BRAINSTORM — Smile a While (1972-1996) Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Brainstorm's debut offers an odd twist on jazz-rock, throwing in bits of Canterbury and Frank Zappa, as well as the Dutch band Supersister. The record starts off with the explosive energy of the instrumental "Das Schwein Trugt," a fast piece of complex prog-jazz. "Zwick Zwick" follows, beginning at an only slightly slower pace, with some wild flutes and clarinets over a choppy rhythm, and then halfway through the guitar, bass, and organ rip into the mix to add a furious energy to the piece. Though the album is mostly instrumental, a couple tracks offer quirky song structures, the very short "Watch Time Flow By" and a couple short sections in the long title track, while "Snakeskin Tango" has someone moaning in anguish and the middle section of "Bosco Biati Weiss Alles" contains strange wordless vocal drones. Through it all, Brainstorm has crafted top-notch music that combines the manic energy and flippancy of rock with the loose fluidity and chops of jazz, with dynamic arrangements, a sense of humor, and excellent musicianship. The CD also includes five bonus tracks that are in a similar vein to the album cuts, though these can be found on the From Fashion Pink to Brainstorm disc as well. Rolf Semprebon  
Tracklist :
1     Das Schwein Trügt 4'42
Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer
2     Zwick Zwick 4'42
Roland Schaeffer
3     Watch Time Flow By 1'31
Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer
4    Bosco Biati WeiB Alles: Bosco Biati/WeiB/Alles 9'01
Joachim Koinzer / Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer
5     Snakeskin Tango 2'21
Rainer Bodensohn / Joachim Koinzer / Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer
6     Smile A While: Intro/Brainstorm/These/Antithese/Morning Tune/Smile A While 15'36
Rainer Bodensohn / Joachim Koinzer / Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer / Dave Sobelman
7     You Are What's Gonna Make It Last 3'32
Roland Schaeffer / Dave Sobelman
8     Don't Forget 0'29
Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer
9     Thesen & Antithesen 14'02
Eddy Von Overheidt / Roland Schaeffer
10     Einzug Der Elefanten 4'10
Rainer Bodensohn / Roland Schaeffer
11     You Knock Me Out 3'02
Roland Schaeffer
Credits :
Bass – Harold Wagner (pistas: 10)
Bass Guitar – Rainer Bodensohn (pistas: 1 to 8)
Bass, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Roland Schaeffer (pistas: 1 to 8)
Drums, Percussion – Joe Koinzer
Flute [Flutes] – Rainer Bodensohn
Organ, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Lead Vocals – Eddy van Overheidt
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Roland Schaeffer 

BRAINSTORM — Second Smile (1973-2000) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Brainstorm, from the town of Baden-Baden, were a progressive jazz rock band in the vein of, e.g. Eiliff, matching the latter in outstanding skills and an equally thorough musical education. They were under contract with Spiegelei, releasing "Smile a while" in 1972 (available on CD on Musea FGBG 4215.AR since 1996) and improving even further with "Second Smile", their second and last LP, the instrumentation of which is really remarkable. Brainstorm’s only single was released in 1973. While the B-side had already been part of "Smile a while", the A-side was added as a bonus track here. Some recordings of the band’s numerous radio and TV appearances still exist and will soon be released in our CD series. Roland Schaeffer, by the way, was later to join the well-known Guru Guru and is still with them today. With 32-page colour booklet. GOD  
Tracklist :
1    Hirnwind 5'43
Music By [M.] – v. Overheidt, Bodensohn, Schaeffer
2    Herbst3'40
Double Bass – Roland Schaeffer
Music By [M.] – Bodensohn, Schaeffer
3    My Way 8'12
Bass – Rainer Bodensohn
Lead Vocals [Lead Vocal], Lyrics By – Eddy von Overheidt
Music By [M.], Words By [T.] – v. Overheidt, Schaeffer
4    Affenzahn 4'47
Music By [M.] – Brainstorm
5    There Was A Time... 7'09
Bass – Rainer Bodensohn
Guitar – Enno Dernov
Music By [M.] – Schaeffer
Words By [T.] – Thomas
6    Marilyn Monroe 8'32
Music By [M.] – Schaeffer
Words By [T.] – v. Overheidt, Schaeffer
- BONUS TRACK -   
7    You're The One 2'50
Music By [M.] – Schaeffer
Words By [T.] – Sobelman
Credits :
Drums, Congas [Transylvanian-Fold-Up-Conga] – Jo Koinzer
Electric Bass [Fenderbass] – Enno Dernov
Flute [All Kinds Of Flute] – Rainer Bodensohn
Organ, Electric Piano [E-Piano], Clavinet [Clavinette] – Eddy von Overheidt
Producer [Produced By] – Brainstorm
Soprano Saxophone [Soprano], Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax], Clarinet, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Vocals – Roland Schaeffer 

BRAINSTORM — Last Smile (1974-2001) Two Version | APE + FLAC (Image+.cue), lossless

Brainstorm, a very sophisticated progressive jazz-rock band of the early seventies, quickly landed a recording contract with Intercord’s Krautrock sub-label Spiegelei, where their two LPs "Smile a while" (1972) and "Second smile" (1973) were released together with the 7"-single "You’re the one" / "Das Schwein trügt" (1973). "Last smile" features a so far unreleased live gig, recorded during the band’s final period in spring 1974 and containing two hitherto unknown tracks. Their style was unchanged and their musical mastership evident. The 32-page colour booklet contains a very detailed list of their official releases, including predecessor and offspring bands as well as solo enterprises. Roland Schaeffer, by the way, subsequently joined Guru Guru. Many fans of jazz-rock featuring saxophone, clarinet and flute will love this album. GOD  
Tracklist :
1.    Marilyn Monroe    4:12
2.    Das Schwein Trügt    4:59
3.    Signed    8:32
4.    There Was A Time...    12:36
5.    Stars On The Stage    10:33
Credits :
Bass – Enno Dernov
Drums – Horst Mittmann
Flute – Rainer Bodensohn
Keyboards – Eddy von Overheidt
Saxophone, Guitar, Clarinet – Roland Schaeffer
Songwriter [All Songs Written By] – Brainstorm 

BRAINSTORM — Bremen 1973 (1973-2002) Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Brainstorm from Baden-Baden, well known for their sophisticated progressive jazz-rock, released two demanding LPs on Spiegelei: "Smile a while" (1972) and "Second smile" (1973). A CD of a 1974 live gig, entitled "Last smile", was released very much later. On 23 June 1973, a rainy Saturday, they played an open-air gig in front of Bremen Neustadt Polytechnic, one of their best performances ever. In the series "Jazz live", started in the 1950s, Radio Bremen broadcast this and other Bremen gigs of national and international artists coming from jazz and related genres of music such as fusion. The radio station has kept an exemplary archive of all the master tapes, which is why future CD releases of Bremen gigs performed by artists such as Eiliff, Embryo, Missus Beastly and the Release Music Orchestra are in preparation. GOD  
Tracklist :
1.    Zwick Zwick    5:29
2.    Das Schwein Trügt    5:00
3.    You're The One    5:19
4.    My Way    9:53
5.    There Was A Time...    14:23
6.    Affenzahn    5:07
7.    Hirnwind    21:01
8.    Marilyn Monroe    9:44
9.    Snakeskin Tango    2:35
Credits :
Bass, Guitar – Enno Dernov
Drums – Jo Koinzer
Flute, Bass – Rainer Bodensohn
Keyboards – Eddy von Overheidt
Vocals, Clarinet, Guitar, Saxophone – Roland Schaeffer