Search - Conrad Praetzel :: Receive

Conrad Praetzal - Receive

Neil Leacy | United Kingdom | 12/10/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Conrad Praetzal - Receive (Paleo Music PAL4004-2) - 1998 Style = World Fusion Having a particular liking for Asian music it was a great treat for me to hear this refreshing 'East/West blend of spirit and groove'.While many world fusion albums feature cut up samples of field recordings, often used with little thought to the original singer or song, it is so good to hear a live vocalist feature on an album of this genre. Listening to Sukhawat Ali Kahn's Quawalli like singing, lifting his voice to passionate heights while becoming caught up in the energy of 'Devi' or 'Eternal Wife' - both of which hit your dancing feet - you soon realise what some other releases actually lack in emotion.Comparisons to Nusfrat Ali Kahn's 'Musst Musst' or James Asher's 'Tigers of the Raj' can easily be made here as true fusion, no matter what the genres, works best when the mix of two styles or sounds brings out an unexpected third. Though the instruments are chopped around, from traditional to modern to a combination of the two, sometimes from verse to verse, sometimes from phrase to phrase, the eastern rhythms are constant. Add Conrad's blend of unusual sounds and Robert Powell's guitar work and you have dynamics and colour exciting the listener's interest from start to finish. In fact the more I listen to 'Receive' the more unusual textures I find; always the sign of a good album as far as I'm concerned. Flowing smoothly, the pace is varied with styles from the subtle to funky. Particular up-tempo favourites include the instrumental 'Ropes and Ladders' that has the hips-a-swaying with its deep south slide guitar moving centre stage over a simmering backing. Or there's 'I Am What I Am' featuring Prophet Omega's radio sermon gliding over wah-wah rhythm guitar and a bass you feel more than hear, with rhythmically changing drums and percussion. A 'Somebody Help Me' (from 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts') for the nineties.A special mention should also be made of the child-like innocence Sachiko Kanenobu's voice adds to the lighter sounding, chill-out groove of 'Elder Days'. Very mellow.In all a worthy, highly recommended addition to any world fusion collection.+++++++++++++Copyright - Neil Leacy 1999+++++++++++++"

Interesting fusion of east and west

Neil Leacy | 11/07/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"  Conrad Praetzel- Receive ( Paleo Music PAL 4004-2) After some initial hesitation, I got to quite like this record. This is yet another east meets west fusion record, one of many out there. Asiabeat from Malaya have done this sort of thing to death but I still get a kick from hearing other people having a go. Overall the mood is contemporary, almost new age world music. Soft synthesisers merge with bass lines, percussive rhythms with an almost African Arabic bent at times as well as Pakistani Qawali vocal techniques. The production on this is first rate, it sounds tight and clean. Praetzel, who I may add I am not familiar with (anyone out there have a web site on the guy, a search on the net proved fruitless ) plays keyboards, mandolins, and acoustic guitar. He also has a first rate line up of musicians to help him along including Sukhawat Ali Khan on vocals, Robert Powell on dobros and electric slide guitar, electric sitar, Solomon Feldthouse on ney flutes and oud and Sachiko Kanenobu on vocals. Short of Khan, I'm not familiar with anyone here including Conrad Praetzel, but it's all very entertaining at the end of the day. The music ambles along, it never seems to be in any hurry. One of the tracks uses a sample of a sermon and puts a beat on top of this. Mr Byrne and Eno of course did this years ago on My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts, except it was an exorcism of sorts, but it's still interesting. with the sitars twanging away and a good rhythmic pace maintained. Most people who have heard this either at my home or on air have commented that it's a bit 'herbal'. Keep in mind this recording is all of four to six years old depending on the material, and it is earthy stuff. I've often commented on the fact that the value of this is that it can introduce people to a new hybrid of sound. This record is not going to set the world on fire, but a good record is a good record, and at the end of the day it stands up to repeated listening. Overall this is due to the calibre of musicians onboard this project."

Excellent

D.M.K | Las Vegas, Nevada United States | 08/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a great mix of Indian and groove, although there are a ton of CD's that do this combination, this is among the best. Great driving or late night or just reading a book type music. Very good musicionship on this CD. A 5-star CD"