Keep - 1982 - Rock'n Rocked Rock

Keep

1982

Rock'n Rocked Rock

01. Rock'n Rocked Rock 9:43

02. Moonbeam 9:26

03. Modja 6:00

04. Aristocrat Bachelor 7:05

05. Ballad 5:12

Drums – Hideo Yamaki

Electric Bass – Yasuo Tomikura

Electric Guitar – Akira Wada

Keyboards – Jun Fukamachi

Now, this seems not a proper title for what is going to follow, but ''Rock'n rocked rock'' is am accurate, technically superior and definitely prog-minded Japanese Fusion album on Trio's subpar label Trash.Lengthy instrumental tracks with tempo changes, solid guitar plays, controlled keys and light acoustic piano parts by veteran Jun Fukamachi.On par with the band's debut with Holdsworth-like similarities and some Kenso-styled interplays.Some thin sounds are present as well due to the production, but hey, nobody's perfect.Will please all fans of the style.

Despite the subtitle Rock'n Rocked Rock, Keep's second album is definitely a fusion affair, similar to their contemporaries like Crosswind, Prism, and Casiopea. But the separator here is the ferocity of the instrumental work - recalling edgier outfits of the early 70s like Mahavishnu Orchestra. 'Aristocrat Bachelor' is the definite highlight here, and is closer to heavy progressive rock than jazz.

The original LP is a typical single sleeve with requisite obi. I sold my copy of the LP when the first edition CD came out (1999 Vivid Sound). And it was a bear to find. I finally had to ask a friend who worked at Marquee in Tokyo to send me one. (4/2017 update): I recently discovered another mini-LP version, this time part of a 4 CD box set called J-Fusion Masterpiece Collectors' Box, which I now possess.