Described in the liner notes as the final volume in this series focusing on late-’60s and early-’70s psych and soul obscurities from West Germany, The In-Kraut, Vol. 3 is, like its predecessors, a perfect mix of the knowing wink and the honestly amazing. Whether it was a question of the technical expectations of a German listening audience, or simply good playing all around, nearly every song on here sounds incredible on a level of tactile impact: horns stab out of speakers, vocals are crisp and clear, and some of the feedback levels sound monstrous even after decades of heavy metal. That said, the flip side lies in the enjoyably workmanlike quality of so many of the contributions: these are adaptations and reworkings of so many American sources of inspiration in particular (or at a slight remove), thus the jaw-dropping version of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” by bandleader Dieter Zimmermann, who replaces the vocal line with a horn section that sounds like a way ahead of its time college marching band, and the mid-song freak-out with lush strings set against a brooding bass swell that it’s almost easier to simply marvel at how well they transmute the original material for the kind of starchy swing that seems to be the best way to dance to them. Perhaps inevitably, Peter Thomas steals the show on the whole thing with “The World Is Gone,” a bizarre news bulletin-turned-street corner giggle/rant backed by his usual brass-led groovers. Whether it’s South African expatriate Gene Williams’ rather forced vamps on “My Soul Is Black,” or the ridiculous singing on Georgees’ “Butterflies Never Cry” — it makes Blood, Sweat & Tears seem like Low — this is definitely something that once heard is never forgotten. Whether that’s positive or negative may depend on how you feel on the day. – Ned Raggett