AKA — Hard Beat 1971-1977 (Indonesia, Heavy Psychedelic,Progressive Rock) <br /><br />Another Pacific Rim masterpiece. Beautiful gatefold 180g double LP reissue of fuzzy funky heavy rock from Indonesia. Where do these things come from? And according to the inner sleeve, they had over 10 LP's, no less! This may be the cream of their crop, but it's excellent! Think Dug Dug's mixed with doses of MC5 and Juan De La Cruz Band...but way better.Newarkpsych Dec 16 2011 <br /><br />These guys are gods. There’s <br />a better-than-even chance <br />that you won’t have heard of <br />AKA, Indonesia’s premier <br />hard-funk/prog/soul/rock/other <br />ensemble between 1971-75. <br />Their comprehensive lack of <br />profile in the UK robbed us of <br />the delicious opportunity to <br />attend AKA gigs and call out <br />to vocalist Ucok Harahap by <br />his forename. <br /><br />Ucok was a star, though, <br />make no mistake. Throughout <br />Hard Beat, Strawberry Rain’s <br />irresistible and indispensable compilation, his hot-wired <br />yelps, screeches and OOOFs <br />are a dream commingling of <br />James Brown and Iggy Pop’s <br />most bestial vocal tics, while <br />the occasional unconstrained <br />pole-vault into an Ian Gillan <br />falsetto (Cruel Side, Sky Rider <br />and Reflection) delights and <br />amuses in equal measure. <br />Behind him, the band <br />alternate between supple, <br />sleazy funk grooves and <br />congested-artery Blue Cheer <br />riffing, with guitars as livid and <br />grimy as a grazed shin. The <br />coda of Only One Man, <br />meanwhile, comes over like <br />Saucerful Of Secrets trying to <br />seep its way out of the <br />Quatermass pit. <br /><br />It’s all too beautiful for <br />us to nominate highlights, <br />but listen out nevertheless <br />for Ucok primal-screaming <br />“We gotta stop the <br />WAAAUUUGGHH” on Suez <br />War, and conversationally <br />asking his bandmates “Do you <br />like sex?” on Shake Me. (They <br />answer “Yes,” incidentally. <br />Hope that’s not a spoiler.) <br /><br />Tracks: <br /><br />01. Do What You Like — 0:00 <br /><br />02. Glenmore — 3:46 <br /><br />03. Reflection — 9:13 <br /><br />04. We’ve Gotta Work It Out — 13:37 <br /><br />05. Cruel Side — 18:10 <br /><br />06. Groovy — 23:56 <br /><br />07. Suez War — 28:34 <br /><br />08. Mr. Bull Doc — 35:13 <br /><br />09. Shake Me — 39:56 <br /><br />10. Only One Man — 45:26 <br /><br />11. Crazy Joe — 53:46 <br /><br />12. Skip Away — 57:29 <br /><br />13. Open Doors — 1:01:47 <br /><br />14. Sky Rider — 1:06:08 <br /><br />15. Aka Untuk Mu — 1:11:45 <br /><br /><br />Personnel: <br /><br />Soenatha Tandjung — guitar, vocals <br />Arthur Kaunang — bass, vocals <br />Ucok Harahap — keyboards, vocals <br />Syech Abidin — drums, vocals
