Frumpy-Frumpy 2 (1971)

In the early 1970s, Frumpy were at the height of Krautrock's popularity and, along with Kraan, Guru Guru, Neu!, Agitation Free, and Ash Ra Tempel, were one of the most acclaimed bands in Germany and across continental Europe. Their debut album, the excellent "All Will Be Changed", was a work brimming with sounds that blended psychedelia, blues, gospel influences, soul, and progressive rock. A previous tour supporting British rock heavyweights like Yes, Humble Pie, Spooky Tooth, and Renaissance only served to solidify their status as a promising band, and this first album achieved overwhelming commercial success and garnered numerous positive reviews from the music press of the time. A year later, with the addition of guitarist Rainer Baumann, Frumpy released their second album, "Frumpy 2". On this album, the band, led by singer Inga Rumpf and featuring keyboardist Jean-Jacques Kravetz and a rhythm section comprised of bassist Karl-Heinz Schott and drummer Carsten Bohn, presents four expansive songs leaning towards progressive hard rock. With a more technical and elaborate production, they showcase superb instrumentation that at times evokes the British heavy rock of contemporary bands like Atomic Rooster, Quatermass, and Uriah Heep. Brilliant guitars, prominent Hammond organ sounds, and Rumpf's emotive and powerful vocals are present in tracks such as the mesmerizing and hypnotic "Good Wings", the heavy hard rock track "Take Care Of Illusion", the thrilling "Duty", and the progressive mini-epic "How The Gipsy Was Born". With this second release, Frumpy managed to create one of the masterpieces of the native German genre, and a true masterpiece of progressive and psychedelic rock from the 70s.