VREME ISPRED NAS

This compilation appeared in 1993 when S VREMENA NA VREME re-united in its original quartet line-up and gave a successful reunion concert at Belgrade's Sava Centar in November that year, which was separately released on a VHS video tape. The compilation was issued in modest circulation both as a vinyl LP and a cassette, so it is a kind of rarity nowadays.

The collection interestingly captures the band at their best in the period 1973-79, repeating however five tracks from the earlier, also excellent, 1978 compilation "Moj svet". Still, here we have three previously unreleased recordings that should attract the SVNV collectors:

"Na pocetku i na kraju" (En. "In the Beginning and in the End") was taken from a TV show in 1973, a live version of "Suncana strana ulice" (En. "The Sunny Side of the Street") recorded in 1977 and the first version of "Ucinila je pravu stvar" (En. "She Did the Right Thing"), slightly different from that released on a 7" single.

Other tracks are well-known treasures from the SVNV repertoire; eight tracks taken from their 7" singles and two from studio LPs (including one of better songs - "A sta sad" (En. "And Now What") - from otherwise weak album "Paviljon G"). Songs like "Odisej" (En. "Ulysses"), "Cudno drvo" (En. "Strange Wood"), "Povratna karta" (En. "Round-Trip Ticket"), "Moj svet" (En. "My World"), "O glumcu i narodu" (En. "On the Actor and the People"), "Ponekad" (En. "Sometimes") are excellent examples of sincere, authentic and creative songwriting in the vein combining the pop mastery, folk inspiration and progressive attitude and instrumentation.

Unless you already own "Moj svet" LP collection, "Vreme ispred nas" (En. "A Time To Come") could be a perfect companion to their wonderful eponymous studio LP from 1975.

PERSONAL RATING: 3,75/5