Out Of Focus-Out Of Focus (1971)

Out of Focus were another band from the German krautrock movement, specifically leaning towards psychedelic folk/blues and jazz-rock sounds, not unlike those of other contemporary groups such as Kraan, Embryo, and Nucleus. Formed in the late 1960s in Munich, their initial lineup consisted of guitarist, flautist, and vocalist Remigius Drechsler, keyboardist Hennse Hering, vocalist and saxophonist Moran Neumüller, drummer Klaus Spöri, and bassist Stefan Wishen. In 1970, the German independent label Kuckuck financed their first album, "Wake Up", which showcased their psychedelic leanings with excellent guitar and Hammond organ sounds, complemented by superb flute playing and powerful drumming. A year later, they released their self-titled album, "Out of Focus", in which their approach evolved immensely from the psychedelic rock of their early days to a more jazz-oriented sound, thanks to instruments like the saxophone. These jazz impulses are more in line with the style of early Jethro Tull or Ten Years After, as demonstrated in the energetic "What Can a Poor Boy Do", the psychedelic folk of "It's Your Life", the progressive jazz-rock of "Whispering", and the folk-infused, blues-tinged psychedelics of "Blue Sunday Morning" and "Fly Bird Fly". With their third and final album, "Four Letter Monday Afternoon" (1972), they shifted towards sounds closer to brass-jazz rock, bringing to a close the journey of this magnificent band, which could have been much greater than it ultimately was.