AKA — Hard Beat 1971-1977 (Indonesia, Heavy Psychedelic,Progressive Rock)

AKA — Hard Beat 1971-1977 (Indonesia, Heavy Psychedelic,Progressive Rock)

Another Pacific Rim masterpiece. Beautiful gatefold 180g double LP reissue of fuzzy funky heavy rock from Indonesia. Where do these things come from? And according to the inner sleeve, they had over 10 LP's, no less! This may be the cream of their crop, but it's excellent! Think Dug Dug's mixed with doses of MC5 and Juan De La Cruz Band...but way better.Newarkpsych Dec 16 2011

These guys are gods. There’s
a better-than-even chance
that you won’t have heard of
AKA, Indonesia’s premier
hard-funk/prog/soul/rock/other
ensemble between 1971-75.
Their comprehensive lack of
profile in the UK robbed us of
the delicious opportunity to
attend AKA gigs and call out
to vocalist Ucok Harahap by
his forename.

Ucok was a star, though,
make no mistake. Throughout
Hard Beat, Strawberry Rain’s
irresistible and indispensable compilation, his hot-wired
yelps, screeches and OOOFs
are a dream commingling of
James Brown and Iggy Pop’s
most bestial vocal tics, while
the occasional unconstrained
pole-vault into an Ian Gillan
falsetto (Cruel Side, Sky Rider
and Reflection) delights and
amuses in equal measure.
Behind him, the band
alternate between supple,
sleazy funk grooves and
congested-artery Blue Cheer
riffing, with guitars as livid and
grimy as a grazed shin. The
coda of Only One Man,
meanwhile, comes over like
Saucerful Of Secrets trying to
seep its way out of the
Quatermass pit.

It’s all too beautiful for
us to nominate highlights,
but listen out nevertheless
for Ucok primal-screaming
“We gotta stop the
WAAAUUUGGHH” on Suez
War, and conversationally
asking his bandmates “Do you
like sex?” on Shake Me. (They
answer “Yes,” incidentally.
Hope that’s not a spoiler.)

Tracks:

01. Do What You Like — 0:00

02. Glenmore — 3:46

03. Reflection — 9:13

04. We’ve Gotta Work It Out — 13:37

05. Cruel Side — 18:10

06. Groovy — 23:56

07. Suez War — 28:34

08. Mr. Bull Doc — 35:13

09. Shake Me — 39:56

10. Only One Man — 45:26

11. Crazy Joe — 53:46

12. Skip Away — 57:29

13. Open Doors — 1:01:47

14. Sky Rider — 1:06:08

15. Aka Untuk Mu — 1:11:45


Personnel:

Soenatha Tandjung — guitar, vocals
Arthur Kaunang — bass, vocals
Ucok Harahap — keyboards, vocals
Syech Abidin — drums, vocals