KANTINA

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