This 2-CD Anthology set consists the history of one of the
first Danish Progressive Rock bands called Burnin’ Red Ivanhoe. Championed by
people like the late John Peel and Julian Cope of The Teardrop Explodes who wrote an amazing article and
history about the Danish Rock scene entitled Danskrocksampler that he compiled 12 years ago on his Head Heritage
website on some of the favorite bands he admired from the late ‘60s and in the
golden-era of the ‘70s.
Formed in 1967, the band blend in the styles of Jazz,
Psychedelic, Blues, and Progressive Rock and it covers compilations from their
debut album M144 in 1969 to the Right On album in 1974. This is a real
must-have anthology set if you want to delve into more of the rock scene in the
Netherlands. And Esoteric Recordings have scored something magical and get your
ears perked up to hear and listen why this band were so ahead of their time.
The blaring psychedelic turned improvisation rocking
adventure into outer space of Ksilioy, gives
the band a hypnotic and swirling voyages from the spooky organs, flute reverbs,
and Floyd-sque guitar workouts into the Milky Way. Since I’ve mentioned about
the Floyd, you can hear a bit of that on Purple
Hearts which has this psych-pop twist as if they were writing a sequel to See Emily Play.
The thumping intro with a freak-out mind-blowing flute solo
done by Kim Menzer, Ivanhoe I Brondbyerne
buzzes into amazement thanks to incredible guitar work that goes through a
wah-wah lead section before ending in a climatic crescendo. But it’s Karsten
Vogel that deserves some recognition. His Alto Sax and Keyboards really set the
stratosphere for BRI’s music.
You can hear the essence of Coltrane through his blood and
sweat as he brings the magic on pieces like; Antique Peppermint, Saxophone Piece 1, the homage to the Rolling
Stones on Ivanhoe in the Woods, and
the New Orleans Jazz mourning walk for Ida
Verlaine. Both Kaj and Tingle Tangelmanden channel the styles
of Serge Gainsbourg while the acoustic folk-up tempo beats sets a driven sound
into the road on the Canal Trip.
Delving into the blues-jazz rock approach with a blaring
harmonica improv and free-jazz midsections for Gong Gong the Elephant Song as the Coltrane inspirations come at
you again for the Secret Oyster Service which
was on their second sole self-titled release produced by Tony Reeves and Eddie
Lee Beppaux, an alias name for John Peel who championed the band. Then on the second CD, it goes from the WWW album which is based around the story
of Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe and straight into Right
On.
All About All carries
the psych-pop surroundings of early David Bowie along with the mid-tempo turned
fast-driven finale of I Want the Rest of
My Life Surrounded with Money that brings the resemblance of the Space Oddity sessions. The band had
split up in 1972 and some of the band members would later to form Secret
Oyster. Then, BRI came back in ’74 and did their fifth album, Right On.
The band moved from their Psych-Jazz Rock roots into a
heavier territory. You can hear the rumbling and eruptive power for August Suicidal that almost resembles a
bit of Uriah Heep in there followed by a gothic/mournful composition of When I Look into Your Eyes. They don’t
lose their Jazz influences and they bring the funk-fusion into the punches
featuring the wah-wah pedal crunch for the Rockin’
Rambler.
The 12-page booklet features an interview with Karsten Vogel
and a history of the band’s music with liner notes done by Malcolm Dome. It is
a rare and special occasion on why they are still such an amazing yet
overlooked band in the Danish Progressive Rock scene that hopefully will get
the recognition they deserve.
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