Birth Control - Birth Control (1970)

First album for this German band which is playing a heavy psychedelic rock deeply inspired by Purple Mark I and to a certain extent the heavy keys play is rather similar to the one of Hensley (Heep).

The sound is a bit outdated of course, but there are some excellent numbers here. "Recollection" and the long "Sundown" are the highlights from their debut. Both feature great organ play and the latter has an excellent upbeat tempo. They are pure instrumentals.

This album also features some sung tracks like "No Drugs", "Deep Inside", "Foolish Action". And, surprisingly, the vocals are pretty decent which is not always the case with German bands.

The cover of "Light My Fire" fits perfectly well in their repertoire. The sound of the organ is of course not the Manzarek one, but I am keen to say that this version is quite good. Faster than the great original.

There is a CD version for this album. Released in 1997, there are four bonus tracks. They don't add anything extraordinary but these sixteen additional minutes are in the same vein than the original album. October is my preferred one.

All in all this is a good album. Very much from its time. Three stars. Review from Pogarchives.com

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Songs / Tracks Listing

1. No drugs (4:01) 

2. Recollection (6:24) 

3. Deep inside (4:40) 

4. Foolish action (4:32) 

5. Sundown (10:02) 

6. Change of mind (4:42) 

7. Light my fire (5:40)

Total Time: 40:01

Line-up / Musicians

- Bruno Frenzel / guitar, vocals 

- Bernd Koschmidder / bass 

- Bernd Noske / drums, vocals 

- Reinhold Sobotta / organ

Birth Control - Backdoor Possibilities (1976)

Though being usually overlooked and considered inferior to the previous one "Plastic People" (which couldn't fascinate me a lot I've to say) "Backdoor possibilities" had been BC's best and most versatile work and their only one in fact being relevant in terms of Prog (at least for me). Their first couple of albums had been more in an organ-driven hard rock vein with progressive tendencies being quite good and nice to listen but anything really exciting nor original. Then they changed their style significantly on "Plastic People" towards a sound based more on classical Prog mostly denying their hard rock roots. That one was certainly more appealing to most Prog fans than the previous albums, at least to those preferring a more mellow and gentle sound. Though musicianship and the line-up had been admittedly impressive there that one could never fully convince me. But what a big surprise, here with this album here in review things are completely different. Unlike the previous one this one manages to keep my attention starting from the very first sound effect of "One First of April" until the final note on "No Time To Die". This concept album offers really interesting tracks, more complex and fragile they've ever done covering most divers influences by jazz and classical music. There are plenty of tempo shifts on here and rocking electric guitars are alternating with Spanish acoustic ones, slightly Canterburian or Zappa-esque jazz sections with groovy synthesizer ones. Of course what BC presented here can't be called other than derivative and it wasn't anything unique or original but still this album stands for me as their best work and in fact the only one by them worth giving 4 stars though I doubt it could be considered really an essential addition. BIRTH CONTROL Backdoor Possibilities music reviews and MP3

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. One first of April: (7:41)
i) Prologue 2:32
ii) Physical and mental short circuit 3:58
iii) Subterranean escape 1:11
2. Beedeepees: (8:34)
i) Film of life 5:37
ii) Childhood flash-back 0:52
iii) Legal labyrinth 2:05
3. Futile prayer (5:55)
4. La Cigüena de Zaragoza: (8:17)
i) The farrockaway ropedancer 4:28
ii) Le moineau de Paris 2:24
iii) Cha cha d'amour 1:25
5. Behind grey walls (6:53)
6. No time to die (6:10)

Total Time: 43:30

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Föller / basses, vocals
- Bruno Frenzel / guitars, vocals
- Zeus B. Held / keyboards, Tenor sax, tubular bells, vocals
- Bernd Noske / drums, percussion, lead vocals
+ Michael / additional percussion

Birthcontrol - The farrockaway ropedancer.


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Birth Control - Hoodoo Man ( 1972)

"Hoodah Man" was BC's third, their most famous and best-selling album not only due to its daring funny artwork. They've been accused those days by UK magazine Melody Maker being No. 1 copyists but we all know well that progressive rock music coming from Germany hadn't been taken really serious by British press and had been tagged with the disdainfully meant label Krautrock (not exactly what we understand nowadays by this). Certainly it might be true that they were using elements of famous hard and psyche rock bands from late 60's/early 70's but one has well to admit that they combined all those influences quite well with some other more progressive ones. Thus we get offered here some music based on harder-edged blues rock with plenty of organ sound, some jazzy pads (as in "Suicide") and a couple of synthesizer sections like in "Buy!", "Kaulstoss" and their ever lasting staple hit "Gamma Ray". But to be honest though containing actually a highly entertaining and enjoyable mixture this album cannot be considered as relevant in terms of Prog as their later jazzier album "Backdoor Possibilities" but for those ones preferring a slightly heavier sound it was certainly more exciting than "Plastic People". In many parts, especially in the church-organ enclosure in the title track the music here sounds however admittedly rather dated and not really suitable for repeated listens rather just good enough for a very occasional spin.

Nevertheless I'm proud to own the original edition on vinyl with the famous gatefold cover and though I wouldn't recommend this album to any Prog fan as an essential one I still consider it a nice show-piece for collector's of early 70's hard-edged progressive music in particular. BIRTH CONTROL Hoodoo Man music reviews and MP3 ( Review from progarchives.com )

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Buy! (7:10)
2. Suicide (6:16)
3. Get down to your fate (7:58)
4. Gamma ray (9:44)
5. Hoodoo man (8:25)
6. Klaustoß (2:40)

Total Time: 42:13

Line-up / Musicians -
 Bruno Frenzel / guitar, vocals
- Bernd Koschmidder / bass
- Wolfgang Neuser / keyboards, vibraphone
- Bernd Noske / drums, percussion, vocals

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Birth Control - Hoodoo Man

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Birth Control - Plastic People (1975)

If I had to make a decision on the Desert Island list, I might select BIRTH CONTROL's "Plastic People" to join the lot!. "Plastic People" was the 6th release for this German progressive outfit and in my opinion marks a real highlight in progressive rock music. "Plastic People" offers a highly refined and professional sound, with some absolutely scrumptious musicianship. Electric and complex progressive rock which does really not sound all that underground as so many German 70's acts did. I would slot this album somewhere in the PINK FLOYD, CAMEL, NEKTAR school of progressive rock. BIRTH CONTROL are joined here by the 2 lads from HOELDERLIN ( Christoph Noppeney & Jochen von Grumbkow) who add some sweet cello and viola along the way. Songs are nice and complex and well constructed offering some nice tempo changes and departures into the land of the "Plastic People". Instrumentation is clearly a stand out here and I love the keyboard sounds throughout which do not always dominate but instead nicely compliment the rest of the instruments. For those who love nice complex drumming with great musical excursions then this will wet your palate. "Plastic People" is a very complete album and I would highly recommend this album to all progressive rock fans. BIRTH CONTROL Plastic People music reviews and MP3 

For me this is Birth Controls finest album which fuses there blend of Krautrock and progressive rock perfectly, like no other album of there's

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Plastic people (10:54)
2. Tiny flashlights (7:33)
3. My mind (6:49)
4. Rockin' rollin' roller (5:43)
5. Trial trip (6:43)
6. This song is just for you (7:28)

Total Time: 45:10

Line-up / Musicians

- Peter Föller / bass, vocals, vibes (3
- Bruno Frenzel / guitars, backing vocals
- Zeus B. Held / keyboards, backing vocals, Tenor sax (2-4), trumpet(4)
- Bernd Noske / drums, percussion, f/x, lead vocals
+ Friedmann Leinert / flute (6)
- Christoph Noppeney / viola (3-6)
- Jochen von Grumbkow / cello (3-6)
- Ulla, Hanne & Brigitte / chorus (6)
- Robby (saxophone), Otto (trombone) & Harry (trumpet), horns (6)

Birth Control - Plastic People

Birth Control - "Trial Trip" (1975)

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Birth Control - Operation (1971)

These were a great heavy krautrock band formed in the late sixties. Starting out as more of a hybrid jazz rock outfit they later beacame much more heavily rock inflenced but still progressive. Aside from the many tacky and controversial  album covers and song titles the music shines.

On "Operation" you'll hear elements of "Deep Purple" "ELP" and "Black Sabbath" with superb guitar leads and organ but far more progressive and German than the straighter british rock bands as mentioned.

Standout Songs :

"Flesh and Blood"" we have great vocals here and super driving bass / guitar riffs with splendid vocals ( in german accented english).

"Pandemonium" continues in heavy krautrock vein. Rather like "Black Sabbath" ( the vocals ) this one or a really heavy "Black Widow" and again with excellent guitar and hammond organ belting it out!

"Sop Little Lady" again like a more progressive "Black Sabbath" but with brilliant "Vincent Crane" like organ.

"The Work Is Done" more super vocals and stinging guitar and my favourite track here. Reminds me a little of some early "Eloy" in parts.

On the whole a classic heavy krautrock album.
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Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Stop little lady (7:16)
2. Just before the sun will rise (7:35)
3. The work is done (5:56)
4. Flesh and blood (3:27)
5. Pandemonium (6:34)
6. Let us do it now (11:09)

Total Time: 41:57

Line-up / Musicians - Bruno Frenzel / guitar, vocals
- Bernd Koschmidder / bass
- Bernd Noske / drums, vocals
- Reinjhold Sobotta / organ

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