Family Cracks
MMM | 05/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is probably their best, at least it sounds the most mature to compare with their early work. The first three tracks sound as a contiguous (and excellent) piece. It opens with an excellent, dynamic Five Single Combats, (with minimal vocals and thus minimal mockery) which ends abruptly and flows into the next track, Ventilation Calculation, well composed and performed, complemented by some skillful empty-bottle puffing (very much Samla style). Forge follows with no interruption concluding the continuity in the most intense manner. Thrall reminds of Henry Cow's style and sounds like moans of a scared apparition (what's thrall anyway?) The Short Story is a brilliant composition, their musical dexterity in full swing. The rocking Pappa and the Farmland and Kernel are very good too, the mocking vocals notwithstanding.
"
Zamla plays more beautiful than ever!
Roland Klettemark | Scandinavia | 01/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album spans over everything that Zamla (Samla) is known for: Tricky instrumentals with chunks of rock, jazz and European folk music. There is even a almost "normal" rock tune, Pappa With Right Of Veto...which really rocks! The humour and improvisatins are present on this album as well, but not as much as we are used to. (Plenty of that on Schlagerns Mystik/For Aldre Nybegynnare...save that for later!)
Family Cracks is my personal favourite among everything I've heard by the Samla family. It's very musical, very beautiful. I can almost imagine George Duke sitting in on The Farmhand."