RZEKA DAM

Polish band APPLE BELLS dates back to the early 1990s, when founding members Blazej Kubica, Lukasz Jura, and Dariusz Rybarski formed with some friends the earliest incarnation of the band. After disbanding for several years, the group was reformed in 2004. They honed their music for several years and then began recording their debut album "Rzeka Dam" in 2010, with the help of several professional studio musicians. The album was released in 2011.

APPLE BELLS lists as their influences King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Czeslaw Niemen, The Beatles, Jethro Tull . . . even Eminem! But stylistically the band takes equal parts King Crimson and Pink Floyd, and mixes in the Eastern European progressive style of Niemen and others. There are lush atmospheric stretches, jazzy interludes, with periodic Crimsonic outbursts--although maintaining a stronger sense of melody that softens the harsh angles that Crimson exhibits. This is strongly exemplified in the song "Sen," which moves from moody atmosphere to angular guitar and bass, with overlying melodic sax. Another strong moment comes in the beginning of the following song, "Pamiętnik," in which the spirit of some of the great Eastern European prog giants is invoked--I don't know if it was intentional, but I get a strong sense of Blue Effect here.

The album is truly enhanced by the artwork that comes in the digipack, which is expanded upon on the band's website. They are working on art videos that will complement the poetic beauty of the album--and if there's one word I would use to describe this album, it is poetry. Truly mesmerizing stuff--not always pretty, but always meaningful. The lyrics are thankfully sung in their native Polish--I don't understand a word, but as I go through the efforts of translating the lyrics, they're that much more impacting. The language is beautiful, to match the words and the concept. This is definitely an album to be experienced. Four stars.

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