Gong - About Time (1979)

This version of Gong is sometimes also called New York Gong. But it is rather a Daevid Allen solo album.

It is a bit difficult to follow Gong in this period as both Daevid Allen and Pierre Moerlen called themselves Gong at that time. Both delivered very different kind of music.

This album is a bit of a punkish space rock album, very influenced by both punk and the New York art punk scene. New York Dolls springs to mind. But the space rock side also comes out and Daevid Allen's whimsy personality is very much evident here.

The music is based on Bill Laswell's bass,  Daevid Allen's whimsy vocals & melody lines plus synthesizers. This is Gong, naked. And it really works. Although I was really negative to this album in the beginning, the album opens up after some listening sessions. Sort of...

This is by no means a great album. But it is still a good Gong album and it is nice to hear Daevid Allen's vocals again. But go for other Gong albums than this album.

3 points