Record Reviews

ARP LIFE ~ JUMBO JET GAD 020 (Barcode: 5901549197259) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1975 - 1978 Released: 2014 This album is a reissue of the recordings made by Polish ensemble Arp LifeFind albums by this artist, which was co-led by three composers / arrangers: Mateusz SwiecickiFind albums by this artist, Andrzej KorzynskiFind albums by this artist and Maciej SniegockiFind albums by this artist. The group never had a "real" lineup and was essentially a studio outfit, hiring musicians on the ad-hoc basis to record their music. Over time some of Poland´s famous instrumentalists took part in these recordings but paradoxically the ARP Synthesizers, which gave the ensemble its name, were never used by them, as they preferred the Minimoog. The ensemble also cooperated with Poland´s most famous female vocal group AlibabkiFind albums by this artist, which sings the occasional vocal parts. This reissue comprises of two albums released by the ensemble, one of which was released only in cassette format, and a few singles which are included here as bonus tracks. The music is a typical late 1970s Pop / Disco monstrosity, which can’t be saved by the clever arrangements and occasional interesting instrumental parts. This kind of music paved the road for the dreaded Disco Polo, taking the Art away from music or whatever was left of music in time. But not all is lost, as this album is a perfect example of what should be avoided at all costs while playing music! And of course listening to this stuff today can be a funny and even a hilarious experience, a couple of bottles of vodka later on. Basically this kind of stuff should be left forgotten in the garbage bins of history, but apparently bad taste never dies and this music has a lot of demand today. Oh well, what do I know?

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

ANDRZEJ KORZYNSKI ~ WIELKI SZU (SOUNDTRACK) GAD 061 (Barcode: 5901549197815) ~ POLAND ~ Soundtracks Recorded: 1982 - 1983 Released: 2017 This is an archival release of the previously unreleased soundtrack to the cult Polish movie "Wielki Szu", scored by one of the most prolific Polish cinematic composers Andrzej KorzynskiFind albums by this artist. This is the third album on the excellent Polish GADFind albums on this label Records label, which presents a soundtrack scored by Korzynski. This expanded edition includes the eighteen pieces that were included in the movie and three bonus tracks, one of which is an outtake and two are taken from another movie filmed at the same period, called "Dzien Kolibra", also scored by Korzynski. The music is performed by an ensemble which features some of the top instrumentalists of the time, including guitarist Winicjusz ChrostFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Arkadiusz ZakFind albums by this artist, drummer Adam LewandowskiFind albums by this artist and others. The music is an amalgam of synthesizer based instrumental music, which originates from Korzynski´s studio ensemble Arp LifeFind albums by this artist days and a more up to date groove, disco, blues, funk and what have you, which somehow work together even in this stand-alone version outside of the movie´s framework. In retrospect the Polish Funk of the 1980s, which is now a sought-after commodity and a source of many compilations, is well represented here. The instrumental work, although limited by the time restrictions of soundtrack music, is really interesting, especially so the bluesy guitar parts by Chrost and superb drumming by Lewandowski. The sound quality, intelligent liner notes, photographs, graphic design and the meticulous attention to details, which characterize all GAD releases, is an example of how reissues are supposed to look like and what they are all about. Preservation of Polish National Cultural Heritage is a work of love and dedication, and happens even without the support of the Polish Ministry, which is supposed to support it. Well done, as always!

Updated: 11/04/2025Posted: 26/01/2018

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend