SFF (Schicke Führs Fröhling) — The Complete Recordings( CD boxset)
Schicke, Führs & Fröhling, or SFF were a three-piece German project that dabbled in a mix of Prog, symphonic rock, grand-to-moody synth scaping, and jazz-rock/ fusion. The band existed between 1975 & 1978 impressively releasing three studio albums & one live album over this period- Symphonic Pictures (1976), Sunburst (1977), and Ticket To Everywhere (1978) with the live album Live 1975 appearing in 2002. Here on the MIG label is a three-CD set that brings together the band's full output.
The CD’s are presented in a chunky old-school four CD jewel case. This features a twelve-page glossy & colour inlay booklet- taking in two short write-ups about the band in English, and a few pictures of the three piece.
The trio of Eduard Schicke, Gerd Führs, and Heinz Fröhling first in met in 1974. At that point, Führs was still playing keyboards in jazz-rock band Samspel , and Schicke was playing drums and Fröhling guitar in the popular northern German prog band Spektakel. The three seemingly hit it off straight away, going onto form SFF in 1975.
The first CD in the set takes in the project's first two albums 1976 Symphonic Pictures, and 1977’s Sunburst. So first up we have the five tracks that make up their debut album, and I’d say this comes off as very ELP-like with its mix of symphonic rock and prog tropes- in a purely instrumental setting. The cover features the band's three heads together, which very much nods towards ELP’s 1972 album Trilogy. Runtimes wise the tracks last between two and eighteen minutes. We go from the clean-picked guitar tones, slowly rising synth strings/ orchestration, and soothing vibe chime of “Solution”. Onto the darting ‘n’ spritely jigging keys, pulsing bass line, and warbling synth horns of “Sundrops”. With the album finished off with the sixteen-and-a-half minute “Pictures” this move from dramatic drums hits, epic backing chants, and synthetic orchestral bombastic. Onto bounding bass lines and darting ‘n’ bright keyboard runs. Through to jaunting electro harpsichord, wowing synth, tight bass/drum jigging. On to the ornate piano and synth string swooned. As opening albums go, Symphonic Pictures is a passable enough blend of prog & symphonic with subtle hints at fusion- which the three would go on & develop more with their other releases
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Next up we have 1977 Sunburst- this took in seven tracks, and is a much more varied/ consistent affair, with more even track timings between the three and seven-minute mark. We go from the sweeping ‘n’ moodily darting synth majestic of “Autumn Sun in Cold Wate” which later brings in tolling bass and sailing guitar tones. Onto funk bass meets jaunting keyboard pomp and warming guitar scaping of “Drifting”. Through to the tick-tock rhythm meets the bright warbling synth groove of “Explorer”. As an album, Sunburst finds the three-piece spreading their sonic wings more- for a thoroughly enjoyable album.
Moving onto the second disc in the set we find the seven tracks from 1978’s Ticket To Everywhere and two bonus tracks. With track times between three & eight minutes. We open with the bright darting guitar & synth jaunt of “Open Doors”. Moving onto the title track with is locked bounding ‘n’ hiss rhythm, blues rock guitar licks, climbing keys ‘n’ bass. There’s the moody ambient drift, steady drums ‘n’ bass, and atmospheric/ harmonic synth orchestration of “Slow Motion”. With the two-bonus going from acoustic & light electric guitar drift ‘n’ strum meets harmonically warbling synth tones of “Every Land Tells A Story”. And “Medley: Explorer/ Wizard” which as its title suggests brings together of the more consistent tracks from the first album.
Finally, on disc number three we have Live 1975- which features eight tracks, and surprisingly for its date, we get tracks from all three of the bands' albums as well as a few unreleased tracks. As live albums go this isn’t’ bad with decent/ often more urgent takes of album tracks. Of the unreleased tracks we have the strutting bass/ guitar meets simmering atmospheric synth strings, and later on twang/ darting percussion of “Gedakenspiel”. Through to the epic nearly twenty-eight minutes of “Modimidofre” which shifts from melodramatic synth strings meets percussive chimes. Onto gentle Hammond rolls, building bass and dramatic keyboard flows. All in all, not a bad live album, and this is coming from someone who is not normally the biggest live recordings.
Aside from Germans of a certain age into prog, or those into more obscure prog/ symphonic rock SFF will be largely unknown. So, it certainly is great to see this set appearing- bringing together all the bands' total output in one handy place.