Cosmic JokersGalactic Supermarket
Released 1972 on Kosmische Musik
Reviewed by Julian Cope, 15/03/2000ce
The title track "Galactic Supermarket" begins like one of Van Der Graaf Generator's greatest and most drawn out riffs. A slow 6/4 bass licks over ominous Pawn Hearts style shifting chords. Again, the piece is slow to begin, as though they are searching for harmony but each musician is confused and solitary. Manuel Gottsching freaks out in a fury of wa-guitar madness, forcing the others awake, but this really is a down-in-the-mouth scene and the whole Trip descends further and further until...an inevitable slow burning groove gets itself together and the scene whips itself up into a Shake Appeal Flip Out. The LP takes a little longer to get into than The Cosmic Jokers, but give it time and it's in your head forever. Those piercingly loud Klaus Schultze snythesizers which sound so bizarre the first time? You'll be waking up with them in your head, whistling them in the street, people will think you've lost your fucking mind. Right On.