Triumvirat - Old Loves Die Hard (1976) [Remastered 2002]

"Old Loves Die Hard" is an album by German progressive rock group Triumvirat. The LP album was released in the United States and some other markets with a different cover from the European and later the CD edition. It featured a cornered rat seen through a magnifying hand lens.

Old Loves Die Hard is this German band's most structured, most entertaining, and most accessible album next to the masterpiece Illusions on a Double Dimple. The elements of progressive rock are wonderfully marbled throughout these seven tracks, highlighted by the ten plus minutes of "Panic on Fifth Avenue" and the brashness "The History of Mystery." Singer Barry Palmer's voice climbs and descends to the backdrop of such keyboard machinations as the Hammond C3 organ and Moog synthesizer. Keyboardist Jurgen Fritz implements light delicacies of piano and strings to contrast the sometimes dominating feel of the synthesizers. While anything but dark, the music on Old Loves Die Hard peaks and sometimes hovers with a colorfulness that presents each song with some musical livelihood. There's an assertiveness that's cast throughout this album thanks to the whole-hearted fusion of percussion and bass, coming to life especially on "A Day in a Life." Triumvirat's emphasis here is on their free-range use of keyboards and creative application of voice and instrumentation, much like that of 1973's Illusions or '75's Spartacus. ~ Review by Mike DeGagne





Track Listing

01. I Believe (7:52)
02. A Day In A Life (8:15)
a) Uranus' Dawn
b) Pisces At Noon
c) Panorama Dusk
03. The History Of Mystery - Part One (7:50)
04. The History Of Mystery - Part Two (4:00)
05. A Cold Old Worried Lady (5:50)
06. Panic On 5th Avenue (10:31)
07. Old Loves Die Hard (4:28)

The following track was released as a 7" -single

08. Take A Break Today (3:44)

Produced by Jürgen Fritz
Digitally remastered by John Cremer & Jens Müller-Koslowski

The Band

• Barry Palmer: vocals
• Dick Frangenberg: Fender bass
• Hans Bathelt: Slingerland percussion
• Jürgen Fritz: Steinway Grand piano, Hammond C3 organ, Moog synthesizers, Fender, Wurlitzer & Hohner pianos, ARP string ensemble

Additional credits:

• The Cologne children choir, conducted by H.G. Lenders on track 1
• Jane Palmer, backing vocals on track 7
• Charly Schlimbach, saxophones on track 2
• Sondra, "money" on track 1
• Strings on track 5 arranged & conducted by Jürgen Fritz

Notes

Recorded & Mixed at EMI Electrola Studio 1, Cologne, W. Germany
Between Jan. 5th and April 6th, 1976
Vocals on "The History Of Mystery" were recorded at Studio N, Cologne, W. Germany

Original Ⓟ & Ⓒ 1976 Digital Remaster Ⓟ 2002
The copyright in these recordings is owned by EMI Electrola GmbH & Co.KG
Ⓒ 2002 EMI Electrola GmbH & Co.KG



Many thanks to the original uploader: sanparr