Operation

Birth Control's second album, Operation, stands as one of the band's finest recordings, getting the vote as the second best album of 1971 by one of Germany's leading music magazines. Operation has Birth Control employing a nine-piece string section as well as a smaller brass entourage in order to produce a larger sound, and while their progressive air is just beginning to flourish, a rather large difference in musical strength and instrumental craft is noted right away. Not fully abstract or left-of-center just yet, the powerful crunch of Bruno Frenzel's guitar surely leads the way, dominating the rhythms of every track while complimenting the aeronautics of the keyboard passages. With the tempos quicker because of the stern synthesizer work, the entire album moves along at a brisk pace. "Stop Little Lady" has the vocals on par with the whirlwind guitar riffs, echoed perfectly to produce a mysterious rippled effect. "Just Before the Sun Will Rise" and "Flesh and Blood" utilize the keyboards at the heart of both the songs, while the full 11 minutes of "Let Us Do It Now" emanate Birth Control's instrumental coalescence in the momentum of both the drums and guitar. "The Work Is Done" became one of the group's most renowned efforts, with rocksteady percussion creating the perfect bottom-heavy underlay for the strings and horns. The 1997 pressing of Operation includes five bonus tracks, including another version of "The Work Is Done" and a peculiar little number entitled "Believe in the Pill." With the band maturing and slowly working back toward a more progressive rock route, Operation makes for a truly consistent studio album that offers a firm cross section of their sound. ~ Mike DeGagne