LEB I SOL — Leb i Sol 2 (review)

Album · 1978 · Jazz Related Rock

4/5 · 2025-02-15
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.