LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Originally issued privately in 1973, Erlkoenig’s only album is an inventive example of early German symphonic progressive rock. Dominant keyboards, prominent electric guitar and occasional English-language vocals shape music that moves between stately melodic themes, psychedelic passages and extended instrumental development.

The group’s sound is particularly effective on the longer “Thoughts” and “Divertimento,” where organ-led arrangements unfold through contrasting moods and shifting dynamics. The original six-track album is supplemented here by four previously unreleased recordings, offering a broader view of a talented band whose work remained largely unknown outside collectors’ circles for many years.

1. Erlkoenig Impression – 6:20
2. Tomorrow – 5:02
3. Thoughts – 9:31
4. Castrop-Rauxel – 7:13
5. Blind Alley – 5:07
6. Divertimento – 8:04

7. The Lad in the Fen – 7:30
8. Love Is Truth – 2:30
9. Run Away – 3:10
10. Monday Morning – 4:51