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Cravinkel - Cravinkel (1970)

Track listing:
  1. Cravinkel-01-Get A Feeling Going Round-Cravinkel 3:33
  2. Cravinkel-02-Two Circles-Cravinkel 2:39
  3. Cravinkel-03-Lucy-Cravinkel 3:35
  4. Cravinkel-04-Heaven-Cravinkel 3:00
  5. Cravinkel-05-Candlelight-Cravinkel 3:11
  6. Cravinkel-06-About Mother And Son-Cravinkel 3:16
  7. Cravinkel-07-Lonesome Road-Cravinkel 2:49
  8. Cravinkel-08-Hidden Love-Cravinkel 3:19
  9. Cravinkel-09-If I Sing A Song For You-Cravinkel 3:47
  10. Cravinkel-10-Smiles-Cravinkel 3:45
  11. Cravinkel-11-Keep On Running (Bonus)-Cravinkel 3:46
  12. Cravinkel-12-Mr. Cooley (Bonus)-Cravinkel 3:56

Notes

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. 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.

The sleeves of both Cravinkel records only stated their last names and contained no further information about these four guys. 'Cravinkel' (1970) had short tracks with a firm country-rock touch. The album was recorded in London at the IBC studios and produced by Rainer Goltermann (Phillips' "house producer"). It came in a poster fold-out cover which showed the band lazing in a haystack. 'Garden Of Loneliness' (1971) had a single cover (nice psychedelic artwork on the front!), but included a poster. Their music had by then become heavier and more "progressive" (which can be defined as: longer tracks, more time for instrumental work, and generally better albums). Side two had a 20-minute jam session called "Stoned", an apt title! It was quite a change from their first one, but indeed a logical development. This album, too, was a Goltermann production. There is also an obscure single from 1971, "Keep On Running", coupled with "Mr. Cooky" (Phillips 6003 158), neither track having been included on any of the albums.