LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Originally recorded and released on the Phillips label in 1970, Cravinkel, the English spelling to the last name of band's guitarist, was recorded in London by Rainer Goltermann and featured an idyllic cover showcasing the band members bumming in a haystack. 'Cravinkel', the band's self-titled debut album features ten short tracks, none of which top four minutes. The music is a fairly straightforward groovy Anglo rock sound augmented with blues, country, folk, and psych. The album has three standout tracks, 'Two Circles', 'Lonesome Road' and 'Smiles'. First, 'Two Circles', a dreamy laid-back track, combines elements of psych and blues guitar with blues vocals giving the track a slight cosmic feeling. 'Lonesome Road' is a jangly pop number with an interestingly downbeat chorus section. Showcasing a strong touch of country and folk rock, 'Smiles' comes off as a laid back guitar and vocal ballad. In addition to these tracks, the groovy numbers, 'Get A Feeling Going Round' and 'Candlelight' are sure to catch your attention with their power riffs and catchy hooks. Furthermore, 'Hidden Love' is sure to please fans of the group Cream. Even though I think it won't appeal to most krautrock fans, I can say that the album does have a fairly unique sound, even if it is patterned after the Anglo style. As a bonus, the CD reissue contains the group's only single, 1971's 'Keep On Running' b/w 'Mr. Cooley.