Warming Up to Amon Düül II’s “Yeti”: Prog Review #41
Amon Düül II - Yeti
When I come to an album and artist that’s a complete blank to me, I worry that it will be something dense or off-putting and difficult to get into, something that’s gonna make me work in order to like it. Looking at the final 10 albums on Rolling Stone’s list, I see nothing I’ve heard before and only a couple bands about whom I know anything. That’s why I had a lot of apprehension going into this home stretch.
So, it was a wonderful surprise that I was into Amon Düül II’s Yeti (1970) from moment one. The opening riff is very much in the world of classic rock and roll. Inviting and familiar, it’s reminiscent of the Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night” at the same time as more contemporary psychedelia. The back-and-forth between the crunchy riff and the short bass-driven buildup creates an inviting space that instilled in me a lot of good will for the rest of the album.
A Different Musical Language
I’ll sometimes use words like transcendent or glorious to describe music in these reviews; that’s not the kind of language I’d use for this album. Some of my favourite prog tracks build toward a singular moment in the song when everything hits an emotional peak—the middle instrumental section of “Firth of Fifth” comes to mind—but this is not how this album works. The strength of Yeti is instead the vibe that carries through entire songs and each side of this double album. From that warm opening, I’m in the right headspace for everything that follows, sort of the reverse of more demanding prog that strings you along for quite a while before providing some excitement or catharsis.
My daughter! Soon you'll be released / They say you are the one / Who stole the neighbour's babies / The witness pointed at the chimney / And said this is her way home.
-”Flesh-Coloured Anti-Aircraft Alarm”
The first side is the most coherent set of songs—Wikipedia in fact lists the first 5 tracks as a suite. The opening track, “Sister Burning,” has a very short moment right in the outro where the lead guitar hits a couple dramatic high notes, but that’s just part of the longer groove that runs through the whole track. This is maintained with hardly a moment’s breath as “Halluzination Guillotine” begins. It’s a bit slower and less fluid, but has a similar energy, particularly in the rhythm guitar. The drums are less restrained though, playing round the kit while the vocals go the other way, more controlled and melodic than on the first track. A short mock opera interlude and then we hit the standout “Flesh-Coloured Anti-Aircraft Alarm.”
Thanks to the more restrained and structured songs that precede it, I’m fully onboard for the chaos of this so-called alarm. Despite the trippiness of the vocals and background instruments, Amon Düül II keeps the song focused with grounded basslines and harmonious strumming. This foundation is present just about everywhere on the album, allowing the lead guitar, keys, percussion, and flute to wander about. The result is music that is complex and rich, never boring, but also undemanding, even pleasant despite how much is going on. A nice touch on this last part of the suite is the return of that opening riff right at the end. Then, rounding out the first quarter is a beautiful bongo-heavy instrumental, “She Came Through the Chimney.”
Changing It Up
The second side takes things a little trippier with “Eye Shaking King” and it’s theremin-y vocals along with the eastern-influenced “Cerberus.” There’s also the hard rocking “Archangels Thunderbird,” the band’s most popular song, at least judging by Spotify numbers.
There’s a contrast between the relative structure of side A and the freakier side B. Both end with short instrumentals, but “Pale Gallery” is an ominous, gloomy number. Very different from the gentle warmth of “She Came Through the Chimney.”
The second album flips things around once more with 3 improvised songs. The side-length “Yeti” and the following track, “Yeti Talks to Yogi” take the atmospheric, rather than rocking, approach to psychedelic music. Both tracks feature most of the instruments setting a mood or a backdrop for guitar wailing that comes in and out. The closer, “Sandoz in the Rain” comes back to the eastern influence with its acoustic lead and a lot of flute with some nasally vocal flourishes.
These last three songs don’t have the same appeal as the rest, but they do show off a band that’s as comfortable taking the King Crimson approach as they are performing undeniable bangers.
If the rest of the final 10 albums as are as inviting as this one, I’ll be in for a good time.
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Rush - Moving Pictures
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Yes – Close to the Edge
Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
Can - Future Days
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Yes - Fragile
Rush - Hemispheres
ELP - Brain Salad Surgery
Pink Floyd - Animals
Genesis - Foxtrot
King Crimson - Red
Gentle Giant - Octopus
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All
Premiata Forneria Marconi - Per Un Amico
King Crimson - Larks’ Tongue in Aspic
Camel - Mirage
Rush - 2112
Tangerine Dream - Phaedra
Magma - Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh
The Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium
Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Dream Theater - Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory
U.K. - U.K.
Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning
Kansas - Leftoverture
TOOL - Lateralus
Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
Banco - Io Sono Nato Libero
Harmonium - Si on Avait Besoin d'une Cinquième Saison
Marillion - Clutching at Straws
Gong - You
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
Soft Machine - Third
Amon Düül II - Yeti
ASK Rankings
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Supertramp - Crime of the Century
Genesis - Foxtrot
Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink
Marillion - Clutching at Straws
Camel - Mirage
Yes – Close to the Edge
Renaissance - Ashes Are Burning
King Crimson - Red
Gentle Giant - Octopus
Dream Theater - Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory
Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
Harmonium - Si on Avait Besoin d'une Cinquième Saison
Rush - 2112
Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick
ELP - Brain Salad Surgery
Amon Düül II - Yeti
U.K. - U.K
Rush - Moving Pictures
King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King
Kansas - Leftoverture
Banco - Io Sono Nato Libero
The Mars Volta - Deloused in the Comatorium
Premiata Forneria Marconi - Per Un Amico
Gong - You
Soft Machine - Third
King Crimson - Larks’ Tongue in Aspic
Pink Floyd - Animals
Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet
TOOL - Lateralus
Frank Zappa - One Size Fits All
Yes - Fragile
Rush - Hemispheres
Tangerine Dream - Phaedra
Magma - Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Can - Future Days
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
Van Der Graaf Generator - Pawn Hearts
Opeth - Blackwater Park
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here