Lemmings - Bachdenkel (1970) Full-Album

This album has a kind of religious feeling in it, maybe due the organ driven sound resembling little the tones of Arzachel. It is opened by a very beautiful melancholic chord progression, sad but still full of hope. The mellow hazy hymn slowly gains strength and leads to a more aggressive passage, resembling slightly tamer version of Van Der Graaf Generator's sound maybe. Backward running treatments and folk-oriented motives fit to the of first track, and the whirlpool deepens on "An Appointment with The Master" by march of descending melody harmonies, drawing the listener deeper to the depths of melancholia. Following "The Settlement Song" starts as a quiet hymn for an organ and a voice, transforming to slow guitar chord progressions. The oppressing basis of this song has different parts, constructing a powerful art rock suite. "Long Time Living" is another short ballad, melody sounding little like John Lennon composition. The duller parts start to emerge on the later pieces, sad slow mantras with hazy vocals, and some calm and acoustic marching shimmering with magnificent power. I think the music creates a solid entity pleasing fans of downer music, and it is quite serious and humorless. If you like melancholic British keyboard driven prog, then this might be a worth of checking out. I personally felt the album starting totally wonderfully, but during the spins grows less enthusiastic from its content. Somehow the wonderful elements of the album are not treated in most profitable manner, or there are some contrasts or ideas creating a powerful dramatic curve missing
Review by Eetu Pellonpää from Prog Archives http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=9654

Line-up / Musicians
- Colin Swinburne / guitar, organ, piano, vocals
- Peter Kimberley / bass, piano (2), vocals
- Brian Smith / drums
- Karel Beer / organ (7)

Track List:

1. Translation
2. Equals
3. An Appointment With The Master
4. The Settlement Song
5. Long Time Living
6. Strangerstill
7. Come All Ye Faceless

Bonus tracks on 1990 CD re-issue (from the EP):
8. The Slightest Distance
9. Donna
10. A Thousand Pages Before