HAMBURGER CONCERTO

I have always loved Focus. They were always a little different, more continental.

This is their most flawless album. Every single track is superb, while being as varied as you come to expect from the band. I find this is one of those albums that you want to play all the way through. There's no tracks I want to skip. It's not a concept album, bit it sounds cohesive.

Pierre van der Linden is one of my favourite drummers, but kudos to Colin Allen here. To me, he did a similar job in replacing a drumming legend with Focus as Alan White did with Yes ... not quite the same, but close enough. Colin was a boss of a drummer, playing with great conviction, taste and skill.

Highlights for me were La Cathedral de Strasbourg, a beautiful and multi-sided piece. Birth and Early Birth, which could have fitted in the Focus III set. And, of course, the title track, which IMO is among the finest prog epics. The composition, playing, sound - everything is great. Highly recommended.