Abacus - Everything You Need 1972 (Germany, Krautrock, Progressive Pop-Rock)
Produced by Gerd Muller, 1972's "Everything You Need" marked Abacus' third album in a two year period. The album also reflected the band's first personnel change with former 2066 & Then drummer Konstantin Bommarius replacing Felix Hans. Against that backdrop it shouldn't have come as a surprise to discover the Abacus creative well starting to run dry. Those circumstance might also help explain the band's abrupt change in musical direction with tracks like 'Anyway We Can (Song For H.)' and 'Thing We Do' seeing their earlier progressive roots shed in favor of a somewhat unexpected set of pop and country-rock tinged moves. Mind you, it wasn't like these guys were trying to copy The Flying Burrito Brothers, or Poco, but there was a definite country twang herein. As on the earlier albums lead singer Chris Williams remained an acquired taste. For an English guy he sure didn't sound very English to me. In fact, his vocals frequently sounded pale and weak compared to the rest of the band's energetic performances. Side two featured a five part, side-long title track suite. Anyone expecting a return to the band's progressive roots was in for a major disappointment since the suite sounded more like a series of five song fragments haphazardly stitched together. Of the five segments, only one even came close to have a progressive tinge - 'Paranoia Agency'. The rest ranged from adult contemporary pop to straight ahead commercial pop.
True, the album probably didn't have a great of appeal for the band's hardcore progressive camp, but to my ears it wasn't half bad.RDTEN1 Feb 02 2021
Tracks: 01. Anyway We Can (Song For H.) - 4:26 02. Slide Away - 4:48 03. Ivan Hood The White Knight - 3:47 04. Thing We Do - 6:10 05. Everything You Need - 20:19 including: a) What A Day b) Paranoia Agency c) Hold Up The Flag d) Don't Worry e) Everything You Need
Personnel: - Chris Williams - vocals, acoustic guitar - Hans-Rolf "Charly" Schade - guitar, vocals, moog - Christoph Barutzky - keyboards - Klaus Kohlhase - bass - Konstantin Bommarius - drums, percussion
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