Ash Ra Tempel, Join Inn (side A)

In 1973 when Ash Ra Tempel recorded Join Inn, founding member Klaus Schulze had re-joined the group.  Join Inn includes two side-long tracks that sound like two different bands.  Side B, "Jeseits" features Schulze on organ, and his personality comes to the foreground.  While Rosi Mueller contributes vocals here, they play a secondary role to the ongoing drones.  Surprisingly, Schulze drums on side A's "Freak'n'Roll".  Coupled with Göttsching's guitar, the extended instrumental borrows more actively from the palette and vocabulary of rock music.  The trashy-sounding drums provide propulsion that's unexpected for Schulze, and Göttsching's guitar weaves in and out of their rhythm.  The prominent dynamic shifts are preserved nicely and give the piece a sense of structure.  The mastering of my 1997 reissue is a bit treble-heavy and weak in midrange, but sounds good overall and captures the dynamics of "Freak'n'Roll" nicely.  The packaging looks good too, though I'm assuming the glossy cover is a departure from the original texture.