MEMENTO Z BANALNYM TRYPTYKIEM

SBB is one of the many wonderful bands that has been revealed to me through ProgArchives. I've picked up this, Pamiec and Slovenian Girls--this one on vinyl (!) I can never decide which of their albums I like the best. Probably Pamiec, but Memento has some incredible performances and shows the band playing very well as a collective.

1. "Moja Ziemio Wysniona" (8:29) is filled with extraordinary themes and riffs, all strung together like a . The subtle things on this song that catch my ear: rhythm guitar in the seventh and eighth minutes, the subtleties of the drums before that, the synth sound in the third minute, the Allman Brothers-like dueling guitars at the end. Cool song, if a bit dated. (9/10)

2. "Trojkat Radosci" (7:40) begins with 80 seconds of solo electric guitar--treated guitar a la PAT METHENY on New Chatauqua. The second section uses this treated guitar as support for a wonderful display of Spanish-influenced classical guitar playing--culminating in a gorgeous harmonized melody line 'chorus' at the three minute mark. A return to the before, at 4:29, a synth wash enters to set the stage for some electric guitar soloing. The TANGERINE DREAM-like synth work behind the bluesy ROY BUCHANAN-like guitar fire is awesome. Cool song. (or is it a suite with three parts?) (9/10)

3. "Strategia Pulsu" (3:23) has a sound and almost disco-influenced that is shows its age but could have come off a JAN AKKERMAN, LENNY WHITE or AL DiMEOLA album from the same period. Clavinet and harmonica are interesting touches. (8/10)

Side 2, song 1(4) "Memento z banalnym triptykiem" (20:28) begins with a mild pace with a bluesy FOCUS-like feel to it. At 2:10 all music drops away and a vocalist begins singing (in a foreign language I presume to be Polish). At first he is only accompanied by acoustic guitars and background synths. A strong vocal performance in the vein of the best of the Italians. The shift at the four minute mark is breathtaking in its emotional impact. Very delicate cymbol play is used to keep time while slide guitar, acoustic guitar and one single repeated keyboard chord sucks you in and keeps you locked there while the nylon-stringed guitar goes EARL KLUGH sh*t-crazy! Absolutely amazing! Very gradually the pace starts to pick up, prepping us for the end of this section, followed by a jovial almost bluegrass folk-section, with some more awesome guitar work--several, in different channels and levels. Hand clapping, choral "Na-nah, na-nahs," beer-hall piano and harmonica proceed to add to this very friendly, engaging section. At the 10 minute mark we are ushered out of the party barn and enticed into yet another theme house. It's like being at a Renaissance Faire: Each booth, stage or vendor offering his or her own slice of their world. By 11:45 a synthesizer is taking center stage before giving way to an organ's introduction to a moderately paced rock section with a little electric guitar solo. At 14:10 the music again drops away to make way for the vocalist to again tell his story. The use of vocal harmonies beginning at 15:10 is effective if a bit foreign for the unusual (to my ears) diatonic chordal structure of the harmonies. At 16:13 a delicate part starts to support the vocalist(s) sounding a lot like HARMONIUM's "Depuis l'automne" before an electric guitar blasts into center stage carrying the band with it into a classic blues-rock solo scene. Great, emotional playing--that reminds me of someone/some song of classic stature-- and then POOF! it's gone and the same finale of the classical music piece that opened the album (a Strauss waltz?) finishes the album. Awesome. Prog doesn't get much better than this, folks. (10/10)

I've got to give this one a full five stars, folks, cuz, as I said, Prog just doesn't get much better than this. this band worked hard to put these delicate, complex demanding songs together-- and their efforts paid off in that they have definitely put together one for the ages--something quite memorable and certainly not banal!