For those unfamiliar with the splendid name, Atomic Rooster could be loosely described as a 70`s prog-rock type band with a musical style driven by the swirling Hammond organ of their late (and legendary)leader Vincent Crane. The key feature of their style was the tight interplay between guitar and keyboard, married to a pounding up-front drumming sound. The best of their song lyrics were often predominantly dark, even doom-laden at times and yet richly imbued with an earnestness and beauty that gave the songs a very personal edge and made `Rooster a very refreshing change from the bland mainstream. Don`t let the contemplative nature of the songs prevent you from exploring this lost gem of a band. For a broad comparison, think roughly along the lines of Deep Purple or Uriah Heep (but unfortunatey without the huge record sales.This CD is transferred from a half hour TV studio gig from 1972. The 5 tracks are taken from their first 4 albums and are: Breakthrough, Black Snake, A Spoonful Of Bromide Helps The Pulse Rate Go Down, Can`t Find A Reason, The Rock. I first saw the TV concert in the early 1980`s on ITV in the UK. It was aired as a late night schedule filler as part of an occasional series called "Rock Of The Seventies", which also featured the likes of Genesis and Yes and more obscure bands like "If".
The band at this point had Chris Farlowe on vocals and his mildly eccentric delivery of the vocals only adds to the experience. From the pounding pace of "Breakthrough", through the eerie "Blacksnake" the band also deliver the nearest they come to a balled, with the soulful "Can`t find a reason". Rooster always had a good tight disciplined sound and this is evident from the start with Vincent Crane`s exuberant keyboard solos really stealing the show. One of the reasons for the band`s constantly changing line-up (and consequent lack of commercial success) was Crane`s passionate drive for perfection and obsession with a spot on performance every time. To compensate for the relatively short running time the CD includes as a delightful bonus a CD-Vision version of the concert, which you can play on your PC on Windows media etc. The sound and picture quality are surprisingly good. The purists can also buy the same concert on DVD, also at a discount price.
If you like your rock music to be full bodied in sound and yet reflective in mood and are ready to be pleasantly surprised by a band whose name doesn`t exactly roll off the tongue take a chance with this compelling performance. I guarantee You will not be disappointed.
Release Date: 18 February, 2003, Classic Rock Legends