TESKA INDUSTRIJA

This album seems to be dedicated to popular acts of the so-called "Sarajevo Pop School" of the former Yugoslavia. This scene has been characterized by highly commercial, chart-topping sounds of pop, pop-rock and pop-folk styles since the early 1970s. Here we have cover versions of the hits by Merlin, Kemal Monteno, Zdravko Colic, Indexi, Plavi Orkestar, Halid Beslic, Crvena Jabuka and the likes. Not only that this is nowhere near the progressive rock music, but the performances of these mediocre hits are too pedestrian, too safe and even outright bad in a sleazy way. If the previous album by TESKA INDUSTRIJA was somewhat fresh in adding the female vocals and modern arrangements to the radio-friendly (or Youtube-friendly) adult-contemporary pop-rock sound, this album whose title translates as "We Were Buddies" is a real flop! You can safely avoid this poor disc.

After a brief reunion of the original line-up from 1975, which released a disappointing album "Kantina" in 2007, TESKA INDUSTRIJA once again changed direction. This time the old members - guitarist Vedad Hadziavdic and bassist Ivica Propadalo - recruited two female members - lead vocalist Lea Mijatovic and keyboardist Zrinka Majstorovic - while young Robert Domitrovic was added as a drummer. This group recorded the album titled "Give the Album a Proper Title" in 2010.

Radical change of style is evident even on the first listen. Apart from dominant female vocals the band mixes heavy guitar riffs with hints of nu metal grooves ("Dolje juzno"/"Southbound"), melodic hard rock ballads in the vein of GUNS AND ROSES ("Gdje ces ti, a gdje cu ja"/"Where Do You Think You Are Going And Where should I Go") and catchy arena rock with strong pop hooks ("Sunce"/"Sunshine", "Takvi kao ti"/"Men Like You", "Mare i Marko"/"Mare and Marko"). Production is clear with enjoyable sound while all the mentioned songs are well-crafted as hits, making you whistle the tune you just heard. If you like female lead vocals bands like, say, NO DOUBT or Serbian NEGATIVE, you might wish to check this out. Even though prog specialists would search in vein for some unusual or groundbreaking moments, in terms of contemporary "pop-rock" this album is a decent effort.

PERSONAL RATING: 2,75/5

— First review of this album —

The second album with vocalist Alen Mustafic was recorded during the turbulent period of Yugoslav collapse and the Bosnian war in the 1990s, so the title track "Sarajevo Night" carries reminiscence to these events. It was even a minor radio-friendly pop hit at times when there was enough electricity to be able to listen to radio under the siege of Sarajevo. Fairly pathetic light rock ballad was justified only by the horrible circumstances.

Even five tracks (more than 50%) from the previous cassette album "Gospode, ne daj da je sanjam" were reissued on this one. I cannot recognize any re-recording method so I assume these were simply copied here. In relation to the previous album, two new members joined the band: drummer Admir Ceremida (ex PLAVI ORKESTAR) and bassist Haris Kapetanovic, but it is hardly relevant to the songs. In addition to the title track, "Nema suza" ("No Tears") and "Carsija" ("The Market Square") tried (unsuccessfully) to offer some pop rock attempts while "Zapjevaj" ("Let's Sing") strives to emulate DIRE STRAITS guitar sound to no avail. Even the saxophone is unable to remedy poor songwriting here.

"Sarajevska noc" is hardly any better than the predecessor, which means: stay away from this poor cassette! This version of TESKA INDUSTRIJA has nothing in common with the old 1970s progressive hard rock group except the name.

PERSONAL RATING: 1,5/5

— First review of this album —

After reuniting the band in 1984, in the following period TESKA INDUSTRIJA was effectively reduced to a revolving-personnel backing band supporting the leader Vedad Hadziabdic. For this album, he assembled a new line-up consisting of drummer Djani Pervan (later known for playing in many alternative rock Sarajevo bands, the most popular being LETU STUKE, as well as accompanying the singer-songwriter Darko Rundek in his world music-ethno rock-fusion projects), lead vocalist Alen Mustafic, keyboardist Dino Olovcic, while only the bass player Sead Trnka remained from the previous album recording.

The album titled "Lord, Let Me Not Dream of Her" was released in 1991 only as cassette tape for a small Serbian label in Cacak, and remained largely unknown. Again, we can hardly pitty this outcome since the music continued downgrading along the then dominant mainstream Sarajevo pop-folk and horrible "kafana-folk" sound. In many songs TI simply sounds as a clone of the worst BIJELO DUGME sound of the late 1980s.While Mustafic is good singer, his tenor was obviously mismatched with the song arrangements. The only successful attempts could be found in two songs, "Nek padaju sve zvijezde s neba" ("Let All the Stars Fall From the Skies") and "Flert" ("The Flirt") which sound as fairly decent pop songs (but nothing more than that!).

All in all this album should be avoided at any cost. Oddly enough, most of these songs were to be re-issued on another cassette-only album few years later ? "Sarajevska ru?a".

PERSONAL RATING: 1,5/5

— First review of this album —

After TESKA INDUSTRIJA split shortly after recording the previous album "Zasviraj i za pojas zadjeni" in 1978, guitarist Vedad Hadziabdic and drummer Munib Zoranic decided to re-unite in 1984, with a new line-up. Zoran Krga was added as keyboardist, Sead Trnka as bassist while Narcis Lalic was recruited as new lead vocalist. The new album titled "Ponovo sa vama" ("With You Again") was released on a small label Sarajevo Disk in 1984.

The old hard rock and progressive style is completely abandoned here in favor of more popular and fashionable synth-pop and syrupy AOR. Unfortunately, this did not help the commercial success and the album was pretty much ignored (deservedly so), due to lack of good hit songs. To be honest, most of the album is quite awful and not very listenable. Songs are bad, performance sub-standard, synth keyboards overused and Lalic's vocal style does not seem capable to cover the obvious shortcomings of the compositions.

Still, the closing track "Bilo je ljudi i vremena" ("There Were Some People and Some Times") sounds quite good in terms of potential hit-making, done in a groovy synth-pop style with nice harmonica played by Muhamed Razenica, while another harmonica-flavoured song, rock ballad "Odrasti vec jednom" ("Grow Up Darling"), where Lalic sings as it should be sung, is perhaps the best track on the album. Also not too bad is "Suncokret" ("Sunflower"), a song mixing acoustic guitars and heavy rock with nice keyboards in a vein of some INDEXI "pop-prog" style, although the vocals mostly spoiled the song. All that remains is better to forget.

PERSONAL RATING: 2.5/5

Thirty-three years after the foundation of the group and teaming-up again with the singer Seid Memic Vajta, who had left in 1976, TESKA INDUSTRIJA recorded a new album. Alas, those fact alone will, after listening to "Kantina" (Cantina), remain as the only worthy of mentioning. The first major problem is evident immediately: out of 13 tracks, two are INDEXI covers (although "Ti si mi bila naj, naj" was actually penned by G. Lendjel for INDEXI) or re-recordings of their old songs from mid 1970s. These moments are absolutely the worst on the entire album. Poor arrangements, excessive use of terrible drum machine (they did not recruit a proper drummer for this album) and Vajta's unrecognizable vocal simply kills these old-time favorites.

Secondly, this is not a rock (and much less "prog rock") album, whatever that means. I know, this is 2007 and things change so the new "modern" styles and techniques should be employed, but - keeping and sticking to the post-U2 sound and slick production that had its peak in the late 1980s does not make things modern. At best moments like "Gripa" (Flu), "Nas dvoje" (Two Of Us), "Bokser i balerina" (The Boxer and the Ballerina) this can be called a solid pop-rock or adult contemporary music, which is nice for occasional background spin but fails to attract the more demanding listeners.

And the third, the musical instrumentation and production is a big disappointment. Without proper drummer, with undistinguishable Propadalo's bass, with Vajta's vocal shamelessly mistreated (pointless electronic treatment in "Jahorina") so his raspy baritone is never heard and with Lendjel's keyboards almost entirely pushed aside, one wonders is this really TESKA INDUSTRIJA. Only the electric guitar played by Hadziabdic is strong enough to save the record. In several moments he really shows considerable skills and his solo parts in "Pruzam ruke" (Giving My Hands To You), "Ti si mi bila naj, naj" (You Were The Best For Me) or heavy-noisy "Jahorina" make these re-visits of old material listenable.

The cover packaging of this CD - a tin case with a disc "canned" inside - and the visual presentation and promotion that happened in Zagreb in spring 2007 - performing in blue-collar industrial workers' suits having the beans rationed from the bowl - is more memorable than the music itself.

PERSONAL RATING: 1,5/5

P.A. RATING: 2/5

— First review of this album —

This CD is a compilation of early works of TESKA INDUSTRIJA, recorded in 1975 and 1976. It includes all 10 songs taken from the first five singles plus 5 songs taken from their debut LP "Ho-ruk".

In this period the band consisted of the lead vocalist Seid Memic "Vajta", keyboardist, arranger and composer Gabor Lendjel, guitarist Vedad Hadziabdic and drummer Senad Begovic. Original bassist Ivica Propadalo participated in the first two singles issued in early 1975, "Karavan (Caravan)/U.F.O." and "Kolika je Jahorina planina (The Great Mountain of Jahorina)/Kovaci srece (The Blacksmiths of Fortune)", after which Sanin Karic replaced him on bass guitar. The album "Ho-ruk" is almost entirely included, minus the traditional cover of "Od Olova do Trnova", thus providing a necessary insight into the most progressive rock release of the group.

Overall musical style is quite consistent and unique throughout this CD, and it is largely confined within the sphere of so- called "progressive hard rock" or "heavy prog", if you will. Gabor Lendjel's keyboards (mainly Hammond and occasional Moog synths) are usually forefront instruments (modeled after the inspiration from ATOMIC ROOSTER or URIAH HEEP) although the lack of elaborated arrangements is often heard. Hadziabdic is not a guitar-giant, but his heavy riffs and wild solos (DEEP PURPLE's Blackmore is the obvious template) are often effective providing bursts of energy to the music. Out of this picture come: an odd early reggae elements in the opening title track "Karavan" (remember - this is only months after Bob Marley released his "Natty Dread" masterpiece!), naive but sort of sympathetic space-rock synth effects in "U.F.O.", traditional Bosnian sevdah heavy rock cover "Kolika je Jahorina planina", vaudevillian orchestral pop smash hit "Zivot je maskenbal" (Life Is But A Masquerade), or the American Southern/Country rock influences in "Stap" (The Stick). With several slow-tempo semi-acoustic ballads, this collection is very good as an overview of the largely forgotten ex-Yugoslav band.

"Karavan - Izvorne snimke 1975/76" is a worthy CD update of an earlier Jugoton (former name of Croatia Records) release from 1981, "Teska industrija i S. M. Vajta", which was issued in the period of Vajta's commercial peak as solo artist (he even took part in Eurosong contest in 1981!), and which contained only 10 tracks. In this way, the contemporary collectors of former Yugoslavian prog rock or classic rock scene of the 1970s have an opportunity to enrich their collections with this valuable release.

PERSONAL RATING: 3,5/5

P.A. RATING: 4/5

Self-titled compilation of TESKA INDUSTRIJA was released on CD by Swiss record label Krin Music in 1995. It contains a selection of tracks from all three studio albums from the classic period 1976-78. It also happens to be the selection of the best and the most progressive rock-oriented material of the band.

"Ho-ruk" album (1976), arguably the best the band ever recorded, is completely included, only with the track listing order slightly changed. Albums "Teska industrija" (1976) - 3 tracks and "Zasviraj i za pojas zadjeni" (1978) - 5 tracks are represented with their better moments, only it would give more prog touch had the former been represented with more tracks than the latter. Also, inclusion of the single-only song "Sta je rekla Ana" spoils the overall collection because it is clearly out of place with its pop-rock chart-topping structure.

The selection of tracks for this compilation seems to have been done hastily and at random, like it is the case with many such releases which try to capitalize the long absence of the old classic rock bands from the 1970s. On the other hand, the lack of re- issues of original albums in CD format makes this compilation a valuable and quite informative edition to the first-time listeners. I can recommend the purchase of this disc to the lovers of "progressive hard rock" in the vein of DEEP PURPLE or URIAH HEEP, especially those who want a single disc collection of the most prog moments of TESKA INDUSTRIJA.

PERSONAL RATING: 2,5/5

P.A. RATING: 4/5

Even the look at the cover picture is enough worrying... a female body turned into a guitar, for playing... You probably expect a rediculous sexist heavy metal jerking off, but you get even worse - a prog rock band who lost direction and meaning.

When you hear first three songs it is obvious that TESKA INDUSTRIJA blew this time out. After the opening Zeppelinesque heavy guitar rock and a jovial country-tinged blue collar beer-drinkin' hit "U nasem poslu i zanatu" ("In Our Work and Handicraft"), here comes the disco disaster with female back vocals calling "Probajte divni mladici" ("Just Try, You Beautiful Boys"). Try what? Is this not the VILLAGE PEOPLE dancing?! Well, the leader Lendjel was right to have left the band shortly after the recording sessions, so when the album finally appeared on the market, the band was no more. The remaining listening time is wasted on another heavy rock misstep and an awful piano-led ballad where Kovacevic's vocal sounds quite weak. I guess both the poor production and the sub-standard songwriting made him sing terribly inconvincing. The title track is another heavy one with a fine guitar solo of Hadziabdic, while the closing ballad under the significant title "Odlazi Teska industrija" ("Teska Industrija Is Leaving") contains acoustic guitars and symphonic coda. The only worthwhile moment on this record happens to be the most prog rock oriented: "Grijeh" ("The Sin"). It is very good (but not excellent) composition with varying themes, led by Hammond organ and this time a good vocal performance by Kovacevic. Hints of URIAH HEEP are everpresent and its 5,5 minutes saves this album from the worst garbage.

"Zasviraj i za pojas zadjeni" (I am not able to translate) is a weak album and it marks the end of the first and the most productive phase of TESKA INDUSTRIJA. Unfortunately it ends this way and they were never gonna repeat the succes of the Vajta line-up.

PERSONAL RATING: 2,5/5

P.A. RATING: 2/5

The second eponymous album of TESKA INDUSTRIJA was released at the end of 1976. In the meantime there were major changes in line-up when only the leader and organist Lendjel and guitarist Hadziabdic remained from original group. They got new drummer, bassist and additional keyboardist, but the main difference is absence of Vajta's agressive, unpolished vocal. Goran Kovacevic was brought in as a replacement and, while an excellent singer alone, after Vajta he sounded too "pop".

Further to that, it seems that Lendjel was not very confident to continue with progressive and experimental compositions, and decided to introduce more "accessible" stuff. But we all know what happens in that case - loss of devoted old fans while not gaining enough new mainstream audience.

"Ala imam ruznu curu" ("Oh, What an Ugly Girl I've Got") promises fresh new start, even though it is quite a funky hit, with wonderful Clavinet and Moog. It is very catchy tune and apparentl rumours that its melody was a copycat from an obscure Hungarian band SCORPION (Gabor Lendjel is himself an ethnic Hungarian from what is now Vojvodina region of northern Serbia), did not seem to harm its hit potentials. "Prva bol" ("The First Pain") is much less strong and the chorus is dangerously close to cheap pop, while "Sirano" is a poorly done heavy rock. "Moja draga" ("My Darling") is a pleasant progressive ballad with "wheeping" sound of solo guitar - one of better Hadziabdic's works.

B side opener "Polozi ruke u travu" ("Lay Your Hands On The Grass", no! - not that "grass" you silly!) follows as a fine easy semi-proggy tune with solo guitar again in the forefront, backed by organ melody and chorus with harmony vocals. The song is spoiled by unnecessary fade-out/fade-in effects at the end. "Stefanija" is a discardable pop ballad, interesting only because of Lendjel's lead vocal, sung in both Hungarian and Serbo-Croatian. The highlight of the album is certainly an epic ballad "Nikola Tesla", dedicated to ... well guess who! Musically, the song is very good with typical sympho/prog manner, including Mellotron, piano and bombastic arrangement. Heavy guitar riffs, Moog solos, strong drumming and good vocal performance, changes of tempo - slow/fast; it all keeps "Nikola Tesla" as one of the best compositions done in that style in Yugoslavia. Again, nothing groundbreaking is here present, but you would surely want to give it a few listens. "Sve je ovo istinita prica" ("This Is All a True Story") brings this album to an end, with pleasant piano-led instrumental.

This album is much less interesting than debut "Ho-ruk" and it indicates that leading Yugoslavian prog artists did not, at the time, have enough courage to remain loyal to experimentation and expansion of their ideas. Still, it has several nice moments worth to investigate.