FunkFreak75 I've been waiting a long time to write reviews of this Macedonian band's albums even though I felt an immediate attraction to and affinity for their music when I first discovered them sox months ago.

1. "Devetka" (4:30) opening with guitarist Vlatko Stefanovski introducing the song's main melody a couple of times with minimal support from the rest of the band before he pauses a little to allow the rhythmatists to establish the main weave. When Vlatko starts back up he has the support of a funky weave from bassist Bodan Arsovski, drummer Garabet Tavitijan, and keyboardist Nikola Dimusevski who is multi-tasking with both clavinet and Fender Rhodes. Sadly, the song is faded out after only four minutes: it feels as if they're just getting started! Also, too bad the drums are mixed into the background. (9/10)

2. "Pod vodom" (4:58) a fast-movin' romp with some high speed Mahavishnu Orchestra/RTF-like soloing being traded between Vlatko and Nikola's MiniMoog. The funky bass is steady and in tandem with Nikola's supportive Fender Rhodes chords while the drums seem buried in the mix--given no electric boost. Still, very impressive musicianship. (9.25/10)

3. "Utrinska tema" (3:20) a gentler song that is set up to fully support Vlatko's plaintive Stevie Wonder-like vocal. At 2:15 a Carole King piano riff establishes the base for some fiery electric guitar soloing, which, again, sadly, is faded out rather than let play. (8.75/10)

4. "Kokoska" (5:00) opening with a show of drumming skill, Garabet gets much more notice when the other instruments are not present to drown him back into the background, but he's no Billy Cobham or Tony Williams. The rest of the band begins to make themselves known after about 90 seconds, establishing a poppy, almost-Disco jam before actually going Disco from the 2:30 mark on. The back-and-forth bounce between Garabet's two-step drum pattern and Nikola's clavinet support the fiery display of Vlatko's electric guitar, which leads the band through several sytlistic shifts before coming to a clean ending. Impressive play though not my favorite kind of song. (8.75/10)

5. "Nisam tvoj" (3:20) another watered down piece for the support of a pretty vocal performance (with some very nice harmony work from the background vocalists), there is a little keyboard soloing in the spaces between Vlatko's verses but otherwise this is not really a song meant to impress the jazz, rock, or jazz-rock fusion communities. (8.5/10)

6. "U senci" (3:44) an instrumental that plays out more like a hard-charging rock song despite its occasional Weather Report-like jazz sound palette. The drum and bass play here is two rudimentary though Garrabet's fills are impressive. (8.66667/10)

7. "Cudo za tri dana" (2:50) another simple song construct set up to support a vocal. I must admit that Vlatko's voice is very pleasant. He also has a gift for choosing melodies that are "Western" enough to easily pass through my nervous system, that is, to not sing in musical scales and melodies more typical to his native people's musical traditions. (8.75/10)

8. "Pesma o sonji H..." (5:09) a gentle Smooth Jazz instrumental that feels like something out of the Weather Report wheelhouse. Uncredited pan flute (or perhaps its just a keyboard), acoustic piano, and gentle jazz electric guitar lead the way in establishing the gentle melodies over the simple and spacious rhythm track. Nice but nothing to write home about. (8.666667/10)

9. "Damar" (3:28) Upbeat Smooth Jazz that sounds like The Allman Brothers joining forces with The Crusaders. Once again I hear impressive performances from the guitar and keyboards built over fairly rudimentary rhythm lines. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 36:16

After listening to this album a couple of times I remain unconvinced that Leb I Sol's drummer and bass player are in the same league as Nikola Dimusevski and Vlatko Stefanovski. What these two might be capable of with a rhythm section of true virtuosi.

B-/3.5 stars; a very nice display of Jazz-Rock Fusion's transition from its Third to Fourth Waves: the move from skillful fire and funky brimstone into the radio-friendly pop melody making of Smooth Jazz.

FunkFreak75 A band of super-talented musicians pull together a bunch of simply constructed songs over which they perform creatively and with great technical skill. This is the band's second release of 1978!

1. "Akupunktura" (4:08) Now here's a song. Keyboard work and bass play are a bit lite but the drumming is pretty good (so much better than the work on the band's debut album--and better recorded). Vlatko is carrying the song--especially when he (finally) hits full-speed at the end of the third minute. The cheesy rock ending again makes me think that this song is just a simple warmup construct: something that lets the band get synchronized and stretched out. (8.75/10)

2. "Kako ti drago" (3:58) a song that comes with a little ethnic folk spice--either Slavic or Caribbean. This is a true fusion of jazz and rock music: it might even qualify more as something proggy (like a Camel song). (9.125/10)

3. "Aber dojde donke" (4:49) Vlatko Stefanovski is extraordinary! And drummer Garabet Tavitijan has improved! Yay! At the same time, this is just a weird "song" (more like an étude or warm-up session that happened to get recorded.) Impressive guitar play over drum warmups doesn't earn top marks as an album representative. (8.5/10)

4. "Talasna duzina" (4:09) synth strings and electric piano support a bluesy lead guitar opening before a drum-and-cymbal crash signals the fulfillment of the mood-manipulating Soul motif over which Vlatko sings in a quite pleasant voice (in his native language). A very nice, solidly composed and rendered love song. I hope the "wave length" Vlatko is trying to reach with this one worked for his relationship. (8.875/10)

5. "Dikijeva igra" (4:09) a real rocker, spiced up with some jazzy nuances from the rhythm section and by the fact that it's an instrumental, but, really, it feels like a instrumental jam from some late 1960s pioneer of hard rock (or a Thin Lizzy instrumental.) I do like hearing the organ and vibes (as well as more testament to Garabet's improved drumming skills [and confidence]). (8.875/10)

6. "Uzvodno od tuge" (4:10) another gentle, pretty (soothing) ballad-like song construct, this time using slightly more nuanced musicianship than the previous "Talazna duzina," electric piano supporting pitch-bending synth solo and then, toward the end of the third minute, acoustic guitar solo. Too bad that it's only an instrumental as I found myself waiting for, expecting, vocals--otherwise, this is not really much of a Jazz-Rock Fusion song--not even a Smooth Jazz one! (8.875/10)

7. "Marija" (6:30) starts rather slowly, atmospherically, like a mature CAMEL song before jumping into the full band, full cruising speed CAMEL-like motif. This is a very solid full-band construct, with very solid united performances from the two rhythmatists, some nice keyboard support, and some excellently-constructed slow-building electric guitar play in the lead position. Nice piano solo from Nikola in the sixth minute. (9.75/10)

8. "Bonus" (1:34) acoustic guitar and singing. A bit like a Jimmy Page/Led Zepp song. (4.25/5)

Total Time: 34:02

A much better album in terms of equal quality of musicianship and recording sound quality than their debut.

B/four stars; an excellent display of skillful musicianship expressed through rather simplistic song constructs. Definitely an improvement over the band's debut.

FunkFreak75 The Serbian band's third album released in the space of 18 months shows even more growth.

1. "Lenja pesma" (4:32) more sophisticated than their previous efforts (especially from bass player, Bodan Arsovski, drummer Garabet Tavitijan, and in the composition department). There's so much more to this song construct than anything on the band's previous albums--even the sound quality (which is more like JEAN-LUC PONTY or UK despite the CAMEL/John Wetton-esque vocals). (9.125/10)

2. "Rebus" (5:12) the staccato instrument sounds weaving together on this one are very much like something coming from the contemporary (late) Canterbury scene and bands like BRUFORD and UK. The second piano-dominated motif is full jazz (though perhaps a bit of a parody of such--in a BUGGLES kind of way) but Nikola Dimusevski sure gets to shine (as do Bodan and Garabet). The key changes and motif switches are awesome! Now this is true Jazz-Rock Fusion! (9.3333/10)

3. "Hogar" (4:21) a nice little pre-song space intro gives this a little UTOPIA/MISTER MISTER "Kyrie Eleison"/JEAN-LUC PONTY "Don't Let the World Pass You by" feel. The band continues the "Don't Let the World Pass You by" emulation when it ramps up the whole band into a fast-paced two-step cruising speed over which Vlatcko and Nikola (and maybe Milivoje) add their brief solos. A return to the intro motif at the halfway mark allows for a reset and then everybody's back to the races again. I love how fat the band has come: it's no longer music set up to display individual skills (especially Vlatko's); now it's fully-formed, sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion within which the individual musicians can make their mark. (9.5/10)

4. "Rucni rad" (5:07) the slow, melodic start had me a bit worried, but this song's development follows very well that of any mature, high-level Third or Fourth Wave Jazz-Rock Fusion song (though two of the motifs used definitely step into the realm of "Yacht Rock"/Smooth Jazz--if only exploratory "dipping their toes"). It's really remarkable how far Bodan and Nikola have come! (8.875/10)

5. "Kumova slama" (5:20) A semi-Disco tune--with Bodan setting the main melody with his fretless bass?!! And then Vlatko coming in with his Smooth Jazz CHRIS REA/LEE RITENOUR-like lead guitar melody-making! Unfortunately, it makes the song sound like a Easy Listening cover of an EAGLES song. Well performed (and, I guess, conceived--I've got to give kudos where they are deserved) but I have to admit to feeling a little disappointed and let down--especially after the rousing full-on Jazz-Rock Fusion start! (8.875/10)

6. "Put u vedro" (5:20) another softer and smoother musical construct that mellows one out as if you're sitting in the sun on your yacht or Florida club's poolside--even sporting a seductive, sex-suggestive saxophone as its one and only lead instrument. At the end of the fourth minute, however, things get a little crazy as the musicians go into a bit of a frenzy of chaotic noise-making, but they all come back to the soporific theme that started it all for the final 20 seconds (and fadeout). Nice but not enough to salvage it from the miasma of the kind of music that makes one have to drink. (8.75/10)

7. "Verni pas" (6:09) sounds exactly like something from Burt Bacharach's soundtrack to the film, Arthur. It's pretty, atmospheric, and mood-affecting, just not the Jazz-Rock Fusion I was hoping for (that the album's first three songs teased me with). (8.75/10)

Total Time: 36:01

An album whose first three songs signaled the start of a high-quality Jazz-Rock Fusion masterpiece took a sudden (and sadly unexpected) turn into the Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary Fourth Wave avenue of what I call Smooth Jazz. It's mature, high-quality sound and song construction throughout--even the traitorous smooth stuff

B+/4.5 stars; an album that would definitely qualify for full masterpiece status were we only judging the first three songs. As it plays out, as an album, this is high-quality music (and sound); it's just not the high-quality peak-era Jazz-Rock Fusion music that they seemed to be promising at the beginning. As it is, in its aggregate sum form, I can only refer to this as an inconsistent near-miss "near-masterpiece."

seyo After two successfull albums LEB I SOL decided not to repeat the formula but to go into a deeper exploration of jazz.

For the third album they almost abandoned the lyrics and invited a saxophone guest for two tracks. Vocals are present but except "Lenja pesma", an excellent even semi-commercial hit at the time, they were utilized as an instrument. Dimusevski is more active than ever with his electric piano and plethora of synths, Stefanovski's guitar technique is brought to perfect here, while rhythm section of Tavitijan and Arsovski is impeccable as always. Macedonian folk is less present in favour of more "avant-garde" approach in a manner of jazz improvistions, so "Rucni rad" is not very accessible on the first listen.

Production of Josip Bocek is finally top notch for the time, the whole album carries the balanced sound of all instruments, perfectly arranged so you could get a sense of the band playing as a single body. Solos are rare but very effective and functional.

All 7 tracks are perfect but obvious favorites would be "Lenja pesma" (lyrics as always by Goran Stefanovski, Vlatko's brother, who is a renowned Macedonian playright), Arsovski's title track "Rucni rad" with some beautiful fretless bass melody line and Stefanovski's "Kumova slama", one of the most memorable instrumentals of the former Yugo music scene, beautiful melody with emotional guitar solo weeping. However there is present a sort of optimistic, positive feeling in this composition which sometimes reminds me of the similar style found in say "Jessica" by ALLMAN BROTHERS. This is a true gem of ex-Yugo fusion.

It is available on a "2LP on1CD" reissue coupled with the fourth album "Infinity" (T.Pics/PGP RTS, CD 2046, 2000) so you better go and get it!

seyo The second LEB I SOL album repeats the formula from the debut. The same line-up, the same instrumentation, the same producer (J.Bocek) and similar ratio between instrumentals and songs with lyrics (one less in this case ). Preconditions for the "second album trap"?

No, this time we are talking about genuine masterpiece of ex-Yugo fusion! Production is better, all instruments sound better, compositions are better, and all musicians expressed their ideas more bravely. Stefanovski is not much of a vocalist - indeed, LEB I SOL are first and foremost the instrumentalists - the vocals are often moved to the second front, much like Andy Latimer did with CAMEL. But even his rare voice is better here on the second album.

Side A of the original vinyl (first 4 tracks) are simply stunning: "Akupunktura", "Kako ti drago", a great crescendo of another traditional "Aber dojde Donke" and vocal hit "Talasna duzina" are worth the price alone. But the rest must not be overlooked: the most furious guitar solo I ever heard in "Marija" and a closing short acoustic song "Bonus" which was to become a sort of LEB I SOL anthem during their live performances when it was usually pretty extended. All members of the team are giving their best, especially Dimusevski's piano and synths shine.

LEB I SOL music was always more melodic and skillfully played than avant-garde or explorative, so if you are looking for a tasty and technically superb rework of traditional Macedonian folk melodies with odd time signatures done in a vein of Allan Holdsworth playing guitar with RETURN TO FOREVER backing, search no more! It is available on a "2LP on1CD" reissue coupled with "Leb i sol" (T.Pics/PGP RTS, CD 2036, 2000) so you better go and get it!