Panzerpappa - "Presenterer Hulemysteriet"
(private release, 2003, CD)
Michael Ezzo:
PanzerZappa maybe? You can sense a certain Zappa-like smart alecky
wink in how
this Norwegian quartet blends humor and rage, especially on the
first track. One
of the key ways Panzer grabs your attention is in how guitarist
Jorgan Sjulstad
switches smoothly from aloud distortion, to a clean jazz tone.
Something simple
you might think, but it’s amazing how so many players don’t
even bother with it.
Beyond this, I have to credit this band with a uniqueness
I have not heard from
Norway since Garbarek and Rypdal. You can discern
that Panzerpappa has absorbed
influence from Samla Mammas Manna, and perhaps
Univers Zero (to stretch the
imagination), but the drummer plays in a more
straightforward rock style, giving
the music a youthful immediacy that chamber
rock usually doesn’t have. Keyboards,
guitar, and wind instruments blend
nicely, for a particularly charming,
fun-filled romp, which avoids self-important chest
thumping. Just like their
mentors Samla, Panzer always keep the melodic motion
paramount, without ever
stepping into those hazardous traps where gimmicky
manipulation and uninspired
improvisational filler can separate a good solid band
from a flawed
might-have-been. Panzerpappa is in the former category,
with, to be honest, a
surprising offering here, that I recommend without
hesitation. I still can’t
believe this came out of Norway.
Sean McFee:
Panzerpappa is a Norwegian quartet playing a delightful variant of chamber
rock.
They use electrified instrumentation, keys, winds, acoustic percussion
(some
exotic), piano, and melodica. Melancholy becomes almost a given
when discussing
Norwegian acts, whether the dour symphonic rock of a
White Willow or the
pervading undercurrent of the black metal scene,
but Panzerpappa avoids this
common thread with sprightly melodic lines,
possibly folk-based, and a brisk
rhythm section. Slightly slower passages
with melodica are, much as is the case
with Samla Mammas Manna, presented
almost with a wink, as the listener
anticipates a return to livelier fare. Tons of
bands perform material kind of
like this; Samla Mammas Manna are the kings, but
other members of the "avant-rock
doesn’t have to make you sad" camp
such as Miriodor, Hamster Theatre, and
Interférences Sardines all make
good reference points. Throughout the album it
is common to hear two
contrasting melodic lines over the rhythm instruments,
with a
predominance of sax. Even the drummer gets into the act using tuned
percussion for harmonic counterpoint. The electrified instrumentation never
dominates, giving Panzerpappa a less raw and more refined aura. As with any
such
ensemble, group interplay is even more important than the strength of
the
melodies, and here the band is more than up to the task, breezing t
hrough the
seven selections with finesse and character. I know little of the
band’s history
or direction, but the music here speaks for itself, and what
it is saying is
well worth hearing.
Jeff Melton:
Norway continues a trend for the retro-progressive bug with Panzerpappa’s
second
release, steeped in jazzy arrangements and structured rock
songwriting. The
quartet has been doing its homework paying attention to
what’s been happening in
Belgium with Universe Zero and Present as there
are many Rock-in-Opposition
influences that surface in these seven tracks.
Saxophonist and keyboardist
Steinar Borve plays a similar role to
Didier Malherbe or Theo Travis in Gong:
he’s a prime soloist and
melodic focal point. His most memorable reeds
contribution is on the
album’s opening track "Spacefunkopera" as he carries a
double tracked lead
against Endre Begby’s grungy guitar part. Borve’s keyboard
prowess is
also highlighted on "Jiddish Fake Polka" where the group shares
musical
kinship with Lars Hollmer’s works. "The Tool is the 23rd Solution" is
perhaps
the band’s most ominous statement; the opening quickly transitions into
a
sax and guitar counterpoint not unlike some of Curlew’s recent CDs. The t
itle
track provides a stark contrast, as it could have easily been an outtake from
the second Gilgamesh album. Closing out the disc is "The 99 Steps"
(not sure if
it’s named after the Hitchcock thriller or not) that showcases
how well Borve’s
organ and mellotron playing work together.
In summary, Panzerpappa have crafted
a fine second album that is certain to
make top ten lists of the year and secure
a stateside festival appearance.
Highly Recommended.
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