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d i s s i d e n t
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a r t i s t : Bruce Haack
t i t l e : The Electric Lucifer Book 2
d a t e : 2001
l a b e l : QDK Media
g e n r e : Electronic
r l s. d a t e : Feb/15/2003
t r a c k s : 09
b i t r a t e : 192kbps
s i z e : 47,3 MB
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Bruce Haack is perhaps best known for his innovative and
engaging (and extremely hard to find) electronic records for
children made from the mid/late 60's through the 70's and even
into the 80's. Current 'electronic' acts and collectors seek
these albums out for their exciting use of homemade
synthesizers (homemade because it was difficult to find much
else in the mid 60's), all built by Bruce himself to enhance
his and his musical cohorts' (dance instructor Esther Nelson,
pianist Praxiteles Pandel and numerous children) fun and
instructional songs in which the children lucky enough to hear
them were invited to participate, learn, dance and sing. Many
of the songs on these albums gave hints of Bruce's intellectual
side, but it was his one major label release, The Electric
Lucifer, put out by Columbia in 1970 (all other albums were
released on Bruce and friends' own label, Dimension 5), that
better showed just what Bruce was capable of: a groundbreaking
mixture of contemporary rock, futuristic electronic sounds, and
high-concept philosophic poetry. To quote Bruce from the liner
notes of that album, 'I have unblocked a few media -- both
philosophical and technical -- this is a good age of
unblocking.' Musically, it was sort of a blend of the Moody
Blues and Kraftwerk, four years before the latter would even
begin to create the sounds for which they would best be
remembered. The album explored the war between Heaven and Hell,
with Earth being caught in the middle, and asserted that even
Lucifer could be forgiven if only there was enough love in the
world. This may have been too much for the mainstream to
handle, unsurprisingly, so Bruce continued recording and
releasing great albums on Dimension 5. In 1979, however, he
would revisit his earlier hallowed ground and record The
Electric Lucifer Book 2, which remained unreleased in Bruce's
lifetime (he died in 1988), but now, finally, the rest of the
world will be able to hear the fabulous sequel, as Bruce
intended it to be heard. The context of the sequel is one in
which Satan, fancying himself a 'mean ole devil,' tries to
tempt a young Jesus by telling him about all the hurt and
betrayals he will go through in life before his dramatic death.
There are tender moments, funny moments, and frightening
moments, but all moments end up catchy or moving or both. The
album is no more 'religious' than works by Dante or Milton;
Bruce merely uses well-known mythologies and icons to explore
his own ideas about a universe that is bigger than anything
anyone could say about it -- a universe made smaller by words
themselves. And behind the ideas is the best damn electronic
album you never heard! While Book One involved 'professional'
singers and friends being brought in to sing along with Bruce's
homemade electronic voice, which he called 'Farad,' Book 2 is
purely Bruce. The entire album is sung using his somehow very
moving robot/vocoder vocals. The music is more Kraftwerk this
time than Moody Blues -- imagine that the Residents made an
album about works by Dante or Milton, and then for some reason
had Kraftwerk re-record the whole thing and you will begin to
describe the wondrously strange beauty that dominates this
album. Bruce was always somewhat prophetic in his works and in
predictions to friends (he once described a future age in which
all music would be shared by everyone -- though who could have
predicted Metallica), and the highly insightful lyrics on this
album will give plenty of philosophic fodder to be discussed
'round the ole jukebox, while the music coming from it will set
your soul a-tappin'.
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01-Mean Old Devil [03:29]
02-Ancient Mariner [04:01]
03-Stand Up Lazaras [04:19]
04-Hookin For The Honey [04:07]
05-Just A Song At Twilight [05:05]
06-Good-Life-Good Life [02:48]
07-Gastronomicplentyfication [03:46]
08-Noonday Su [01:54]
09-Moonlight And Roses [04:54]
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34:23 min
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