Krokodil
Getting Up For The Morning
Founded in 1969 Krokodil was a Swiss band that emerged in the late '60s as a blues rock band that played and recorded progressive psychedelic underground music in the style of bands like Amon Düül II. From their second album 'Swamp' they started to introduce a psychedelic sound to their music, a sound which is very much dominant on 'Invisible World Revealed.' On that album they used Mellotron, organ, harmonica and flute all backed up by an acoustic guitar which give the album an exotic and stoned feeling to it. The blues here gives way to the psychedelic, ethnic sound and vocal harmonies, but it is still there. 'Getting Up For The Morning' continues the same style (on famous German label Bacillus) but they became more succinct in their approach to composition and it was more of a song oriented album than its predecessor. As expected of the band, there's a ton of bluesy jams, fragile ballads and acid-rock fire, but the second side of the LP brings some subtle krautrock elements mixed in, and over all there's a very upbeat quality to the music that is truly infectious and a joy to listen to. Drummer Düde says: "After our label Liberty went bankrupt soon we were back in the studio with Dieter Dierks for our fourth album 'Getting Up For The Morning' and the single 'Krock'n Roll'/'A Mighty Long Way To Go.' Both titles of the 7" are bonustracks on this edition! The album opener 'Marzipan' is an energetic harmonica-fuelled and acid-rock burning electric guitar powered gutsy swamp-rocker. Full of lengthy solos, one or two moments even briefly reminding of Jimi Hendrix, it makes for a kick-ass opener, but the best is yet to come. 'And I Know' is a blissful acid ballad with a drowsy melody, it's full of delicate and dreamy David Gilmour-inspired guitar licks, and the piece could have easily appeared on any of those early acid/psych albums from Pink Floyd. Electric piano ripples, warm group harmonies in the chorus, while wafting harmonica brings a dusty old western sound, and when the soaring Mellotron arrives in the second half, it takes on a restrained near-orchestral grandiosity to get swept up in. 'Rabatz' is a short funky southern rocker with dirty lead guitar slinging and 'Was There A Time' is a brief psychedelic interlude to close the first side, a sitar drone with mind-bending narration over the top! The second side brings some light but welcome krautrock flavours to the album, instantly noticeable on 'Schooldays,' just listen for the fuzzy distorted guitar riffing in the background, stoned phasing electronics and the rattling maddening drumming. Drifting flute darts around, funky wah-wah guitar powers through and treated harmonica hovers in the air. Next up, being the sixth track, of course it makes sense to title it 'Song No. 2.' It's an acid-folk vocal ballad bookended with wasted floating acoustic guitar and sleepy hazy harmonica, Mellotron trickles, the warmest bass playing (that even takes flight with tasty soloing in the second half, almost like it's actually singing), before the middle gently moves up in tempo into a joyful sprightly electric guitar chill-out just like the first two Agitation Free albums. The rambunctious drumming and more urgent guitar strums just before the end even briefly remind of Amon Düül 2. 'The 12th Of March' is a frantic bluesy rocker to close on, full of heavy guitar grooves, a joyful and catchy vocal, more leaping harmonica, and the purring bass playing especially rumbles with purpose here, but it's a shame about the uninspired fade-out during a scorching electric guitar solo. The album was newly remastered and comes with insert sheet with story and photos.