Supersister - Present From Nancy (Bonus Tracks) (CD)

All Music Guide

There are few bands who have managed to record such a strong, fully developed first album after only two years of existence. Supersister's debut effort remains one of Holland's best progressive rock albums and a classic of the genre worldwide, even though the group garnered only fringe interest outside of Europe. All the elements of the group's sound are already firmly in place: Sacha VanGeest's soothing flute lines, Robert Jan Stips' farout keyboard sounds, and the group's wacky humor. The recipe has yet to reach its full, unique potential one too easily detects specific influences, mostly that of Soft Machine (the fuzz bass in "Metamorphosis"), Caravan ("Memories Are New" and the multipart, suitelike structure of some songs), and the Mothers of Invention (the comic relief 90 seconds of "Corporation Combo Boys," concluding with the following lyric sung in fourpart harmony: "We listen with attention to the Mothers of Invention"). The title track is the jazziest song of the set and fea...tures one of VanGeest's most memorable flute lines. "Memories Are New" and "Metamorphosis" are both Canterburyesque prog rockers, with Dave Sinclairlike organ sounds, complex rhythms, and dry English humor. One thinks of Egg's first album or Caravan circa If I Could Do It All Over Again.... With its choral organ/vibes theme, "Dona Nobis Pacem" illustrates a more classically inclined side of the band. After the raucous experiments and craziness of the previous tracks, this delicate, carefully built piece can seem slightly out of character at least until Stips breaks out into a circuslike calliope motive, reaffirming one last time that Supersister shall be known for their serious lack of seriousness. This album has been reissued on CD as a twofer together with the group's second LP, To the Highest Bidder. [Esoteric's 2008 edition included bonus tracks.] - François Couture, All Music Guide Read more Less