Burnin Red Ivanhoe - Burnin Red Ivanhoe (Den 1970)

BRI’s second release certainly should be considered as one of the top albums from 1970 and one of the best ones in proto prog generally. They recorded this disc in London and thus have been of the first Danish bands who managed to publish something in Prog’s home country. Songs on here are showing basically a nice almost Canterburian kind of looseness combined with a distinct bluesrock orientation. At times the atmosphere brings Caravan to one’s mind though BRI are having here with Karsten Vogel and Kim Menzer two musicians playing brass and wind instruments (sax, flute, trombone and mouthorgan). First side of the original vinyl is offering with "Across The Windowsill" a quite breezy piece dominated by sax and organ with bluesy vocals that remind to Van Morrison. "Canaltrip" basically consists of an extended rather soft sax solo accompanied by percussion and acoustic guitar. "Rotating Irons" is more a sluggish bluesrock track dominated by electric guitar and backed up by organ and great mouthorgan play. To me it sounds a bit like a variation of “Season Of The Witch” by The Zombies but I might be wrong. Second side starts with the all instrumental jazz rock track "Gong Gong, The Elephant Song" with alternating solos by trombone, sax and mouthorgan. "Near The Sea" is a ballad with great flute play and the final "Secret Oyster Service", obviously a sort of tribute to their country fellowmen is an excellent jazz rock one with dual saxophone coming close to free-form jazz at times. This one is without any doubts the highlight on here. BRI’s second album is certainly their best and most coherent one offering an awesome blend of blues and jazz rock. Highly recommended to any fan of early 70’s Prog!
~ by hdfisch (RYM).
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Scandinavia has produced its fair share of obscure rock acts through the years but none more so than during the heady times of the late sixties and early seventies. Denmark itself has given up a healthy dose of psyche acts though many, if not all, remain hidden and the focus only of an elite set of rabid collectors. The one act that do spring to mind with a relatively wide appeal, if still muted, are Savage Rose. Burnin' Red Ivanhoe merge psyche with a progressive mindset with more than a hint of folk in their music, sometimes straight sometimes really strange and self indulgent but tinged with a dark humour as they converse in both their native Danish tongue and in English. The electric eclectic baroque tinted "Across The Windowsill" starts the album on a mature purposeful note, some fine vocal and fantastic guitar courtesy of Ole Fick, my personal favorite is the jaunty saxophone (played by future Secret Oyster member Karsten Vogel) led "Canaltrip" with a neat rolling percussive beat. "Secret Oyster Service" is some half concocted avant garde jazz rock which rambles in and out and on aimlessly before finally getting some where on the five minute mark, but to be fair to the band they could pull off some good improvisation and experiment with many styles, "Showintroucion" and its twin "Showafsluthing" are simply weird while "Mitte" is a good laid back tune with that zany trait of much of the Burnin' Red Ivanhoe's music, and mainly in the vocal department. All in all an interesting and eye opening album and a telling piece of classic Danish folk psyche and much more.
~ by jonnydeluxe (RYM).

A1. Across the Windowsill
A2. Canaltrip
A3. Rotating Irons
B1. Gong-Gong, the Elephant Song
B2. Near the Sea
B3. Secret Oyster Service

 

* Karsten Vogel (saxophone, cello, organ),
* Steen Claësson (vocals, guitar),
* Kim Menzer (flute, violin, trombone, harmonica),
* Ole Fick (guitars, vocals),
* Jess Stæhr (bass),
* Bo Thrige Andersen (drums)

**Enjoy**