody, but in the end, it's very poppy. The whammy is very good, and the arrangement strong. The double picked lines give it a Mediterranean air.
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
With a minimized bass line right out of My Little Red Book, this is an interesting, non-surf version of "Hava Nagilah" that's very satisfying to listen to. Once into the track, the bass really pumps, and the band rocks. Very cool!
Round About Midnight
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
The blue-jazz standard "Round About Midnight" is slowly oozed out with a sad and relatively shallow sound. This really didn't do anything for me.
Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
"Eskimo" has a kind of heavy sound, except for the lead guitar, which is all high register. Spunky and almost throbbing, the song is strong, though frequently on the jazzy side. There's a superb bridge where the lead guitar plays a wonderful dribbling up glissando.
Ungarisches Hirtenlied Euro-Rock Instro (Instrumental)
"Ungarisches Hirtenlied" is a light weight, slightly saucy number that employs a bit of a stilted sound. It's OK, but I did not develop a hankering to hear it again.