MESTO ER

The progression of music behind the Iron curtain is baffling and impressive. Despite oppression and hardship talented people managed to not only imitate but enhance and develop their own brand of progressive rock. While they must have been influenced by what took place in the West there is most certainly a very unique tone in east European prog that is not to be found anywhere else. One of my favorite bands of all time is Modry Efekt, a group that managed to develop and progress at an immense rate in just a decade or so. Framus 5 is Czech aswell and besides Poland the Czechozlovakia (as it was known) is the country that I find produced the finest brand of prog in the eastern parts of Europe. Why that is I don't know.

"Mesto ER" is an album of great interest but holds some lacklustre moments aswell. The majestic title track is one impressive track that goes on for almost 20 minutes. The opening, brooding organ is great and sets the stage for a musical experience quite enjoyable. Musically I hear echoes of the excursions made by Modry Efekt circa the "Nova synteza" album, that is jazz rock with horns. I love that kind of music, big band prog as it might be labelled. This is a great, epic piece of music that needs to be heard. I think it is very dense and foreboding. The rest of the tracks are, unfortunately, quite lacklustre and dwells in the territory of blues. It is not surprising that they do include these blues elements as they, like so many other bands, started out in that way. I like blues very much but I fear it has no real place here.

So, in conclusion one might say that the title track is an amazing example of east European prog but the other tracks lack the progressive and enthralling elements required to amuse me. Still, this is an album worth having on the basis of the title track, since it is a fine example of progressive jazz rock. Though the title track is worth four stars, the album as a whole gets three out of five.