Carnival In Babylon

By now, Amon Düül II had settled into what would be the classic lineup of Chris Karrer on guitar and vocals, Renate Knaup on vocals, John Weinzierl on lead guitar, Lothar Meid on bass, Falk-Ulrich Rogner on keyboards and Peter Leopold on drums, with the ever-present Olaf Kübler producing. Here the band is assisted by Karl-Heinz Hausmann on keyboards, and the more permanent arrival of Daniel Fichelscher as a second drummer. Carnival In Babylon marks a turning point in AD2's musical evolution; the long psychedelic jams now yield to more composed structures, yet they always contain the band's unique musical signature and original songwriting. "C.I.D. in Uruk" opens, a potent rocker punctuated by its rousing chorus. The thematic shifts and involved arrangements are immediately evident, giving the music a huge lift towards the progressive. But the following "All ‘Round the Years" is nonpareil; emotive and with a great lyric, it's Knaup's finest hour. Weinzierl's raw guitar punctuates the left channel of both "Ballad of the Shimmering Sand" and "Kronwinkl 12" (named after their commune), while the vocals of Karrer and Knaup provide a vexing but thoroughly original tandem. This is certainly not the progressive rock of their British contemporaries; AD2's music is unpolished, edgy, even uneasy, but always rewarding. "Tables Are Turned" has a folk feel and shines with its laidback arrangement; the combination of Farfisa, acoustic guitar and Leslie-phased electric guitar is eclectic. "Hawknose Harlequin" closes the album; it's a bluesy jam driven by a fierce bass line and spooky organ, but as it paces through various themes over its near 10-minute length, it reclaims the psychedelic realms of the previous few AD2 albums.