2nd

by Agitation Free

Overview

Agitation Free's 2nd stands as one of Germany's finest instrumental rock albums of the 1970s and a classic for fans of progressive rock and Krautrock. Despite the fact that the group had problems keeping its cohesion at the time, these troubles never affect the music. 2nd presented a daring blend of Krautrock-type extended jams, laid-back attitude, and experimentation. The music remains very psychedelic in nature, more early Can than Faust. The presence of acoustic guitars and bouzouki emphasizes the easygoing nature of the music, along with Stefan Diez's elegant guitar soloing, while occasional free-form passages keep things on the edge. The opener, "First Communication," is pure Krautrock and the hardest-driving tune. It belongs on every anthology of German rock. Michael Hoenig's synthesizer experiment "Dialogue and Random" provides an interlude before the two-part "Laila" kicks in. The latter juxtaposes prog rock and fusion jazz sections with beautiful audacity. Side B of the original LP is a lot quieter. Birds chirp at the beginning of "In the Silence of the Morning Sunrise" and the pastoral mood carries over to the nine-minute "A Quiet Walk." "Haunted Island" ends with a midtempo rock number featuring a recitation of Edgar Allan Poe's "Dreamland." Filled with Mellotron and guitar jamming, it has often been hailed as a highlight by prog rock fans who had a hard time digesting the less immediate material, but it's actually weaker than what came before it -- without lessening the appeal of this album. ~ Francois Couture

Product Details

Release Date:	06/07/2019
Label:	Mig
UPC:	0885513007421

Tracks

1. First Communication
2. Dialogue and Random
3. Laila, Pt. 1
4. Laila, Pt. 2
5. In the Silence of the Morning Sunrise
6. A Quiet Walk: Listening/Two-Not of the Same Kind
7. Haunted Island
8. Laila '74

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Agitation Free   Primary Artist
Lutz Ulbrich   Guitar (12 String),Keyboards,Bouzouki,Guitar
Burghard Rausch   Voices,Vocals,Drums,Percussion,Mellotron,Keyboards
Jackie Diez   Vocals
Gustl Lutjens   Guitar
Frank Diez   Vocals
Stefan Diez   Guitar
Michael Gunther   Bass
Michael Hoenig   Synthesizer,Keyboards
Michel Gunter   Bass

Technical Credits

Burghard Rausch   Sounds
Dave Siddle   Engineer
Alex von Koettlitz   Artwork
Agitation Free   Cover Design,Producer,Composer