CZESŁAW NIEMEN

Enigmatic was the fourth album by Polish rocker CzesŁaw Niemen, and it was supposedly his best. When I first found out about this record, I was mainly drawn to the album cover. And I just knew an album with a cover that captivating had to be extremely progressive, and I was hoping it would something like the amazing Pictures by Island. They both had this gloomy and dim album cover, so I was led to believe they had a similar sound. However, when I actually listened to the record, I was met with disappointment. It was still a good album, but it just doesn't live up to expectations. This is less of a true eclectic progressive rock album and more of a crossover progressive rock album. I'm not saying that his full discography isn't eclectic (I haven't listened to his full discography yet), but this album just felt like something was missing. Like I felt this record had a lot more possibilities with the musicians talent, and most of it was wasted on this straightforward record.  

The album opens with the sidelong suite, Bema pamięci żałobny rapsod, which includes some generally normal organ playing, though I will say that it does have some good emotion that ties in with it. The music switches from the organ to what sounds like Christian hymns a couple of times, before the music switches to a percussion sequence mixed in with the organ. After a little under eight minutes of this passage, the real music kicks in and Czeslaw lays down some gorgeous vocals accompanied by his organ, but the drums in this section are a bit boring. Most of his band joins in by this point, with some pretty cool yet short guitar solos. I feel like the chants by the chorus group also add some depth to this song. Now, the main problem I have with this song is that the song is basically the exact same for the rest of this sidelong suite. And while the vocal harmonies are still good, it can get a bit boring after a while.  

The next song and the opening of side two is Jednego Serca, which sounds a lot more classic in terms of rock. It can feel a little jazzy at some points, but it's still generally a rock song in a sense. The drums become a bit more interesting around a minute in, with some very nice fills and a much more aggressive yet happy sound. There's also an amazing guitar solo with a saxophone solo that I enjoyed quite a lot. The song evolves into a much more happy feeling with a female chorus instead of a male one and a lot more use of the other musicians musicianship. The next song, Kwiaty ojczyste, opens with a neat riff at the beginning and goes into another, for the most part, normal rock song. I would also like to note that I do like the bass line of this song and how it seems like it's always changing. The drumming style on this song changes again, and it sounds more like Guy Evans of Van Der Graaf Generator on this track, and this is probably the most progressive song on the album. Similar to the first song, however, it can drag a little. Now the last song on this album is M?w do mnie jeszcze (I'm not sure why CzesŁaw chose that as the title, but I won't judge because I don't speak Polish) and maybe the most classic rock sounding. Apart from some areas near the middle of the song and another guitar solo, it's just a little bland, and there is not much to say about it other than its generic sounding.  

In conclusion, Enigmatic was a bit of a letdown. I was really hoping for dark, complex, intricate, and mysterious judging by the great album cover, but in the end I was left disappointed. For now this is the only album by CzesŁaw Niemen that I have listened to, so maybe in the future I'll review his other work and give this album a revisiting, but for now I will leave this at a 3/5. It's still a generally good album, but it could use a lot more progressive structure and just overall interesting music.

The second half of Marionetki?Niemen Vol. 1?is more overtly jazzy and experimental than Vol. 2. The 17-minute "Requiem dla Van Gogha" ("Requiem for Van Gogh") opens the disc. A sinister growl of a bowed bass and gently muttered vocals start this song on an ominous note. Much of this track is improvised and borders on free jazz. The focus here is on mood and atmosphere, rather than structure. A move like that is often risky, but the musicians' chemistry is good enough to keep this track tense and engaging. Some of the wailing string instruments and cacophonous keyboard parts remind me of some of the more abstract contemporary post-rock acts. This song might be a bit longer than is necessary, but it remains surprisingly focused.

The brief "Sariusz" has more structure and momentum than the previous track. The song opens on a weirdly peppy, bouncing piano line, complemented by fuzzy guitar and Niemen's oddball vocals. At only a little over three minutes long, it works as a great interlude between this disc's longer pieces.

Vol. 1 ends with the 13-minute "Inicjały" ("Initials"). Much like the opening track, this song is largely improvised, though vocals play a more prominent role here. The song starts off with some noodling before eventually settling into a groove. The drumming does a great job of keeping things moving as bass and trumpet trade licks in the spotlight. The drummer eventually gets his turn in the spotlight with a fun little solo as well, which is just the right length.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2022/10/31/lesser-known-gem-czeslaw-niemen-niemen-vol-2-niemen-vol-1-marionetki/

In 1972 Niemen released a pair of self-titled albums. The fact that they're titled Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, as well as the sonic continuity between them show that they were intended to be one double album. In 1994 this vision was finally realized with the release of Marionetki. Oddly, though, Vol. 2 comprises sides 1 and 2, and Vol. 1 is the second disc.

I don't speak Polish. At best, my two years of Russian in college can allow me to make educated guesses on occasional individual words. Thus, I'm not sure if the lyrics of these twinned records fit the spooky Halloween theme. The tone of the music is often creepy and oppressive, though, and it's always engaging.

"Marionetki" ("Puppets" or "Puppet Men" per the back of the physical copy I own) kicks things off with eerie organ and gongs, topped with some ritualistic-sounding vocals. The mood is immediately dark and dramatic. Elements of soul and gospel music are evident in Niemen's singing. The minimal instrumental makes this an effective introduction that sets the stage for what's to come.

Following this is the 14-minute "Piosenka dla zmarłej" ("A Song for the Deceased"). Icy, warbling, growling keys open the song on a disorienting note. Avant-garde jazz elements are obvious in these first moments as instrumental elements swell and ebb. Chaotic organ runs and guitar lines eventually converge into an ascending riff that leads into a mellower, soulful verse. Niemen's voice is powerful, passionate, and characterful. As the verse ends, the song enters a brief jam. Guitar and bass battle it out over swirling organ, and brass embellishments are brought in for the next verse. The vocal and instrumental sections of this song are fairly distinct, but both are fantastic. They express the versatility both of Niemen as a songwriter and of SBB as musicians.

"Z pierwszych ważniejszych odkryć" ("Of the First Major Discoveries") opens with an oddly-metered guitar line, followed by an ominous, wailing, doom-y passage. The verse is pared down and gentle, with hints of folk and jazz floating in the background. Tension builds as Niemen shouts his words and the guitar nervously wobbles. After a flashy, bluesy guitar solo, the song moves into a strange, drum-forward section punctuated with the occasional yelp or guitar lick. At closing, the song revisits an earlier calm and jazzy theme. The interlude "Ptaszek" ("Little Bird") follows, and it's a minutelong vocals-and-guitar piece that draws from Slavic folk traditions.

Closing out Vol. 2 is "Com uczynił?" ("What Have I Done?"). The opening guitar chords are jazzy; the tone is warm, though the notes themselves are full of anxiety. Niemen's powerful, expressive voice is again the focus over this minimal backing. When organ and percussion eventually enter, it only adds weight to the track. Moving past the verse, the music takes an evil-sounding turn. Organ and guitar work in tandem as a squealing trumpet bleats a plaintive line. This movement is followed by an organ solo full of rapid runs and jazzy flourishes. Following this instrumental passage, the track ends on a quiet, mournful note.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2022/10/31/lesser-known-gem-czeslaw-niemen-niemen-vol-2-niemen-vol-1-marionetki/

In 1972 Niemen released a pair of self-titled albums. The fact that they're titled Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, as well as the sonic continuity between them show that they were intended to be one double album. In 1994 this vision was finally realized with the release of Marionetki. Oddly, though, Vol. 2 comprises sides 1 and 2, and Vol. 1 is the second disc.

I don't speak Polish. At best, my two years of Russian in college can allow me to make educated guesses on occasional individual words. Thus, I'm not sure if the lyrics of these twinned records fit the spooky Halloween theme. The tone of the music is often creepy and oppressive, though, and it's always engaging.

"Marionetki" ("Puppets" or "Puppet Men" per the back of the physical copy I own) kicks things off with eerie organ and gongs, topped with some ritualistic-sounding vocals. The mood is immediately dark and dramatic. Elements of soul and gospel music are evident in Niemen's singing. The minimal instrumental makes this an effective introduction that sets the stage for what's to come.

Following this is the 14-minute "Piosenka dla zmarłej" ("A Song for the Deceased"). Icy, warbling, growling keys open the song on a disorienting note. Avant-garde jazz elements are obvious in these first moments as instrumental elements swell and ebb. Chaotic organ runs and guitar lines eventually converge into an ascending riff that leads into a mellower, soulful verse. Niemen's voice is powerful, passionate, and characterful. As the verse ends, the song enters a brief jam. Guitar and bass battle it out over swirling organ, and brass embellishments are brought in for the next verse. The vocal and instrumental sections of this song are fairly distinct, but both are fantastic. They express the versatility both of Niemen as a songwriter and of SBB as musicians.

"Z pierwszych ważniejszych odkryć" ("Of the First Major Discoveries") opens with an oddly-metered guitar line, followed by an ominous, wailing, doom-y passage. The verse is pared down and gentle, with hints of folk and jazz floating in the background. Tension builds as Niemen shouts his words and the guitar nervously wobbles. After a flashy, bluesy guitar solo, the song moves into a strange, drum-forward section punctuated with the occasional yelp or guitar lick. At closing, the song revisits an earlier calm and jazzy theme. The interlude "Ptaszek" ("Little Bird") follows, and it's a minutelong vocals-and-guitar piece that draws from Slavic folk traditions.

Closing out Vol. 2 is "Com uczynił?" ("What Have I Done?"). The opening guitar chords are jazzy; the tone is warm, though the notes themselves are full of anxiety. Niemen's powerful, expressive voice is again the focus over this minimal backing. When organ and percussion eventually enter, it only adds weight to the track. Moving past the verse, the music takes an evil-sounding turn. Organ and guitar work in tandem as a squealing trumpet bleats a plaintive line. This movement is followed by an organ solo full of rapid runs and jazzy flourishes. Following this instrumental passage, the track ends on a quiet, mournful note.

The second half of Marionetki?Niemen Vol. 1?is more overtly jazzy and experimental than Vol. 2. The 17-minute "Requiem dla Van Gogha" ("Requiem for Van Gogh") opens the disc. A sinister growl of a bowed bass and gently muttered vocals start this song on an ominous note. Much of this track is improvised and borders on free jazz. The focus here is on mood and atmosphere, rather than structure. A move like that is often risky, but the musicians' chemistry is good enough to keep this track tense and engaging. Some of the wailing string instruments and cacophonous keyboard parts remind me of some of the more abstract contemporary post-rock acts. This song might be a bit longer than is necessary, but it remains surprisingly focused.

The brief "Sariusz" has more structure and momentum than the previous track. The song opens on a weirdly peppy, bouncing piano line, complemented by fuzzy guitar and Niemen's oddball vocals. At only a little over three minutes long, it works as a great interlude between this disc's longer pieces.

Vol. 1 ends with the 13-minute "Inicjały" ("Initials"). Much like the opening track, this song is largely improvised, though vocals play a more prominent role here. The song starts off with some noodling before eventually settling into a groove. The drumming does a great job of keeping things moving as bass and trumpet trade licks in the spotlight. The drummer eventually gets his turn in the spotlight with a fun little solo as well, which is just the right length.

Niemen vol. 1 and Niemen vol. 2 comprise the two halves of a moody, creepy double album. The music is expressive and draws heavily from avant-garde jazz. Parts of this duology can be a challenging listen (most of Vol. 1, especially if you're averse to experimental jazz), but it's definitely worth your time. And until an artist rearranges "The Monster Mash" as a 20-minute suite, this is one of the better examples of spooky prog I could have posted today.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2022/10/31/lesser-known-gem-czeslaw-niemen-niemen-vol-2-niemen-vol-1-marionetki/

CZESŁAW NIEMEN was one of Poland's most celebrated musicians of the 20th century having released dozens of albums ranging from rock and roll, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, folk, avant-garde jazz and even electronic music. Primarily known for his soulful vocal abilities with a wide range and interesting intonation, NIEMEN was a national phenomenon as a rock balladeer who was one of the most successful singer / songwriter acts to emerge on the Polish scene. NIEMEN was born in Stare Wasiliszki in 1939 which then was still a part of Poland but was annexed to the Belarusian areas of the Soviet Union after the second World War but NIEMEN was ethnically Polish so he relocated within the newly establish Polish borders before engaging in his fruitful career.

While in the Western world he is primarily known for his more adventurous musical offerings in the world of progressive rock and jazz, NIEMEN started off sounding like the Polish version of Motown on his debut DZIWNY JEST TEN ŚWIAT which translates into "This World Is A Strange Place," a phrase that never seems to be untrue. At this point in NIEMEN's career he was inspired by 60s soul acts such as James Brown and Percy Sledge and after winning the 5th Song Festive in Opole in June 1967 with the title song from this debut album which was considered a protest song, his career was launched and would stay on the scene until his death in 2004 at the age of 67.

This album is basically a fun pop record of soulful beat music with a touch of blues rock and psychedelia in the Motown style that dominated the 60s and 70s. This was very much a product of Poland and all lyrics were exclusively in the Polish language but at this stage NIEMEN was already quite adept at adapting his emotive vocal style into the Western pop music paradigm. DZIWNY is a fun little romp through 12 tracks that sounded exactly like what was popular in the West in the year 1967 when this was released. In addition to vocals, NIEMEN also played piano and organ accompanied by a backing band of four members who handled guitar, bass, drums, percussion, sax as well as an additional backing vocal group. All tracks are quite catchy and instantly addictive although the Polish language adds a very exotic flavor to a somewhat familiar style of music.

For fans of progressive rock and NIEMEN's more adventurous musical explorations you can skip the first three albums and begin with the 1970 release "Enigmatic" but if you are at all interested in NIEMEN's earliest offerings based in catchy Motown inspired soul music then i have to highly recommend these early albums because they give you a sense of what the Polish music world was like in the 60s before the more diverse sounds began to emerge in the 70s. While this one is hardly an essential album in any sense of the world, it's really a great display of NIEMEN's ability to craft soulful addictive pop hooks augmented by his charismatic singing style and poetic songwriting skills but given that the lyrics are exclusively in Polish, that aspect of the music will be absent. Still though, great 60s beat album for sure.

3.5 rounded down

4.5 stars. I knew nothing of this man until he was added here but the bio says he moved from Russia to Poland when he was around 19 years old. He became a singer in Poland in the early sixties before becoming a pioneer in that country with his Psychedelic music in the latter half of the sixties. "Aerolit" is an incredible album filled with Czeslaw's emotive vocals and his amazing synth and mellotron work. Add to that a very talented drummer, upfront bass and electric piano and you have a classic. He sings in Polish and it's pretty cool that members of SBB were in his band prior to this album. Great album cover too apparently painted by his wife.

"Cztery Sciany Swiata" is the 10 1/2 minute opener and the longest track on here. Drums are joined by bass before the synths and a melody kick in. I'm not big on the melody and it will return a few more times during this song. The song pretty much stops after 1 1/2 minutes as drums then passionate vocals take over. Some nice bass too and it's fairly dark and brooding here. Mellotron 3 minutes in then it kicks in to an uptempo synth/ drum led section. Bass to the fore after 3 1/2 minutes as that melody returns from earlier. Man this changes often. Electric piano after 4 minutes with drums, synths and bass although the synths dominate the sound. I like this a lot. Guitar joins in replacing the synths but they will continue to trade off. There's that earlier melody again before it changes as the vocals and that dark sound return after 7 1/2 minutes. Mellotron too and man can this guy sing!

"Pielgrzym" opens with mournful synths as almost spoken vocals join in but they are rich and full of character. Percussion and bass join in around 5 minutes then the vocals stop as it continues to trip along. Vocals are back with about a minute left. Great track. "Kamyk" starts with electronics which sounds pretty cool as the drums shuffle. Mellotron follows then the synths start to growl as the vocals join in before 1 1/2 minutes. He's singing in a laid back manner here. The tempo picks up before 3 minutes as it turns jazzy. Then high pitched, bouncy synths start to dominate before giving way to some great sounding electric piano. It turns darker with deeper sounds before 5 minutes and the vocals return. Those bouncy synths are back after 6 minutes.

"Daj Mi Wstazkl Btekitna" features picked guitar, cymbals and sweeping mellotron to start as reserved vocals and a beat take over. Picked guitar and bass also help out as well. Mellow. The mellotron is back! Electric piano arrives when the vocals stop after 2 minutes. The vocals return around 3 minutes. "Smutny Ktos-I Biedny Nikt" hits the ground running and vocals join in quickly. When the vocals stop we get an impressive instrumental section, especially the electric piano and drums. Vocals are back but again when they stop the instrumental work just kills. It settles with electric piano and a beat before 5 minutes then the synths return late.

In my opinion this stands up very well with the best from 1975 and that's saying something.

"Enigmatic" is indeed enigmatic!

With progressive rock still not being fully developed as a genre in its homeland, the United Kingdom, Czesław Niemen in Poland was creating very innovative and advanced music. What's more, he was doing it behind the Iron Cutrain. Consider that Poland was than a poor country ruled by a communist regime of USSR and it was definitely no fun being a progressive musician at the time.

Niemen's musical extract consists of elements of Polish folk music fused with soul and jazz sensibilities. "Bema Pamięci Żałobny Rapsod" is a side-long epic, which applies these influences. It starts out driven by church-like organ, which brings some of Focus' later sounds to mind, and is supported by a pastoral choir and tubular bells. Then comes Niemen's deep voice, similar to that of Joe Cocker, and the piece completely changes its flow with Hammond organ being put into a more soul-inspired scenario. Later on, we encounter an incredibly emotional bluesy guitar solo. The lyrics are a musical interpretation of a rhapsody by a national 19th century Polish poet Cyprian Kamil Norwid. A piece is really moving and expressive in every part and is definitely the highlight of the album. Side two offers more jazz-oriented pieces with superb bass-lines, a competent horn section and Niemen's great voice.

"Enigmatic" is a highly ambitious work of a proficient and inspired musician. It's without a doubt one-of-a-kind work and will make a great addition to every progressive rock fan's collection. I have had a little bit of dilemma whether it deserves four or five stars. A five star rating might be a bit missleading, this album having a few minor flaws, that some might find more bothering than I. In the end, four stars are more adequate. Add another imaginary half-star to that. Recommended!

Czesław Niemen is a musician that always amazes me, everytime I hear a 'new' album. Not different with Strange Is The World (1972), his first album in English.

As a band Niemen had the guys that later would record by themselves under the name SBB. They were, indeed, the best band in Poland, no doubt about it.

He was one of the first guys in Poland to actually go further with his music, since the very beginning, and even being succesful he wasn't afraid to venture himself into strange lands. That's what Strange Is The World (1972) is.

Niemen's music is highly Progressive and Experimental with lots of organ and keyboards, very Prog. But what is interesting is how he was able to sing even love songs ('I've Been Loving You Too Long') or break up songs ('Why Did You Stop Loving Me') with such passio and 'progness'.

Now, the passion is something to talk about. You'll not find a better singer in the Prog world. His voice is strong and full of emotion, he sings with his heart.

Unfortunatelly Niemen passed away in 2004 in consequence of a cancer, but his music will live forever!

I discovered Czesław Niemen a little while ago when I came to live in Poland. Even if I am a music digger I never heard about this guy's music in the past.

So, I started with Enigmatic (1969) and discovered a powerful voice and a sound that reminded me of the old Deep Purple (mark I). I decided to keep listening his music.

Niemen (1971) - also known as Red Niemen - is a wonderful double album (back on the release date) that has many of the great Progressive Rock 70's sound. And it was ahead of his own time, cause was recorded on early 1971.

'Człowiek Jam Niewdzięczny' opens the album with its 20:32 and it's a delight to the ears.Czesław Niemen's voices never been so strong and his band is sharp as the best English bands.

With this album Niemen was ahead of his own time and it was just a small sign of what we would have with his next albums Strange Is This World (1972) with its 4 tracks and pretty much everything he did after that.

A must listen album if you're not a thick head when it comes to the language!

Niemen might be striking a Vincent Price pose on the front cover, but there isn't very much of the Gothic or horrific about this four-track collection of organ-dominated progressive compositions. Drawing on the Polish folk music tradition for material and motifs that set this one apart from most organ-centric late 1960s proto-prog, and Niemen's arrangements also slip in a choir here and there to add a little gravitas to proceedings. Slow and stately for most of its running time, this isn't an album which offers up fast-paced Emersonian keyboard wizardry - rather, it aims for the Enigmatic tone its title suggests and more or less attains it.