LISICA

Covered with a sleeve design that would have certainly stirred civic protests by animal rightists had it been released in recent 21st century times, the album "Lisica" ("The Vixen", which is a pun on Josipa's surname Lisac meaning a male fox, while the album title means a female fox) followed the similar path produced on the previous LP effort "Hir, hir, hir".

This means that the so-called "classic rock" is again the preferred style of Josipa, composer and producer Karlo Metiko? and a band of session players led by arranger Branimir ?ivković on keyboards. The album runs smoothly and most of the songs are done in a way to ensure them frequent radio plays and set them on the playlists of dance clubs. Such things considered, it is hard to criticize "Lisica" for being uninspired, sticking firmly to the "middle of the road" pop-rock sound or failure to experiment with something new. "Hir x3" was rather successful effort and why not repeat the similar formula once again?

"Lisica" in fact was even more streamlined record that is clearly genre-oriented. There are no more trendy reggae songs, no jazzy solos and no folksy-progsy elements. We are talking about a "pure" 3-minute R'n'R songs, which sometimes add a heavier edge like in the opening hit-single "I mama mi je rekla to" ("Mother Told Me That"), or country-influenced pub-rock feel like in another hit "Drugi čovjek" ("Another Man") and "Divlji brak" ("Cohabit"). These were perhaps influenced by guitarist Eduard Mate?ić who later the same year 1982 formed a blue-grass revival ensemble PLAVA TRAVA ZABORAVA. With three slow-rock ballads making a necessary balance, a strong piano-led rocker "Hazarder" ("The Hazard Man", another huge hit) and the closing homage to THE BEATLES in "Bed? za Rock and Roll" ("The Badge for R'n'R", e.g. guitar phrase reminiscent to that in "Drive My Car") are particularly good.

Although slightly less adventurous than the predecessor, "Lisica" was another good rock album by Josipa Lisac that in spite of certain feel of sounding outdated may still show the qualities of professionalism and studio mastery.

PERSONAL RATING: 3/5

P.A. RATING: 3/5