Record Reviews

SKALDOWIE ~ KRYWAN, KRYWAN (EXPANDED EDITION) KAMELEON 07 ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2011 This is the seventh 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. Congas player Jozef GawrychFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album was recorded practically live in the studio during one all-night session with only a few overdubs recorded later. This album is the first full-fledged Prog album by the group and features mostly instrumental music, with the vocal parts being kept in the background. It introduces the group members as improvisers, who use the basic musical themes as a vehicle to present extended improvisations, which made each live performance of this music different every time it was played. This was a completely new direction for the group, which up to this point excelled in meticulous arrangements, which were superbly musical but severely limited the abilities of the group members to express their own statements. The original LP consisted of just five tracks, with the title track being a fully developed suite, which occupied the entire A-side of the LP and lasted for almost 18 minutes. Although the entire album was not a concept album per se, the folkloristic themes and Classical music quotation constitute a unifying factor, which in retrospect turns the album into a concept album of sorts. The group uses the music of the Polish Highlanders (Gorals) as influence to most of the themes presented on this album. The musical approach is sometimes similar to what Emerson, Lake and Palmer presented on their early albums, but Skaldowie were unaware of these developments occurring behind the Iron Curtain. Soon after it was released this album turned into East European Rock icon and was sought after by Rock / Prog fans in all the ex-Socialist countries, influencing countless musicians who lived in these countries and propagated the idea of Progressive Rock to new territories. It is also the most popular Polish Prog (original Prog, not Neo-Prog) album among the genre´s fans around the world. This edition adds eleven bonus tracks, seven of which are instrumentals recorded by West German Radio and the other four are the original LP´s B-side songs recorded by Polish Radio. The sound and musical quality of the bonuses is perfect and the overall product value of this expanded edition is truly commendable. This is an essential piece of Polish Rock / Prog history and a must have for every Polish music fan. The music stands the test of time beautifully and one wishes music like this was done by some of the contemporary Prog outfits, rather than repeating the obsessive doodling that seems to occupy their space-time continuum. A true gem!

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend