Record Reviews

SKALDOWIE ~ REZERWAT MILOSCI (EXPANDED EDITION) KAMELEON 10 ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1979 Released: 2012 This is the tenth album by the legendary Polish group SkaldowieFind albums by this artist, one of the most influential East European ensembles, founded by brothers: Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (vocalist, keyboardist, composer, arranger and leader) and Jacek ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (vocalist, multi-instrumentalist). The other group members on this album are: guitarist Jerzy TarsinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist / vocalist Konrad RatynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jan BudziaszekFind albums by this artist. This album was recorded in March 1979, almost three years after the group recorded their previous album. Musically it reflects the dramatic change the Pop / Rock music went through in the late 1970s, with ambitious Progressive Rock being replaced by Punk, Disco and other brainless music forms. Skaldowie struggled to maintain their musical quality in spite that hostile musical climate. The album includes songs with a common motive, which in this case is love, composed by Andrzej Zielinski with one exception, where the song is composed by Konrad Ratynski. For the first time one of the songs features a guest vocalist Stanislaw WeglorzFind albums by this artist, who has vocal qualities remarkably similar to those of the legendary Niemen. As usual the lyrics were written by Polish poets the group cooperated with for many years. Some of the songs have excellent vocal, strings and brass arrangements, and overall this album is probably the most "produced" album the group ever made. With the synthesizer stepping up to take the leading role in the Rock world, the sound becomes more dense and complex and with the addition of the orchestral arrangements, this album is more similar to the lush productions popular in the US than to the more simplistic and rough sound of Polish Rock. This edition adds eight bonus tracks, some of which are radio versions of the songs present on the original album and other material which was only recorded by the radio. Three of these tracks feature the vocals of Stanislaw Weglorz. This is an important document of Polish Rock history and a must have for every Polish music fan. Most of the music stands the test of time quite well and is definitely worth revisiting.

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend