SYMPHONIC PICTURES

It´s interesting of how many obscure symphonic prog bands there were in the 70´s. Sometimes you just can´t figure out why they remained little known (when they do release one or more very good albums). sometimes it´s easy to understand their actual position in the prog world (when what they produced is not that great). This german trio sits somewhere too near to the second option : their first album was out in 1976 and while it has some good moments, it is far from being essential or even excellent. Nothing wrong with their musicanship: it´s clear that they are skillful instrumentists. But unfortunatly they were not as good at the songwriting department.

SFF can´t seem to make up their minds on what they are aiming at: symphonic prog? Avant guard? Jazz rock? Eletronic? Space rock? You´ll find elements of all those in here, albeit in a ragged and incoherent way. They can´t come up with a sound of their own and the songs just go on pointlessly. The opener Tao is a good exemple of a good idea that was not well developed: fine guitar riff, good drumming, excellent keys on the first few bars, reminding me of early Camel. Then it never reachs a climax or a convincing progression. And that plagues the whole album. Even the 16 minute suite Pictures can´t be saved. it reminds me a bit of King Crimson, but unlike Crimson they never get anywhere and the epic ends as it started: a bunch of notes put together, some good, some bad, nothing holding any kind of concept or integrated ideas. Some years before I guess their sound would be considered a novelty of kinds or something like that, but by 1976 it was quite a late comer even in that field.

Considering the high ratings I saw here on PA, I was expecting a lot more. This is definitly for hardcore fans of the style. My advice is: listen carefully before buy it.