Stateline Sahara 1974

German progressive rockers Grobschnitt took a major leap forward on their second album, 1974's "Ballermann". While the ambitious, double-length release featured a fair amount of eccentric drummer/ringmaster Eroc's trademark goofy, Monty Python-esque clowning, the Krautrockers also took a definitive leap from jammy rock to a full-blown symphonic-progressive style, with the 33 1/2-minute "Solar Music" suite, one of German prog's masterworks, which would also be memorably revisited on their 1978 Solar Music Live album.

Housed in a limited edition, vintage promo sleeve. Never before released studio tracks and live recordings!
Sahara is a mid-70's act that produced two albums, but prior to that they'd worked and released another as Subject ESQ. The music is rather typical early 70s proto-prog with elements of Jethro Tull (for the flute-guitar interplay), early Yes, and the occasional saxophone riffs remind of early Van der Graaf Generator. There are some spacier and/or symphonic parts that recall Nektar, Genesis (around "Trespass"), and maybe early Eloy. With the arrival of ex-Out Of Focus Hennes Henring on keyboards, the band continued under the new name Sahara after this album. Sunrise has been a minor classic , especially for its sidelong epic title track. Their second album, "For All The Clowns", is straighter with an overdose of progressive influences, notably Focus / Yes and Caravan and a potpourri styles.