Search - Daevid Allen & Kramer :: Who's Afraid

Mighty Nice

Robert Kennedy | Astoria, NY United States | 04/06/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"An inspired collaboration between Gongmeister Allen and Bongwatermeister Kramer. Mr. Kramer tunes in nicely to a 70's Canterbury aesthetic and provides the requisite hipness/update for Mr. Allen's hippy-by-way-of-Paris-'68 aesthetic. Fans of either artiste's previous output will likely find themselves charmed by this set. I was, despite misgivings based upon "The Big Sell-Out" and the Gong reunion. An inspiring CD."

Daevid Allen - 'Who's Afraid?' (Shimmy Disc)

Mike Reed | USA | 01/07/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was literally amazed at how good this early '90's solo effort of Daevid Allen,the founder/eccentric frontman of Gong turned out to be.I was never even aware of this indie release until very recently.Plain and simple,'Who's Afraid?' is good sounding and well written psychedelia.Basically,if you like the CD's Pink Floyd-'Piper At The Gates Of Dawn',Electric Prunes-'I Had Too Much To Dream' and Asteriod #4-'Introducing The...',you should dig this title.Turns out Allen,who's responsible for the glissando&acoustic guiitar and vocals had the help of a couple of other players,Mark Kramer(of Bongwater)on bass,keyboards&vocals and David Licht on percussion.Tunes that grabbed my full attention at the first listen were "Thinking Thoughts"(where's the liquid light show?),"Love",the tripping title cut "Who's Afraid?","Pretty Teacher" and "Quit Yer Bulls**t".As fun to listen to as it was to make,I'm sure."

A little bit of the old Gong spirit

Paul Minot | Waterville, ME United States | 09/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love Daevid Allen, but I find some of his solo output a little too acoustic, too self-indulgent, or too childish. However, this is a terrific CD, and although produced on a limited budget, it effectively provides some more psychedelic backdrops for his songs that make them more appealing to me. Kramer's style is not Gong, of course, but Bongwateresque, and it works. A fun record to listen to, that sounds like it was great fun to make as well. If you are a Daevid Allen fan, this is a definite keeper."