Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Eyes
Company: Opp
Catalog: Opp
5-21
Year: 1970
Country/State: Bonn, Germany
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: original German pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5757
Price: $150.00
Formed in the late 1960s in Bonn, West Germany, Hairy Chapter featured the talents of drummer Rudi Haubold, bassist Rudolf Oldenburg, lead guitarist Harry Titlbach, and singer Harry Unte.
Curiously the quartet seem to have made their recording debut billed as The Chaparall Electric Sound. Released by the German Martim exploito label, that debut came in the form of 1969's "Electric Sounds for Dancing" (Martim catalog number 47 086 NT).
Signed by the Opp label, under the Hairy Chapter moniker the quartet made their debut later in the year with the Dieter Dierks produced "Eyes". The funny thing is that "Eyes" featured the same material as the earlier Chaparall Electric Sound album, though all of the song titles were modified. So what did this hard to find collection sound life? Judging by the nine group-penned numbers these guys had been listening to more than their share of late 1960s English blues and hard rock bands. That comparison probably elicited a big yawn from lots of folks, but the performances were actually quite good; in many cases matching up well against better known British competitors. Unte had a voice that was well suited for hard rock and though he sang with a noticeable accent, it really didn't detracted from the performances. Titlbach was an understated guitarist, but his fills were never less than tasteful, and while the rhythm section of Haubold and Oldenburg may not have been the most dynamic pairing you've ever heard, they kept the program on the straight and narrow. True, nothing here was earth shattering, let alone particularly original, but many of you've paid far more for albums that weren't as good.
- 'Bad Dreams' started the album with one of the most conventional selections; kind of a standard blues-rock structure with pedestrian guitar from Titbach and a haphazard harmonica solo. Imagine a Teutonic, second string Black Sabbath and you'd know what to expect on the first two thirds of this one. The last third of the track opened up into a much tougher song, complete with a blazing Titbach solo and some funky studio effects at the tail end.
- 'Pretty Talking Girl' was an unexpected ballad. Surprisingly pretty, the only complaint was that clocking in at under 90 seconds the song ended before it really got going.
- Kicked along by a funky ! Oldenburg bass line and some of Titbach's best playing, 'Pauline' was one of the album's highpoints. Yeah the song briefly lost it's course midway through, but stumbled back home for the second half.
- 'Illusions' closed side one with a striking rocker. Fantastic laidback number with Unte holding back some of his normal aggressive vocal power to deliver a surprisingly sensitive performance. This one had another nice Oldenburg bass line and chiming Titbach lead guitar. Only complaint here was that the song closed out as a standard blues-rock jam complete with hideous harmonica solo.
- 'Looking For A Decent Freedom' found the band branching off in a more psych direction. The overall feel was still heavy metal with a nice guitar hook, but Unte's screaming vocals were treated to give the song kind of hazy, drug soaked feel.
- With it's pounding opening, 'Cry for Relief' instantly attracted my attention, but about 20 second in the track abruptly switched tempo becoming a duller, Doors-styled blues-rocker. I will tell you that Titbach turned in one hell of a wah-wah solo on this one.
- Another atypical number, 'Thought After' offered up an pretty 90 second acoustic ballad. Would have been one of the better tracks if they'd bothered to extend the length.
- 'Life 69' was a relatively funky blues workout with multi-tracked vocals. It was also one of the few tracks to showcase drummer Haubold.
- 'Big Fat Woman Blues' ended the album on a rather flat note - most of the song was structured along the lines of a standard Savoy Blues styled blues rocker, but the second half of the album was actually far cooler. Competent, but hardly a must hear effort.
- In case anyone cared, the album actually ended with a couple of seconds of backward tape - anyone ever bother to decipher the words?
I've listened to this one dozens of times and that last comment probably best describes the album the best - competent, but hardly a must hear effort
"Eyes" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Bad
Dreams (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 4:30
2.) Pretty Talking Girl (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 1:27
3.) Pauline (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 3:30
4.) Illusions (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 4:21
(side
2)
1.) Looking For A Decent
Freedom (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 4:32
2.) Cry for Relief (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte -
Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold) - 4:07
3.) Thought After (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 1:26
4.) Life 69 (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 3:51
5.) Big Fat Woman Blues (Harry
Titlbach - Harry Unte - Rudolf Oldenburg - Rudi Haubold)
- 4:35