AMON DÜÜL ll - Phallus Dei (1969-1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

"Kanaan" starts the album wonderfully, a melange of rumbling rock power, strings and sitars, Christian "Shrat" Thiele's almost Bowie-ish vocals with Renate Knaup's wordless chanting in the background, that's just as intoxicating many years after its first appearance as it was upon release. The slightly jazzy concluding minute avoids sounding forced, blending in beautifully with the song's general flow. "Dem Guten, Schoenen, Wahren" takes a truly wacked-out turn, with Meid's bizarre falsetto coming to the fore, swooping around the main melodies without regard for them in yelps and chants, while the music chugs along in what almost sounds like a beer-hall singalong at points, taking a more haunting, beautiful turn at others (the heavily produced violins are an especially spooky touch). "Luzifers Ghilom" brings out the psych-folk origins of the band a bit more with Shrat's bongos, while the rest of the band pulls off a nicely heroic rock piece that never sounds too inflated or stupid, with appropriately nutty vocal breaks and interjections along the way -- the sublime and the ridiculous never sounded so good together. "Henriette Krotenschwanz" ends the first side with a brief choral military march (if you will). The title track takes up the remainder of the album, a complex piece which never loses a sense of fun while always staying musically compelling. After a quiet start, the opening minutes consist of a variety of drones and noises constantly brought up and down in the mix, leading to a full band performance that builds and skips along with restrained fuzz power. Everything builds to a sudden climax halfway through, where all the members play a series of melodies in unison, while drums pound in the background. After a quick violin solo, everything settles into a fine percussion jam, with the full band kicking in shortly thereafter. With Karrer's crazed vocals showing where Mark E. Smith got some good ideas from, Phallus gets the Düül II career off to a flying start. by Ned Raggett  
Tracklist :
1    Kanaan    4:02
2    Dem Guten, Schönen, Wahren    6:12
3    Luzifers Ghilom    8:34
4    Henriette Krötenschwanz    2:03
5    Phallus Dei    20:47
Credits :
Bass – Dave Anderson
Bongos, Vocals, Violin [Violine] – Shrat
Composed By [Compositions By], Arranged By [Arrangements By], Lyrics By – Amon Düül II
Drum [Turkish Drums] – Holger Trülzsch
Drums [Dr.], Cymbal [Electric Cymbals] – Dieter Serfas
Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar [12-String-Guitar], Soprano Saxophone [Sopran-Sax], Vocals – John Weinzierl
Organ, Synthesizer – Falk Rogner
Percussion [Dr. Perc.], Grand Piano – Peter Leopold
Vibraphone – Christian Burchard
Vocals, Tambourine [Tambourin] – Renate Knaup

AMON DÜÜL ll - Yeti (1970-2001) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless

The second album by Amon Düül II (not to be confused with the more anarchic radicals Amon Düül), 1970's Yeti, is their first masterpiece, one of the defining early albums of Krautrock. A double album on vinyl, Yeti consists of a set of structured songs and a second disc of improvisations. It's testament to the group's fluidity and improvisational grace that the two albums don't actually sound that different from each other, and that the improvisational disc may actually be even better than the composed disc. The first disc opens with "Soap Shop Rock," a 12-minute suite that recalls King Crimson's early work in the way it switches easily between lyrical, contemplative passages and a more violent, charging sound, and continues through a series of six more songs in the two- to six-minute range, from the ominous, threatening "Archangels Thunderbird" (featuring a great doomy vocal by mono-named female singer Renate) to the delicate, almost folky acoustic tune "Cerberus." The improvisational disc contains only three tracks, closing with a nine-minute stunner called "Sandoz in the Rain" that's considered by many to be the birth of the entire space rock subgenre. A delicate, almost ambient wash of sound featuring delicately strummed phased acoustic guitars and a meandering flute, it's possibly the high point of Amon Düül II's entire career. [Most CD issues have squeezed the two discs onto one CD by cutting three minutes out of "Pale Gallery," but the Captain Trips CD restores it to its full five-minute length.] by Stewart Mason  
Tracklist :
Soap Shop Rock    (13:42)
1.1    Burning Sister    
1.2    Halluzination Guillotine    
1.3    Gulp A Sonata    
1.4    Flesh-Coloured Anti-Aircraft Alarm    
2    She Came Through The Chimney    2:59
3    Archangels Thunderbird    3:32
4    Cerberus    4:22
5    The Return Of Ruebezahl    1:39
6    Eye-Shaking King    5:40
7    Pale Gallery    2:15
8    Yeti (Improvisation)    18:13
9    Yeti Talks To Yogi (Improvisation)    6:15
10    Sandoz In The Rain (Improvisation) 8:59
Bass – Ulrich
Flute – Thomas
Guitar, Vocals – Rainer
- Bonus Tracks -    
11    Rattlesnakeplumcake    3:18
12    Between The Eyes    2:27
Credits :
Bass – Dave Anderson
Bongos, Vocals – Shrat
Composed By, Arranged By, Lyrics By – Amon Düül II (faixas: 1 to 10), Chris Karrer (faixas: 12), Falk Rogner* (faixas: 11, 12), John Weinzierl (faixas: 11, 12), Lothar Meid (faixas: 12)
Drums – Peter Leopold
Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Vocals – John Weinzierl
Organ – Falk Rogner
Violin, Guitar, Twelve-String Guitar, Vocals – Chris Karrer
Vocals, Tambourine – Renate

AMON DÜÜL ll - Tanz der Lemminge (1971-1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There aren't many double art-rock albums from the early '70s that have stood the test of time, but then again, there aren't many albums like Tanz, and there certainly aren't many groups like Amon Düül II. While exact agreement over which of their classic albums is the absolute standout may never be reached, in terms of ambition combined with good musicianship and good humor, the group's third album, is probably the best candidate still. The musical emphasis is more on expansive arrangements and a generally gentler, acoustic or soft electric vibe; the brain-melting guitar from Yeti isn't as prominent on Tanz, for example, aside from the odd freakout here and there. You will find lengthy songs divided up into various movements, but with titles like "Dehypnotized Toothpaste" and "Overheated Tiara," po-faced seriousness is left at the door. The music isn't always wacky per se, but knowing that the group can laugh at itself is a great benefit. The first three tracks each take up a side of vinyl on the original release, and all are quite marvelous. "Syntelman's March of the Roaring Seventies" works through a variety of acoustic parts, steering away from folksiness for a more abstract, almost playfully classical sense of space and arrangement, before concluding with a brief jam. "Restless Skylight-Transistor Child" is more fragmented, switching between aggressive (and aggressively weird) and subtle passages. One part features Meid and Knaup singing over an arrangement of guitars, synths and mock choirs that's particularly fine, and quite trippy to boot. "Chamsin Soundtrack" exchanges variety for a slow sense of mystery and menace, with instruments weaving in and out of the mix while never losing the central feel of the song. Three briefer songs close out the record, a nice way to get in some quick grooves at the end. by Ned Raggett  
Tracklist :
Syntelman's March Of The Roaring Seventies    (15:51)
1a    In The Glassgarden
1b    Pull Down Your Mask    
1c    Prayer To The Silence    
1d    Telephonecomplex
Restless Skylight-Transistor-Child    (19:33)
2a    Landing In A Ditch    
2b    Dehypnotized Toothpaste    
2c    A Short Stop At The Transylvanian Brain-Surgery    
2d    Race From Here To Your Ears    
2d.I    Little Tornados    
2d.II    Overheated Tiara    
Chamsin Soundtrack    (18:05)
3    a. The Marilyn Monroe-Memorial-Church    
4    Chewinggum Telegram    2:41
5    Stumbling Over Melted Moonlight    4:33
6    Toxicological Whispering    7:45 

AMON DÜÜL ll - Carnival in Babylon (1972-1991) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Amon Düü II's follow-up to their landmark double-LP set Tanz der Lemminge features a musical approach less experimental than previous recordings, but nonetheless distinctive and broad-reaching in its sphere of influences. The almost epic tack of the earlier works has been pared down here, but full-forward, guitar-heavy tracks like "C.I.D. in Uruk," "Ballad of the Shimmering Sands," and "Kronwinkl 12" use disparate folk and hard rock elements cannily. The band moves the music with a majestic sweep punctuated by the snaky guitar work of Chris Karrer and John Weinzierl. by Nick Burton
Tracklist :
1    C.I.D. In Uruk 5:39
Music By, Words By – J.Weinzierl
2    All The Years 'Round 7:26
Music By – J.Weinzierl, R.Knaup
Words By – F.U.Rogner
3    Shimmering Sand 6:36
Music By – Ch. Karrer
Words By – F.U.Rogner
4    Kronwinkl 12 3:27
Music By, Words By – J.Weinzierl
5    Tables Are Turned 3:38
Music By – Ch. Karrer
Words By – F.U.Rogner
6    Hawknose Harlequin 9:52
Music By – Amon Düül II
Words By – F.U.Rogner
Credits :
Backing Vocals – Joy Alaska
Bass – Lothar Meid
Congas – Danny Fichelscher
Drums – Danny Fichelscher, Peter Leopold
Guitar – Chris Karrer, John Weinzierl
Keyboards – Karl-Heinz Hausmann
Organ – F.U. Rogner, Karl-Heinz Hausmann
Soprano Saxophone – Chris Karrer, Olaf Kübler
Tambourine – Peter Leopold
Violin – Chris Karrer
Vocals – Chris Karrer, John Weinzierl, Lothar Meid, Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz

AMON DÜÜL ll - Wolf City (1972-2002) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Amon Düül II's fifth studio album is a more conventional recording than most, though there's still a lot of the involved experimenting and dark undercurrent which sets the band apart from the mainstream, along with the off-kilter hooks and odd humor which saved them from being lumped alongside more serious (and less easy to take seriously) prog rock outfits. After the lengthy explorations of Tanz der Lemminge, Wolf City seems targeted to an extent at a commercial English-speaking audience, perhaps reflective of their increased status in the United Kingdom, if not in America. Regardless, opening song "Surrounded by the Stars," the longest track on the album at just under eight minutes, is also one of the band's best, with strong vocals from Renate Knaup-Kroetenschwanz, a dramatic building verse (complete with mock choir), an equally dramatic violin-accompanied instrumental break, and a catchy chorus leading to a fun little freakout. Knaup actually takes the lead vocals more often this time out and turns in some lovely performances, as on the beautiful, perhaps slightly precious "Green-Bubble-Raincoated-Man," with a great full-band performance that grows from a nice restraint to a slam-bang, epic rockout. Lothar Meid gets his moments in as well, his sometimes straightforward, sometimes not-so-much vocals adding to the overall effect as before. The one full instrumental, "Wie der Wind am Ende Einer Strasse," is excellent, with guest Indian musicians adding extra instrumentation to an intoxicating, spacious performance. While Wolf City generally sounds like a tight band playing things live or near-live, there are some equally gripping moments clearly resulting from studio work, like the strange loop opening the title track (percussion, guitar?). Concluding with the groovy good-time "Sleepwalker's Timeless Bridge," including some fantastic E-Bow guitar work, Wolf City works the balance between art and accessibility and does so with resounding success. by Ned Raggett  
Tracklist :
1    Surrounded By The Stars 7:44
Bass, Synthesizer – Lothar Meid
Drums – D. Secundus Fichelscher
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – John Weinzierl
Guitar [6 String Guitar], Twelve-String Guitar [12 String Guitar], Violin – Chris Karrer
Organ [Choir- Organ], Piano – Jimmy Jackson
Organ, Clavinet [Clavioline], Synthesizer – Falk-Ulrich Rogner
Vocals – Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz
Written-By – Karrer, Rogner
2    Green Bubble Raincoated Man 5:03
Bass – Lothar Meid
Drums – D. Secundus Fichelscher
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – Chris Karrer, John Weinzierl
Organ [Choir-Organ] – Jimmy Jackson
Synthesizer – Peter Leopold
Vocals – Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz
Written-By – Weinzierl
3    Jail-House Frog 4:50
Bass, Vocals – Lothar Meid
Clavinet [Clavioline] – Falk-Ulrich Rogner
Drums – D. Secundus Fichelscher*
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – John Weinzierl
Piano, Organ [Choir-Organ] – Jimmy Jackson
Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Chris Karrer
Synthesizer, Engineer [Recording] – Peter Kramper
Vocals – Olaf Kübler, Peter Leopold, Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz, Rolf Zacher
Written-By – Weinzierl
4    Wolf City 3:18
Backing Vocals – Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz
Bass, Vocals – Lothar Meid
Drums, Backing Vocals – D. Secundus
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – Chris Karrer
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar], Backing Vocals – John Weinzierl
Organ – Falk-Ulrich Rogner
Written-By – Karrer, Fichelscher, Rogner, Weinzierl, Meid
5    Wie Der Wind Am Ende Einer Strasse 5:42
Bass – Lothar Meid
Drums – Daniel Fichelscher
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – John Weinzierl
Organ, Synthesizer – Falk-Ulrich Rogner
Sitar – Al Sri Al Gromer
Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax] – Olaf Kübler
Tabla [Tablas] – Pandit Shankar Lal
Tambourine – Liz van Neienhoff
Timpani – Peter Leopold
Violin – Chris Karrer, Paul Heyda
Written-By – Karrer, Fichelscher, Rogner, Weinzierl, Meid
6    Deutsch Nepal 2:56
Bass – Lothar Meid
Drums – D. Secundus Fichelscher
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – John Weinzierl
Piano, Organ [Choir-Organ] – Jimmy Jackson
Vocals – Rolf Zacher
Written-By – Meid, Kübler
7    Sleepwalker's Timeless Bridge 4:54
Acoustic Guitar [Ac.-Guitar], Electric Guitar [E-Guitar], Vocals, Drums – D. Secundus Fichelscher
Bass – Lothar Meid
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar] – John Weinzierl
Electric Guitar [E-Guitar], Violin – Chris Karrer
Organ – Falk-Ulrich Rogner
Written-By – Fichelscher, Rogner

AMON DÜÜL ll - Vive la Trance (1974-1996) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Amon Düül ll's extraordinary 1973 album finds the influential German art rock band working surprisingly well in a short song format while still stamping the music with their unique sound. "Fly United," "Trap," and "Ladies Mimikry" show diverse styles of pop and rock running happily into each other with memorably quirky results. The instrumentation here is as quirky as ever,too -- perhaps even more so than usual, with Chris Karrer's violin and sax playing now in the fore. The melodies are often shimmering. Unfortunately, the band never again sustained the excellence displayed on Viva la Trance again. by Nick Burton
Tracklist :
1    A Morning Excuse 3:20
Bass, Cello, Electric Guitar, Choir – Robby
Choir – Renate
Drums, Grand Piano – Peter
Electric Guitar, Lyrics By – John
Synthesizer [VCS 3] – Falk
Vocals – Chris
2    Fly United 3:31
Bass, Electric Guitar – John
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar, Saxophone – Chris
Grand Piano – Peter K.
Twelve-String Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals, Lyrics By – Robby
Vocals – Renate
3    Jalousie 3:27
Bass – Robby
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – John
Grand Piano – Peter K.
Lyrics By – Falk
Vocals – Renate
4    Im Krater Blühn Wieder Die Bäume 3:08
Bass – Robby
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – John
Organ, Synthesizer [VCS 3] – Falk
5    Mozambique 7:39
Bass, Instruments [Gurke] – Robby
Choir – Desmond
Choir, Finger Snaps [Finger-snips] – Lothar
Choir, Finger Snaps [Finger-snips], Percussion – Keith
Drums, Grand Piano, Lyrics By – Peter
Electric Guitar – Chris, John
Organ, Synthesizer [VCS 3] – Falk
Vocals, Choir – Renate
6    Apocalyptic Bore 6:38
Bass, Violin – Robby
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar – John
Organ, Synthesizer [VCS 3], Harmonium – Falk
Twelve-String Guitar, Electric Guitar, Violin, Vocals, Lyrics By – Chris
Voice – Desmond
7    Dr. 3:00
Bass, Violin, Vocals – Robby
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar – Chris
Electric Guitar, Vocals, Lyrics By – John
Synthesizer [VCS 3] – Falk
Vocals – Renate
8    Trap 3:34
Bass – Robby
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar, Lyrics By – John
Electric Guitar, Saxophone – Chris
Organ, Synthesizer [VCS 3] – Falk
Vocals – Renate
9    Pig Man 2:37
Bass, Vocals – Robby
Drums – Peter
Electric Guitar, Saxophone – Chris
Electric Guitar, Vocals, Lyrics By – John
Vocals – Renate
10    Manana 3:23
Bass – John
Drums, Percussion – Peter
Guitar, Vocals, Mellotron, Lyrics By, Maracas – Chris
11    Ladies Mimikry 4:17
Bass, Electric Guitar – John
Drums – Peter
Violin, Vocals, Saxophone, Electric Guitar, Lyrics By – Chris
Credits :
Guest [Guests] – Keith Forsey, Lothar Meid, Peter Kramper
Performer – Chris Karrer, Falk U. Rogner, John Weinzierl, Peter Leopold, Renate Krötenschwanz Knaup, Robby Heibl

AMON DÜÜL ll - Hijack (1974-2002) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Released in 1974, Amon Düül II's Hijack (or, "Hi-jack," as it was released in Germany) is not frequently (if ever) regarded as one of their better albums. In fact, author Ingmar Schrober gives it a few scant sentences in Tanz der Lemmings, his biography of the band published in 1979. For the most part, this critical dismissal is accurate -- fans and critics seem to agree for once -- most of what's here is unfocused, very polished, meandering psych prog that goes nowhere. But Hijack is significant in the band's history, and perhaps for posterity as well, for three reasons. The first of these is that the recording of this album signalled a short-lived reunion of sorts for most of the members of the original Amon Düül -- vocalist Renate Knaup-Kroetenschwanz, guitarist/vocalist Chris Karrer, guitarist John Weinzierl, drummer Peter Leopold, bassist and string arranger Lothar Meid, and synthesizer guru Falk U. Rogner (sisters Helge and Angelika Filanda and Ulrich Leopold were lost ion the world of hippie communes and did not return for this outing). The second reason is for the opening cut, "I Can't Wait, Pts. 1 & 2," which has to be the first boogie rock cut in rock & roll history. Elements of Krautrock, German prog, and a full-on Los Angeles-style horn section turn this loopy, 11-plus-minute cut inside out more than once with the lower than dirt growl of Meid's "singing," electric violin solos, and party band blues progression done in full-tilt boogie mode. In other words, it's the least Amon Düül II sounding cut on the set. "Traveler," another Meid penned cut, may be better known since it was a single, but it pales in comparison. The final reason that this set is distinctive is for the band's cover of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," done as a tango with some fluttering samba backbeats anchoring the wispy synths and piano work. Knaup sings dramatic original lyrics written by Karrer. It is followed by the dreamy but actually quite beautiful "Liquid Whisper," that contains some very inventive acoustic guitar and synthesizer work. It closes with the album's dumbest but funniest and inventive cut, "Argy the Robot," with a Mothers of Invention-style chorus interlude and horn arrangement. If all of this sounds like an awful combination, it is, but Hijack is worth hearing at least once for the sake of coming to grips with the fact that this is essentially the same band that recorded classics like Phallus Dei and Yeti. [SPV reissued Hijack as part of is Revisited series. The mastering is far better than the dodgy 1990 Castle Communications CD. It also contains an elegant booklet featuring the artwork for both original covers, plus very informative liner notes.]
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1    I Can't Wait    6:18
2    Mirror    4:44
3    Traveller    4:23
4    You're Not Alone    6:53
5    Explode Like A Star    4:00
6    Da Guadeloop    7:03
7    Lonely Woman    4:44
8    Liquid Whisper    3:30
9    Archy The Robot    3:30
Credits :
Accordion, Percussion, Vocals – Wild Willy
Bass, Guitar, Vocals, Arranged By [Strings] – Lothar Meid
Drums, Percussion, Acoustic Guitar – Peter Leopold
Flute, Saxophone [Soprano] – Olaf Kübler
French Horn – Ludwig Popp
Guitar – John Weinzierl
Guitar, Violin, Vocals, Saxophone [Tenor] – Chris Karrer
Keyboards – Thor Baldursson
Other [Instruments, Cakes & Cheers] – Peter Kynast
Painting [Cover] – Patrick V. Spreckelsen
Percussion [Marschtrommel] – Hermann Jalowitzki
Saxophone – Bobby Jones, Rudy Nagora
Strings – Chris Balder
Synthesizer, Photography By – Falk-U. Rogner
Tape Op – Uwe Schier
Tape Op [2nd Operator] – Stephan Briegel
Trumpet – Bob Chatwin, Lee Harper
Vocals – Renate Knaup

AMON DÜÜL ll - Live in London (1972-1998) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless

A curious release in the Amon Düül II catalog -- originally it appeared only in Britain, and then as an astonishingly cheap budget release -- Live in London is, unsurprisingly, exactly what it says it is. Recorded near the end of 1972, it features the full-band lineup performing songs mostly from Yeti and Tanz der Lemminge for a quite enthusiastic crowd (if prog rock bands performed for a bunch of stoned hippies, one would never know that from the cheers throughout). The group pours on the energy in turn; while they aren't simply playing at full blast throughout, the song selection and inspired performances are the mark of a band able to cut it just as well live as in the studio. Whether it was a conscious decision on the band's part to focus mostly on the rockers as opposed to the drifters is up for grabs, but it works; even the spacier numbers, like the aptly titled "Improvisations," consisting mostly of buried feedback and burbling keyboard intrusions, still have a good power to them. The heavy groove of "Eye Shaking King" is one standout to note; it's such a great take that swaying and gentle headbanging seem like the only natural things to do, while Karrer's fiery mid-song guitar solo is one of his best performances. Two lengthy Tanz tracks, "Syntelman's" and "Restless Skylight," appear in abbreviated forms, gaining in a more direct performance what they lose in length, while Knaup and Meid share vocals throughout to further reshape the songs for the live venue, a nice and successful change from the album cuts. Closing on a fine medley of "Riding on a Cloud" and "Paralyzed Paradise," with some more excellent mind-f*ck guitar on the latter (only a couple of minutes' worth, but just enough), Live in London is worth scrounging around for. A 2000 U.K. CD reissue includes bonus tracks, but they appear to just be remixes of album cuts. by Ned Raggett  
Tracklist :
1    Archangels Thunderbird    3:20
2    Eye Shaking King    6:20
3    Soap Shop Rock    7:36
4    Improvisation    3:44
Syntelman's March Of The Roaring Seventies    
5a    Pull Down Your Mask    1:33
5b    Prayer To The Silence    5:26
5c    Telephonecomplex    1:08
6a    Restless Skylight-Transistor Child - Landing In A Ditch    0:55
6b    Dehypnotized Toothpaste    0:42
6c    A Short Stop At The Transylvanian Brain Surgery    4:09
Race From Here To Your Ears    
7a    Little Tornados    2:10
7b    Riding On A Cloud    2:21
7c    Paralized Paradise    2:53
8    Bavarian Soap Shop Rock    17:44
9    Improvisation On Gulp A Sonata    2:54
Credits :
Bass Guitar, Vocals – Lothar Meid
Drums – D. Secundus Fichelscher, Peter Leopold
Guitar, Violin, Soprano Saxophone – Chris Karrer
Guitar, Vocals – John Weinzierl
Organ, Synthesizer – Falk-U Rogner
Vocals – Renate Knaup-Krötenschwanz

AMON DÜÜL ll - Made in Germany (1975-2004) WV (image+.cue), lossless

There is a lovely moment in "La Krautoma," after the surf music intro gives way to a strange Peter Leopold drum solo and moves on, that the sound begins to mutate into early-'70s Hawkwind, a gleeful nod from one notable space rock outfit to another. "La Krautoma" is more than that, though; it's a six-minute distillation of acid rock, space rock, and Krautrock that shows the band's knowledge of their own history. It is also an eyebrow-raising moment in the midst of this particular, which spends more time getting into the same space as mid-'70s Europop, providing an antimatter universe version of an average Eurovision song contest lineup -- think early ABBA in vinyl raincoats, singing ditties about old King Ludwig and the like. Equally perverse, the Blue Angel motif of the cover fits completely with this approach: life as a cabaret, the decadent edges visible through the veneer. In many respects, it's a neat record, though sometimes a bit too glossy and clever for its own good -- nowhere near the sprawling Tanz Der Lemminge, for example. One of the essential set, however. by Steven McDonald
Tracklist :
1    Overture    5:11
2    Wir Wollen    1:33
3    Wilhelm, Wilhelm    3:10
4    SM II Peng    2:17
5    Elevators Meet Whispering    1:26
6    Metropolis    3:37
7    Ludwig    2:33
8    The King's Chocolate Waltz    2:29
9    Blue Grotto    3:33
10    Mr. Kraut's Jinx    8:44
11    Wide-Angle    4:06
12    Three-Eyed Overdrive    1:17
13    Emigrant Song    3:21
14    Loosey Girls 5:13
Saxophone – Bobby Jones
15    Top Of The Mud    3:45
16    Dreams    4:08
17    Gala Gnome    3:52
18    5.5.55    1:39
19    La Krautoma    6:08
20    Excessive Spray    1:41
Credits :
Drums, Percussion – Peter Leopold
Guitar – John Weinzierl
Keyboards – Thor Baldursson
Synthesizer, Organ – Falk-Ulrich Rogner
Timpani, Gong – Karlheinz Becker
Trumpet – Lee Harper
Violin – Fritz Sonnleitner
Vocals – Renate Knaup
Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Violin – Robby Heibl
Vocals, Guitar – Nando Tischer
Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Violin – Chris Karrer

AMON DÜÜL ll - Pyragony 10th (1976-2004) WV (image+.cue), lossless

By 1976, Amon Duul had transitioned from a highly experimental unit to an almost traditional pop-rock act, with lyrics sung in English and a decidedly (and unexpectedly) rockist approach to songwriting. New members Stefan Zauner (keys) and Klaus Ebert (guitar and bass) contributed the majority of the songs, adding to the stark newness of the sound. While this album has its share of exciting moments, it is not a typical Amon Duul album, and will probably be best enjoyed by completists. by Paula Carino
Tracklist :
1    Flower Of The Orient 6:00
Written-By – Amon Düül II
2    Merlin 4:24
Written-By – Weinzierl
3    Crystal Hexagram 5:38
Written-By – Weinzierl
4    Lost In Space 4:12
Written-By – Ebert, Zauner
5    Sally The Seducer 3:03
Written-By – Ebert
6    Telly Vision 4:07
Written-By – Ebert, Zauner
7    The Only Thing 7:30
Written-By – Karrer
8    Capuccino 3:08
Written-By – Ebert
Credits :
Cover [Cover Art.] – Amon Düül II
Drums – Peter Leopold
Guitar, Vocals – John Weinzierl
Painting [Cover] – Olof Feindt
Vocals, Bass, Guitar – Klaus Ebert
Vocals, Guitar, Violin, Soprano Saxophone – Chris Karrer
Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Cover [Cover Art.] – Stefan Zauner

AMON DÜÜL ll - Almost Alive ... (1977-2005) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    One Blue Morning 7:30
Percussion – Keith Forsey
2    Good Bye My Love 8:13
Backing Vocals – Claudja Barry
3    Ain't Today Tomorrow's Yesterday 7:40
Arranged By [Strings] – Jörg Evers
4    Hallelujah    4:13
5    Feeling Uneasy    6:02
6    Live In Jericho    13:19
- Bonus Tracks -   
7    Cosmic Insects    6:11
8    Live In Obergurgl    1:38
9    Kitchen Jam    6:57
Credits :
Bass – Klaus Ebert
Drums – Peter Leopold
Guitar – Chris Karrer, John Weinzierl, Klaus Ebert
Keyboards – Stefan Zauner
Lead Vocals – Chris Karrer (faixas: 3), Klaus Ebert (faixas: 1, 2), Stefan Zauner (faixas: 5)
Saxophone – Chris Karrer
Synthesizer, Artwork, Design [Cover Design] – Stefan Zauner

AMON DÜÜL ll - Only Human (1978-1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Another Morning 4:00
Lead Vocals – Stefan Zauner
2    Don't Turn Too Stone 3:50
Lead Vocals – Klaus Ebert
3    Kirk Morgan 3:18
Lead Vocals – Stefan Zauner
4    Spaniards & Spacemen    6:15
5    Kismet 7:50
Lead Vocals – Chris Karrer
6    Pharao 4:45
Lead Vocals – Stefan Zauner
7    Ruby Lane 4:05
Lead Vocals – Klaus Ebert
Credits :
Drums, Percussion – Peter Leopold
Guitar, Bass – Klaus Ebert
Guitar, Violin, Saxophone, Harmonica [Mouth Harp] – Chris Karrer
Keyboards, Synthesizer, Bass, Percussion – Stefan Zauner

AMON DÜÜL ll - Nada Moonshine # (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Castaneda Da Dream 7:47
Bass – Lothar
Composed By – Kuen
Drums – Peter
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Renate
Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Violin, Arranged By, Lyrics By – Chris
Rhythm Guitar – Felix Occhionero
Synthesizer – P.P. Kuen
2    Nada Moonshine# 8:45
Composed By – Lothar Meid, Renate Knaup
Drums [Nadanadadrums] – Hans Peter
Guitar – Felice Occhionero
Lead Guitar, Violin – Chris „Flashback Karrer”
Lyrics By – Lothar Meid
Synthesizer, Bass, Vocals – Lothar
Vocals [Beautiful] – Renate „Granate Knaup-Krötenschwanz”
3    Speed Inside My Shoes 4:22
Composed By – Lothar Meid, Renate Knaup
Guitar – Felice Occhionero
Lyrics By – Lothar Meid, Renate Knaup
Synthesizer, Drum Programming [Beats], Vocals [Boos], Bass – Lothar
Vocals – Renate „Granate Rush-Hour”
4    Sirens In Germanstan 5:57
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Saxophone, Vocals – Chris
Bass – Lothar
Composed By – Chris Karrer, Peter Leopold, Renate Knaup
Drums – Peter
Lead Vocals – Renate
Lyrics By – Chris Karrer
Synthesizer – P.P. Kuen
5    Lilac Lillies 5:39
Composed By – Andy, Lothar Meid
Guitar – Chris, Felice Occhionero
Lyrics By – Lothar Meid
Synthesizer, Percussion [Bangs], Bass, Lead Vocals – Lothar
Vocals – Renate
6    Kiss Ma Eee 8:21
Composed By – Andy Meid, Lothar Meid
Drums – Hans Peter
Guitar – Felix Occhionero
Lead Guitar, Performer [„orientals”] – Chris
Lyrics By – Lothar Meid
Synthesizer, Drum Programming [Beats], Vocals [Boogaloos], Bass, Vocals – Lothar
Vocals – Renate
7    Carpetride In Velvet Night 5:19
Bass – Uwe Müllrich
Composed By, Lyrics By – Chris
Drums, Percussion [Tongos] – Hans Peter
Lead Vocals, Oud, Guitar, Tambourine – Chris
Synthesizer – P.P. Kuen
8    Black Pearl Of Wisdom 5:05
Bass – Lothar
Composed By – Chris Karrer, Peter Leopold, Renate Knaup
Drums, Gong, Cymbal – P. Leopold
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Renate
Lyrics By – Chris Karrer
Synthesizer – P.P. Kuen
Vocals, Guitar, Oud, Violin, Tambourine – Chris
9    Ça Va 4:57
Composed By – Andy, Lothar Meid
Drums – Hans Peter
Guitar – Felice Occhionero
Guitar [Fastpart] – Chris, Jan Kahlert Ohweohwes
Lyrics By – Lothar Meid
Synthesizer, Drum Programming [Beats], Vocals [Uhs + Ahs], Bass, Voice [Talks], Lead Vocals – Lothar
Vocals [Mood + Screams] – Renate
10    Guadalquivir 4:56
Backing Vocals – Renate
Bass – Lothar
Composed By, Lyrics By – Chris Karrer
Drums – Peter
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Chris
Synthesizer – P.P. Kuen
Bonus Tracks   
11    Surrounded By The Stars (New Recording)    7:35
12    Dancing On Fire (New Recording)    5:24
13    Castaneda Da Dream (Radio Edit)    3:50

AMON DÜÜL ll - Kobe (Reconstruction) (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Released to raise money for victims of the Kobe, Japan, earthquake, this Amon Düül II disc from 1996, like the very similar Eternal Flashback, is actually material from 1969 to 1971 reworked through the wonders of plunderphonics by members of the group into one seamless, 65-minute-long space rock epic. It's not quite as radical as the John Oswald remix of the Grateful Dead's "Darkstar" on Grayfolded or the Can remix album Sacrilege, though it's still a quite fascinating bit of trickery, as bits of tracks from the first two albums, Phallus Dei and Yeti, are blended with previously unreleased material. The rhythms are often looped to retain the essence of the original album, but drawn out into long, hypnotic passages with oozes of guitar floating around them, while most of the vocal sections have been completely excised out, leaving this a complete instrumental workout. It comes off like an early version of the group on an endless jam section, and though it is no match for either Yeti or Phallus Dei, it will certainly satisfy those who can't get enough of Amon Düül II's early psychedelic sound. by Rolf Semprebon
Tracklist :
Kobe (Reconstruction)
a)        Hallimasch    11:29
b)        Kupplungen    13:25
c)        Kronwinkel 13 - Der Große Herd    11:03
d)        Verwandtschaft    0:24
e)        Trabbi-Town    14:47
f)        Tramin BF 309    14:33

AMON DÜÜL ll - Live in Tokyo (1996) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Live in Tokyo is a live record from the reunited original lineup of Amon Duul, and while most of the members are in place, the band isn't able to recapture the spark that made their early-'70s albums prog-rock milestones. Part of the reason is that the group is no longer experimenting -- they are simply recreating their sound, and that slavishness prevents the music from being anything other than a nostalgia trip. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1     Nada Moonshine Union 5:46
Renate Knaup / Lothar Meid
2     Black Pearls of Wisdom 3:59
Chris Karrer / Renate Knaup / Peter Leopold
3     Dry Your Ears 2:12
Lothar Meid / John Weinzierl
4     Castaneda DaDream (In Another World) 5:30
Chris Karrer
5     Deutsch Nepal 2:56
Lothar Meid
6     Kiss Ma Eee 8:02
Meid, Andy / Lothar Meid
7     Speed Inside My Shoes 4:42
Renate Knaup / Lothar Meid
8     Lilac Lillies 4:51
Meid, Andy / Lothar Meid
9     Wolf City 5:28
Daniel Fischelscher / Chris Karrer / Lothar Meid / Falk U. Rogner
10     La Paloma 1:50
Sebastián Yradier
11     Flower of the Orient 5:44
Chris Karrer / Stefan Zauner
12     Surrounded by the Stars 8:26
Chris Karrer / Falk U. Rogner
13     Archangels Thunderbird 3:21
Amon Düül II / Sigfried Loch
14     Jam Hai 5:44
Jan Kahlert / Chris Karrer / Renate Knaup / Lothar Meid / Felice Occhionero / Michael Ruff / W. Wolff
Credits :
Bass, Vocals – Lothar Meid
Drums – Wolf Wolff
Guitar – Felice Occhionero
Guitar, Vocals, Violin, Saxophone – Chris Karrer
Keyboards – Michael Ruff
Percussion, Vocals – Jan Kahlert
Vocals – Renate Knaup

AMON DÜÜL ll - Düülirium (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     On the Highway (Mambo La Liberta) 8:35
Amon Düül II
2     Du Kommst Ins Heim 9:23
Amon Düül II
3     Standing In the Shadow 8:15
Amon Düül II
4     Back To the Rules/Walking To the Park 26:01
Amon Düül II
Credits :
Bass – Lothar Meid
Drums – Daniel Fichelscher
Drums, Percussion, Sounds – Jan Kahlert
Guitar – John Weinzierl
Guitar, Violin – Chris Karrer
Vocals – Renate Knaup