Krokodil - Swamp (1970) [German Original]

Krokodil - Swamp

Original 1970 German Pressing  (Discogs)

Liberty – LBS 83 417 I

~ThePoodleBites rip in 96 kHz / 24 bit FLAC + full high-res scans!~

Here's another pristine artifact from the flawless Krok archives of C.F. The band's sophomore effort is somewhat similar in style to their self-titled debut, so for those who enjoyed my last two posts, this is the natural progression. 

Many thanks to the record phantom C.F. for this opportunity to 'keep on Krokodil'...

After a dozen or so full-length listens, I think that my love for this album lies primarily with two tracks: the first is the bombastic opener, "Get Your Personality Together," featuring Hardy Hepp's instantly recognizable sneer over a blues-rock background, executed to the perfection you'd expect from a band of this caliber; my second favorite moment is the fantastic "Sunlight's Beautiful Daughter," an open-air stoned European ode which has now earned a permanent position in my outdoors / walking playlist due in no small part to the organic lyrics which seem to flow effortlessly above the blended acoustic guitar, vibraphone, sitar, harmonica, and organ, all melting together like a pot of Swiss fondue. 

The rest of the tracks aren't slouches (at all), but I honestly don't find myself really craving to repeatedly hear any of them, which is just a matter of preference more than anything. I do cast "Human Bondage" as an honorable mention: the fitting closer which has, at the time of this writing, been stuck in my head all day. 

As was the case with the band's first album, Swamp was reissued from tapes on a couple of CD releases, but the remastering was tainted by obnoxious levels of gain and V-shaped EQ. Therefore, as is also true with the first album, the extremely clear-sounding original pressings present a source from which a superior-sounding master can be made.

I've done my best to scan the textured gatefold sleeve, though the impressions on the paper present from manufacture can be seen when zoomed in at high resolution. Ah well, c'est la vie. 

Track Listing:
1) "Get Your Personality Together" -- 3:08
2) "Light Of Day" -- 5:18
3) "Sunlight's Beautiful Daughter" -- 5:42
4) "Tell Me What You Want (Tell Tale)" -- 3:00
5) "Blue Flashing Circle" -- 3:27
6) "Snow White And Blue" -- 4:10
7) "Human Bondage" -- 7:59

Vinyl condition: M-
Dynamic Range: DR 13

Equipment Lineage:
– Audio-Technica VMN40ML stylus on AT150MLx dual moving-magnet cartridge
– Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USB direct drive professional turntable (internal stock preamp/ADC removed)
– Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra preamp with dedicated Zero Zone linear power supply
– Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 MkII (96kHz / 24bit)
– Adobe Audition CC 2020 (recording)
– iZotope RX 8 audio editor (manual declicking, EQ subtraction, additional adjustments)
– Audacity 2.3.3 (fades between tracks, split tracks)
– Foobar2000 v1.5.1 (tagging, dynamic range analysis)

Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and check out my blog. I'd greatly appreciate it if you leave a small comment below. Notes from my readers are what inspire me to keep going. Thanks!
MEGA: https://mega.nz/folder/axgzRAKZ#gJRVOp_6esFFMJt1wMGVFQ

Enjoy!  :)

P.S.: To all my European friends, I feel no shame in plugging this band's first reunion concert ever(?), which is happening this Friday in Zürich! Catch a train if you can. Si quaeris Poodle amoenam, circumspice...

Band website: https://www.krokodil.li/KROKODIL-live-2020/

Buy tickets HERE

Promo poster for Swamp, 1970

 

I again highly recommend checking out Klemen Breznikar's interview with Düde Dürst: https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2019/07/krokodil-interview-with-dude-durst.html