Scorpions - Lonesome Crow

Lonesome Crow is not just merely the first album from Germany's Number 1 Hard Rock export, but also the first ever Brain release, issued in 1972. Lonesome Crow is both highly coveted by record Collectors for the famous catalog number of Brain 1001 and also because it presents the Scorpions in a way we would never hear them again; rough and ready, with surprising twists and turns and unusual song structures. One can clearly hear the legendary talent and chemistry between Michael & Rudolf Schenker who were still "united in rock" at the time. Lonesome Crow certainly belongs in every music lovers' collection. Album Description

Not your average Scorpions

I'll make this short and sweet:

This does not sound like any other Scorpions album. At all. At ALL... really. In some ways, this is one of my favorites, as it shows how bands can change and grow and not be better or worse, just different.

Having lived in Germany for a while, this feels familiar in that some aspects of German culture are always a few years behind what the rest of the world considers "popular culture". It could be said that there are some "dated" parts to this album (insofar as style is concerned) as compared to the US and British music scene at the time this was released, but those "dated" parts (a hint of psychedelia, some post-50's poppiness, etc.) get reworked with an energy and desire for change that only seems to come from young people living and working outside of a mainstream scene. If you've ever experienced young street performers in another country trying to capture US Country music from the 60's, you'll have seen and felt EXACTLY what I'm trying to describe.

This is a great album, and a beautiful snapshot of an age and a culture in the middle of an identity crisis.

Buy this. September 16, 2008

I'm never lonesome when this album's playing

I originally didn't think the Scorpions Lonesome Crow was that great of an album, but giving it a second chance 5 years later I've now realized the error of my ways. Considering the year was 1972, and heavy metal was more like "heavy hard rock" back then, this album holds up surprisingly well.

Let's talk about the final song on the album, the title song. What I originally thought was just a Black Sabbath rip-off (copying what is now widely referred to as the "Black Sabbath medley" from the debut) I found out I was completely wrong. The song is actually better than the Sabbath medley, and some of the guitar soloing is so extraordinary that it seriously borders what the Mahavishnu Orchestra was doing at the time.

I can't believe I actually thought the majority of the guitar soloing was just copying what Black Sabbath did on their debut album! Nope, far from it. The only connection to Black Sabbath is in the way both songs start off with eerie vocal melodies before a loud, complex guitar jam builds and builds. That's it.

The Scorpions have a certain atmosphere from the Lonesome Crow album that I've honestly never experienced before. Much of the album doesn't really sound dated to me.

This album is also brilliant for having the prettiest vocal melody from a hard rock band I've ever heard. "In Search of the Peace of Mind" is the song I'm referring to. The very beginning of the song has a guitar riff that sounds extremely similar to something Judas Priest would go on to do, and I wouldn't be surprised if the members of Judas Priest were fans of this album. That's not a typical guitar riff, that's for sure. It sounds much different from anything Sabbath, Zeppelin or Deep Purple were doing.

Anyway, the rest of that song is just as brilliant, because the Simon and Garfunkel-like vocal melody that slowly builds into a screamer is amazing to me on so many levels. It's truly a magnificent song.

I love this album a lot and highly recommend it. You will also hear some Moody Blues influences, which is just extraordinary to me. Sometimes the beginning stages of a band capture their very best moments, and this is a perfect example of that. January 10, 2008

germany in the 70s

I was surprised too to see so many writing about this album. I spent three years in Germany 1976 1977 1978 as a GI. I bought this LP and Virgin Killer in the x rated cover at German stores. I love these records and the memories they bring. Germany was kind of surreal for me at this time. Remember it was split in two, Warsaw Pact and NATO facing off over the GRENZE (border).And there were left wing terrorists groups bombing and kidnapping as well. I remember the young people i hung out with still seemed like hippies of the sixties. Heck, I saw Bob Marley live in Berlin (the only time i smelled pot in Germany).Contrasted with the disco fever which also swept the country at the same time it was a very exciting, diverse and vibrant country.
When I came home to Cali I turned friends onto the scorps especially Virgin Killer was well liked. I used to listen to Lonesome Crow late at night don't forget In Trance! We were pretty much the only people who heard of the band before "Breakout" knocked American kids out of their socks. December 19, 2007

The best jazz I ever heard

I don't have to add anything to some of the brilliant reviews below. I have only one thing to say: I'm a lifelong Scorpions fan, I own pretty much all their albums, and I think that in many ways, this one was their best. I can understand why they never did a second one in the same style. If you hit 10 out of 10 at the first try, there is nothing more to do. You have to turn to something different. December 13, 2007

A lonesome crow worth buying

This album has always been one of my all time favorites, and finally a release the way it should have been released in the first place. this version is remastered and Finally!!! contains the full original album art, as well as a booklet containing rare photos of the original lineup,and a summery from Klaus Meine himself. I hope that the same will be done with the rest of the early releases, especially "Fly To The Rainbow" , the follow up album to LC. If you want a copy of Lonesome Crow , this is the version to buy. October 20, 2007

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