Twogether - A Couple Of Time (Reissue) (1973/2004)

German drums and keyboards rock duo from Düsseldorf, formed in 1973 out of musicians previously in The Crew and Blue Squad. They never did many gigs and only existed for a short while after completing their sole self-produced album.

MORE ONE OF THE GARDEN OF DELIGHTS SERIES !! THE BAND IS A DUO OF KEYBOARDS AND BATTERY !! THE SONORITY IS DENSA, ATMOSPHERIC, GROOVY-SPACEY, JAZZY PIANOS IMPROVISATION AND SOME PSYCH BALLS !! IS A MOSAIC OF STYLES AND MUSICAL INFLUENCES !! AN IMAGINATIVE JOURNEY THROUGH JAM SESSIONS WITH FREE IMPROVES !! RARE GERMAN POISON AND RECOMMENDED !!

The Couple of Times is an exubberant-powerfully tripped out jazzy-electronic trip. With bands as Kollektiv, Kraan, Out of Focus, Xhol (...) Twogether represents the jazziest side of krautrock. Their sound is rather atypical with reminiscence of notorious epic symphonic keyboardists (I'm thinking notably to early Keith Emerson with The Nice). A couple of times is a patchwork of musical styles and influences, an imaginative trip through coulourful, soulful and freely improvised jam sessions. This is mostly instrumental.

The album begins with a collection of groovy-spacey electronic pieces built on endless keys / grand piano improvs and jazzy drum sets, admitting discreet acid pop-ish vocals. The album contains some basic-psychic pop ballads (I look around, meet me every day ...) featuring warm organic chords. Bolero is an epic spaciousness, including dense buzzing keyboards and majestic-desperate-heroic melodies. Fusion closes the album with the cloudy-abstract electronic poetry called Fusion. Despite that it was recorded during the 70's it sounds more like mellow-psych combos than the 60's. The Couple of Times remains a deliciously psychedelic, jazzy, neo-classical orientated musical trip. A little classic and a must have for all prog-heads of the first era. [Review by philippe] (google)