Cassiber

Beauty and the Beast, the second LP by Cassiber, was released in 1984 simultaneously on the British label Recommended and the German Riskant with a small difference in contents -- the ReR Megacorp CD reissue includes all tracks from both LP versions. This album represents a giant leap from the group's 1982 debut, Man or Monkey. Yet, the same technique was used: No songs were written in advance. Drummer Chris Cutler had written lyrics to be used when considered suitable by singer Christoph Anders and some pieces had evolved from live improvisations. Everything else was improvised on the spot. On the first album, this process had resulted in a few unconvincing numbers, especially the 16-minute title improv. There is no such thing here, as the band had developed a stunning talent to instantly compose songs with structure and melody. There is more soul, more power, and less clank on this set of pieces. Eisler's "Und Ich Werde Nicht Mehr Sehen" and Rogers' "At Last I Am Free" spontaneously arose from the studio improvisations (all musicians knew them). Highlights include the opening "Six Rays," "Vengeance Is Dancing," Alfred 23 Harth's beautiful saxophone playing on "At Last I Am Free," and, for the first-hour fans, the return of the text from Bach's cantata "Ach Herr, Mich Armen Sunder," this time in German and with a variation on the keyboard motif that graced its first appearance in English as "O Cure Me" on Man or Monkey -- a nice treat. ~ François Couture, All Music Guide