Like the other Pierre Moerlen's Gong albums, the album is predominantly jazz-fusion together with has piffling to produce amongst the psychedelic space rock of Daevid Allen's Gong, fifty-fifty though the bands part a mutual history.
Expresso II is a companion slice to the band's previous release, Gazeuse! (called Expresso inward North America). It is an extension of the melodic mallet percussion infused progressive jazz/rock that dominated this incarnation of Gong, together with would endure the concluding album released on the band's Virgin contract before Pierre Moerlen changed the lift to Pierre Moerlen's Gong to distinguish this incarnation from that of the Daevid Allen-led chapter.
As interesting together with fun equally the Daevid Allen stream was, the lift Gong became to a greater extent than meaningful inward the context of the music equally percussionist Pierre Moerlen assumed the purpose of bandleader. An emphasis on percussives of all sorts became clear on Gazeuse!, the band's showtime completely instrumental album, together with the music became much jazzier, though never considered jazz. Expresso II finds Pierre Moerlen's Gong at their peak. Like their previous studio release, Gazeuse!, the album is instrumental, the music is real polished, the audio real clean. Vibes together with xylophone dominate on this album, somewhat reminiscent of the audio Zappa achieved through Ruth Underwood on One Size Fits All simply 3 years earlier. The showtime ii tracks, "Heavy Tune" together with "Golden Dilemma," are the highlights here, partially due to the fact that the residue of the cuts all blend together together with audio quite similar. The listener is pleasantly assaulted amongst a barrage of vibes, yet what a unique audio it is when heard on a rock-oriented album. Guitar combos rarely larn much amend than on "Heavy Tune," equally Mick Taylor rips out leads over Allan Holdsworth's grinding beat guitar. The collective guitar audio achieved is i of restrained power; however, the slice tin comparatively endure considered a rocker. Gong shifts to a dissimilar gear amongst the next track, "Golden Dilemma," a faster-paced, jazzy slice amongst incredible solos from guitarist Bon Lozaga. Formerly of Curved Air, Darryl Way's violin is a highlight on "Sleepy" together with "Boring" (neither of which apply). "Sleepy," which combines Way's violin amongst Holdsworth's guitar leads, prefigures the audio of the showtime United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland album (Holdsworth went on to shape United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland amongst violinist Eddie Jobson). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 real brusque album, Expresso II is mayhap the strongest of the post-Allen Gong, together with an essential album.
This was my introduction to Gong. After all I'd read most stoned-out pixies together with the like, this was the showtime Gong I always heard. I was surprised, to tell the least. This was non what I'd expected. I was non disappointed, however. To the contrary, Gong exposed me to a whole novel shape together with agency of music that I hadn't known before. To this day, fifty-fifty subsequently having collected the major (and a few offshoot) Gong releases, it is the '76-'78 Gong together with the '80's Pierre Moerlen's Gong that I dear most. Jazz-fusion inward my sense isn't unremarkably then percussion-oriented equally Gong; together with nada is equally awe-inspiring. This is very, real ahead-of-it's- fourth dimension material, together with for certain does non tally inward amongst before Gong. Basically, truthful Gong (as opposed to the many splinter bands) are ii completely dissimilar bands. You simply bring to choose, or not, but at that spot are many differences. I savour all Gong. But the version led past times Piere is the ruling class, together with all of their albums are essential. I tin recommend "Expresso 2" equally your showtime Gong purchase, because it has patently worked for me.
Track listing
1. "Heavy Tune" Pierre Moerlen 6:22
2. "Golden Dilemma" Hansford Rowe 4:51
3. "Sleepy" Mireille Bauer 7:17
4. "Soli" Hansford Rowe 7:37
5. "Boring" Mireille Bauer 6:23
6. "Three Blind Mice" Benoît Moerlen 4:47
Personnel
Pierre Moerlen - drums, glockenspiel, xylophone, tubular bells, tympani, vibraphone
Hansford Rowe - bass, beat guitar (2, mayhap equally good at the cease of runway 3)
Mireille Bauer - marimba, vibraphone
Benoît Moerlen - glockenspiel, vibes, xylophone, tubular bells, claves
François Causse - congas
Additional personnel
Allan Holdsworth - guitar (1,3,4)
Mick Taylor - Pb guitar (1)
Darryl Way - violin (3,5)
Bon Lozaga - guitar (2,3)
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