Atlantis - Atlantis

Krautrock with an Anglophile twist

From the ashes of Hamburg’s Frumpy came Atlantis. Fronted by vocalist Inga Rumpf and counting fellow former Frumpy members Jean-Jacques Kravetz and Karl Heinz Schott among their ranks, Atlantis’ self-titled debut dates from the height of the classic Krautrock era (1973), but is much closer in terms of style and influence to UK blues-rock of the period. There’s little of the more avant-garde tendencies that were prevalent in the band’s homeland at the time.

Recorded in London at Island studios and co-produced by the band and John Burns (of Jethro Tull and Genesis fame), Atlantis was released the following year on Vertigo. It’s distinguished by its funk-edged blues-rock largely due to the huskily soulful vocals of Inga Rumpf, which comes with its almost inevitable period echoes of Maggie Bell. While Atlantis are at their most driven on the opening Get Up and Let’s Get On The Road Again (which features Traffic’s Reebop on congas) at times there’s a notable Free influence, most notably on Rock’n’Roll Preacher and Maybe It’s Useless. The nine-minute Living At The Edge Of Time, however, sees them set on bringing an element of prog into things.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Revisited | Rec/SPV SPV 50832

Reviewed by Grahame Bent
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