VOLETI VOLETI

The 11th studio album of GALIJA was released in 1997 under the title "Voleti voleti" ("Love to Love"). Music style continues to be developed in the adult contemporary pop rock way of the previous album, with very little prog moments. Instrumental performance is very good with crystal clear production and that is perhaps the best aspect of the album. Especially prominent is the use of electric guitars and synthesizers. However, the song writing and arrangement elements are again sub-standard and now it almost becomes GALIJA "standard".

The songs are underdeveloped; many ideas are obviously borrowed from somewhere else so you often wonder "where did I hear this song before?". Again there is a balance between soft rock ballads ("Milica") and hard rocking tracks ("Nis") but not much more remains to be discovered in between. Legacy to the folk was included in the dancelike hit "Kotor" with "world-beat" percussions and melodic bass. Slide guitar a la Ry Cooder introduces the mystic part of "Beg" ("The Escape"), but the following rhythm pattern, resembling DIRE STRAITS' "Calling Elvis", dissolves the song into banality.

Overall the best songs must be the opening "Pege" ("The Freckles") with excellent pop melody, electro-rhythm and synthesized guitar solo and "Kaća" with excellent guitar soli and vibrato effects. The rest of the album may be occasionally listened if you like the mainstream rock with nice lead guitars like Chris Rea.

PERSONAL RATING: 2,5/5

P.A. RATING: 3/5