FOCUS II [AKA: MOVING WAVES]

The second album by the leaders of the Dutch prog scene in the seventies. Just like its predecessor, the artwork is horrible. However, the music is not. It starts with Hocus Pocus, a nice blend between great musicality and humour. This was their biggest hit, especially in America, where the song was released with double speed. The song jumps from the infamous yodelling to amazing guitar solos and drum intervals. However, after listening to the song a couple of times you kinda get the idea.

The next tracks go into a totally different direction, with romantic guitars on Le Clochard, classical flutes on Janis and the first vocals on Moving Waves. Focus II stands out again with great guitar playing and beautiful melodies.

The last song, Eruption, is my favourite of the band. Divided into multiple sections, the song swings from soft to agressive moods and from jazzy parts with great guitar soloing to vocal melodies.

For me, this is the best album by Focus, just a tiny bit better than Hamburger Concerto. Masterpiece!