CEI CE NE-AU DAT NUME

One can trace Phoenix's foundations all the way to the early 60's when they had a local hit, recorded 2 EPs a few radio sessions and scored a movie soundtrack (Canary And blizzard). By the time of their first full album's release (the present in 72), Phoenix had a heavy-psych rock sound, derived from local folk sounds, and the material was selections of a rock opera (those who have a name), the group was a sort of heavy folk rock group, because they'd no choice they were also asked to change their names, because of a religious connotation), a move dictated by the Ceaucescu dictature, but they kept a bit of that garage sound.

The album seems to be divided in two parts, the first being 18-minutes Ciclul Anotimpurilor, looking to be the first side of the album. It starts with the Preludia movement, first with a lone fuzzy guitar (much like a bagpipes lament), then on a crescendo of a single note, underlined by guitar arpeggios and some oboe in the very background that eventually disappears into a beautiful short electric guitar solo. The Primavara movement is a much more upbeat thing, with its second part Paparuga turning frankly folk, but the bass is outstanding. Further on down the album, after a wordy Vara (with a bass solo) and blues-charging Toamna (with another superb electric guitar solo) and Iarna (made from two short weird pieces).

Whether the Nunta part of the record was its flipside (it is probably likely) but it's made only of three songs, the first being the eponymous rocker. Then follows a very rocky 15-mins Negru Voda with plenty of rock guitars, but tends to be more of jam in the long run, even if the violin periodically brings the track to its start. The closing Pseudo Morgana is probably the album's best track, despite its repetitive nature, it shows how superb drummer Petrescu and percussionist Sepi were working well together, while the guitars complete each other in heavenly duets.

One of the versions of this album has a truckload of bonus tracks, coming mostly from previous years (60's) including some covers and garage bands, all of them coming from a Remember Phoenix compilation. While these tracks are interesting (well some anyway), they don't really add much to the album per se, and some might even prove soooooo teeny-bopper that its presence on this good folk prog album is a bit of a mistake. Otherwise, this debut album is almost as worthy as Cantofabule (their third), but a little bluesier, although we shall retain their unique blend of folk and outright rock.

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