(Progressive & Art Rock) Ertlif - Ertlif - 1972, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Biography by Stanton Swihart:

In the spring of 1969, two ex-members of Swiss band Egg & Bacon, lead guitarist Danny Andrey and bassist Teddy Riedo, formed a new band, Ertlif. The name derives from a mysterious magician and alchemist rumored to have been almost successful in turning ordinary stones into gold who lived in the forest of Teutoburg at that time when woodlands were full of fauns, goblins, and leprechauns. After sessions with numerous musicians from other Basel bands, James Mosberger (ex-Only Ones, -Countdowns) joined the band on keyboards, followed by drummer Hans-peter 'Bolle' Borlin (ex-Countdowns) and lead guitarist Martin Ruder (ex-Fresh Pastry), uniting the cream of the Basel music scene together. Right from the start Ertlif played only their own original compositions and enjoyed performing live. The two guitars meshed with Mosberger's Hammond organ to create an characteristic Ertlif sound. In August 1971, Ertlif became the only Swiss band invited to appear at the monster pop concert in Munchenstein. Martin left the band in October 1971 and was replaced by Englishman Richard John Rusinski (ex-Autumn Symphony), an experienced lead singer with an expressive voice and dynamic stage presence. Ertlif was, in essence, the first Swiss progressive rock band, and they used mellotron and synthesizer at live concerts. The members' instrumental virtuosity made the group one of the nation's top acts, and Ertlif became one of the very few bands to obtain a recording contract. Following a big tour through Switzerland, an LP was produced in August 1972 in just three days. The album was launched in October together with a single, resulting in radio interviews, television appearances, and much press coverage. The band began their promotional tour with three consecutive nights of sold-out shows at the legendary Atlantis in Basel. Guitarist Robi Suffert (ex-Gad Fly) relpaced Andrey in June 1973. Ertlif expanded for a short time with Andy Gerber (violin, piano). In July 1973, the band returned to the studio to record their song "Plastic Queen" for the Swiss rock sampler Heavenly & Heavy - Mixed Swiss Rock Candies. In January 1974, drummer Urs Schumacher (ex-Gad Fly) replaced Bolle and, by the autumn of 1975, Jurg Lutzelschwab (ex-Gad Fly) had taken over the keyboard duties from Mosberger. The music became more rhythmical with a stronger accent on the lead guitar. Ertlif continued to perform into 1978 before disbanding to seek fresh challenges. The band reformed in August 1992 with the original lineup. (http://www.allmusic.com)
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Review by Stanton Swihart:

Despite the source of the band's name (derived from a fantastical myth that involves alchemy and leprechauns), the progressive aspect of Ertlif is not so much in the subject matter of the band's songs. There are no fairies or trolls or magicians drifting through the songs. Instead, Ertlif sing about subjects both earthier and easier to believe and relate to. That does not stop the music from taking on an edgy mysticism that lurks uneasily beneath the surface. There is a sense of Pink Floyd-like detached spaciness, but the primary musical well from which Ertlif draw is Procol Harum. "Try Making It Easy" is like a harder-rocking, no-nonsense "Whiter Shade of Pale," and James Mosberger's keyboard skills recall those of Matthew Fisher. "There Is Only Time to Die," with its lovely touches of violin, has the same stately, downhearted gait as Procol Harum's ballads, but there is more to Ertlif than paranoid gloom. John Rusinski's assured voice sounds like a more-affected, English Ronnie Van Zandt, especially on "Plastic Queen," a viscous tune with tinkling piano chords. "The Song" works a more swinging, mutated groove from Canned Heat's "On the Road Again," though it doesn't stay that way for long, switching to an organ-led jam that is almost mid-'60s garage-like in its instrumental textures. Call it progressive-garage. Finally, it appropriates and slightly alters (as well as rocking up) the melody from the Supremes' "My World Is Empty Without You." If Including Plastic Queen is not as hypnotically trance-like as it aspires to be (it almost is during the bass-acoustic guitar-drum groove of "High and Dry" and the sustained-guitar with tribal drumming of "Walpurgis") and can occasionally grate or meander, it is less overreaching (though not necessarily any more focused) than many of its contemporaries and just as nervy. (http://www.allmusic.com)

EAC extraction logfile from 24. February 2009, 12:39 for CD
Ertlif / Ertlif

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