Scorpio's Dance

iTunes Review

As the follow-up to the highly successful album At Home and its mega-hit single, “Venus,” Scorpio’s Dance finds the Dutch group enjoying the majesty of its singer Mariska Veres who adds a distinctive power to everything she touches. “Alaska Country” takes off on some tough piano chords. Hank Cochran’s “Sally Was a Good Old Girl” succeeds with a tight arrangement. “Deamon Lover” works though six minutes of sensual tension. The group understood the importance of primal performances where each instrument plays for maximum impact. The sound begins in the garage and spreads out into a mild psychedelia that leaves little room for improvisatory self-indulgence. The bonus cuts, “Send Me a Postcard” and “Hello Darkness,” are every bit as essential as the official album cuts, which also include a few interesting side trips. “Scorpio’s Dance” is a piano instrumental. “I Love Voodoo Music” is a mystical acoustic number that features an odd tribal break. “Seven Is a Number In Magic” skims the blues. Shocking Blue remains one of the late ‘60s’ and early ‘70s’ most fascinating groups.