Jud's Gallery - SWF session, Vol.1 (Reissue) (1972-74/2001)

Brilliantly unique heavy-kraut-psychedelica album with a great sense of rhythm and melody. It features rare classic jam sessions from this 70's German collective. The ambiences are constantly emotional, deeply energetic with a few cloudy moments. Next to the German bands Epsilon, Nosferatu, Baumstam, Grobschnitt, I consider that Jud's Gallery has some beautiful vocals parts, just to the opposite of most of krautrock bands which tend to provide atrocious, inconsistent vocals (hopefully, many bands are strictly instrumental). This album doesn't deliver something enterily transcendant but the compositions are always catchy, curious, seriously melodic, sometimes mellow (without being cheesy or commercial). Inspiration starts the album as an inspired heavy rockin' piece with bombastic loud guitars, ominpresent epic jazzy piano parts (a constant in this essay), astonishing, effective guitar solos and lot of changing moods. The guitar sections are the biggest surprise in this amazing album. Follow me includes mesmerising floating bluesy-spaced out guitars. Friends is a gentle ballad with melodic pop accents, not the best moment. he following pieces are much more exciting, combining heavy guitars to melodic voices and warm improvised sequences. Reaching reminds me The Nice, Arzachel with furious Hammond organs. The atmosphere is very dynamic, powerfully melodic with heavy guitars and truly technical instrumental sessions. Quite good and accessible, note only recommended for krautrock fans.