Finch - Beyond Expression. 1976 Netherlands

I could have sworn I wrote about this album before. This was one of my earliest mail order purchases while still in college, and is yet one more important album that encouraged me to continue my deep dive into obscure European progressive rock. Glory of the Inner Force is one of the most important records in my collection, so I was very excited to be able to get this title for reasonably cheap, even back then.

From a style perspective, it's largely a continuation of the aforementioned Glory album. I'm going to quote from the other two studio album reviews, as that will likely auto-write this one. 

"Glory of the Inner Force is quite simply hyper kinetic instrumental progressive rock, or what we used to call symphonic fusion...  One criticism I've constantly heard about Finch is that they're more about chops than composition, and yet I hear it completely different. Despite the fast paced nature of the recordings, and the many twist and turns that goes on throughout each track, there is also a strong melodic component as well - very similar to Focus regarding this latter characteristic."

(Galleons of Passion): "But on close inspection, one can hear that Finch had already moved in this direction on Side 2 of Beyond Expression. And what makes it successful is the superb guitar playing of Joop van Nimwegen. He clearly is one to wear his emotions on his guitar sleeve, and his playing here is incredibly expressive. In this way, Nimwegen could be compared to Mario Millo over in Australia. In fact, that to me is what Galleons of Passion reminds me of most: Sebastian Hardie. The appropriately named 'Reconciling' closes the album in more kinetic fashion, hence reconciling with their past Glories."

Beyond Expression has three long tracks that use the same heavy / soft formula of instrumental symphonic fusion with plenty of thematic and meter changes throughout. Essential.

Ownership: LP: 1976 Negram. Single sleeve. Acquired from a California based dealer through Goldmine Magazine while still in college (1986). Mine fortunately does not have a tear on the back like the Discogs stock copy. 

CD: 1994 Marquee / Pseudonym. Jewel case with gold disc.

1986 (first listen); 1994; 2009; 1/10/24 (review)

Sloche - J'un Oeil. 1975 Canada-Quebec

I've owned this album for 31 years, and always liked it - solid 11 in my mind. But earlier this year I experienced a +2 listen. After all these years it finally hit me on how really great this album is. That perfect blend of symphonic rock and fusion. Perfectly produced with many twists and turns. French singing is a bonus. The final track shows a clear Yes influence as well.

Ownership: LP: 1975 RCA. Single sleeve. Acquired from a mail order dealer (1992).

CD: 2009 ProgQuebec. Because of the epiphany above, I'm also keeping this CD, which features a nice history. Definitely an album worth having on both formats.

1992; 2009; 2/19/23 (LP 4.10); 4/12/23 (new entry)

Solaris - Marsbéli Krónikák. 1984 Hungary

If you ask a hardcore progressive rock fan what the worst decade of music was, "The 80s" is the automated response. And while I'll stand by that same position, a deep dive into the decade gives us another perspective. 1980 was in reality an extension of the 70s artistically speaking. 1981 to 1983 held plenty of wonderful privately released progressive rock gems primarily from France, Scandinavia, USA, and Germany. Not to mention the promise the original New Wave of British Progressive Rock once projected. And then from 1987 onward, we experienced the renaissance that continues to this day. But the real barren years did exist in the middle - 1984 to 1986 was a graveyard for traditional progressive rock. Fans of fringe areas - like avant prog - will counter that it may have been the golden age as bands like Univers Zero and Present were at their peak. And of course other genres, like heavy metal and various forms of electronic, were also experiencing new high water marks. But if you wanted 70's styled symphonic prog, well it was going to be tough sledding for sure.

I bring this point up in a Solaris review, because Marsbeli Kronikak is the gem in the rough - the very best symphonic prog album in that three year time frame. Isolated in still Communist Hungary may have played a role in that - not to mention a relatively more lenient regime in regards to the arts than other Iron Curtain countries at the time.

Recently I had reviewed Tako's second album, and talked about symphonic fusion - a genre that isn't recognized today, but was frequently referred to 25 years ago and beyond. And that's exactly where you'll find the music of Solaris. The primary difference here is the copious use of sequencer based electronics that lay the bedrock for the symphonic progressive music on top. Attila Kollar's flute is magnificent as ever,and he often drives the instantly-recognizable Solaris style melodies. Istvan Cziglan's hard edged guitar, and Robert Erdesz's fine synthesizer work round out the leads.

For us prog fans back in the mid 80's who were desperate for quality 70s styled progressive rock, Solaris was a godsend. In retrospect some 35 years later - they still are.

Ownership: LP: 1984 Start. Single sleeve.

CD: 1995 Gong. The CD has 2 bonus tracks, that sound a bit more modern than the album proper.

Tako - U Vreci za Spavanje. 1980 Serbia

Tako's second album, christened with the of-the-moment name In the Sleeping Bag, is an almost perfect example of one of my personal favorite styles of progressive rock. That of what we used to call symphonic fusion. Quite simply instrumental progressive rock, but heavy on melody and tricky compositions - and no showboating whatsoever. It's a sound the Dutch perfected in the mid 70s, and was later adapted heavily in the late 70s and early 80s in France, Japan, and points unknown - like Serbia for example. Each individual track can be appreciated entirely on its own, without having to worry about its sequence within the album. The guitarist plays in a decidedly rough manner, a type of psychedelic hard rock sound. The keyboards are vintage 1980, which is a sound one expects to hear for the style. The fact that Tako keeps the album interesting throughout each minute is a testament to how strong they were as a functioning unit. The bonus tracks are just as enchanting as the album itself.

Personal collection
CD: 1998 Record Runner (Brazil)
LP: 1992 Kalemegdan (Germany)

I first heard this album via the Kalemegdan LP reissue. The German label is famous for unearthing and reissuing the best from the former Yugoslavia - and they were responsible for the two bonus tracks found here. Oddly the album was only reissued on CD in Brazil, by the excellent Record Runner label. They licensed the recording directly from Kalemegdan. Definitely recommend either reissue, for the bonus cuts, and the superior sound to the original Eastern European LP.

Maximum Indifference. 1996 USA-California

For their debut Maximum Indifference provides us, in effect, an instrumental version of early 80s Rush. Take out the pop elements and vocals, and focus on Rush's tremendous technical music acumen, and you'll have a good idea what this guitar based trio (with synthesizers) sounds like. For whatever reason, you're likely to read this to be a jazz fusion album. This is an album based in rock, not jazz. These are rock guys, putting out an instrumental tech metal album - without the metal of course. And given this musical outlook, post rock is a good secondary genre for the band. In the 70s and 80's we'd have called this symphonic fusion, a genre tag that has gone extinct I'm afraid. And it's one of my favorite genres. Overall an excellent album, and one I have no intention of parting with. It has aged very well, and I purchased mine not long after release date.

Ownership: CD: 1996 Botched. 

1996; 3/16/15 (new entry)

Finch - Glory of the Inner Force. 1975 Netherlands

Glory of the Inner Force is quite simply hyper kinetic instrumental progressive rock, or what we used to call symphonic fusion. I've owned this album for over 30 years, and I never tire of it. One criticism I've constantly heard about Finch is that they're more about chops than composition, and yet I hear it completely different. Despite the fast paced nature of the recordings, and the many twist and turns that goes on throughout each track, there is also a strong melodic component as well - very similar to Focus regarding this latter characteristic. I personally think Glory of the Inner Force is one of those great "starter" albums to new fans of the genre. It's immediately likeable - and it rocks hard. At this point in my life, Glory of the Inner Force will likely always be a Top 50 album for me.

Ownership: LP: 1975 Negram. Single sleeve. Online acquisition (1999).

LP: 1975 ATCO (USA). Single sleeve. Purchased at Bill's Records in Dallas (1985). 

CD: 1994 Belle Antique (Japan). Jewel case. Gold disc with liners in Japanese. Features the Colossus single, which is also excellent, and similar to the LP proper.

The ATCO release is one of the very first European "obscurities" I had discovered in the middle 80s while still in college. This was back at a time when I bought albums strictly on how they looked, and how long the songs were. I had become pretty adept at it by this point, and Finch was an obvious target once I saw it. Besides they had a drummer named Beer! Hey, this was long before the internet, and research materials were non-existent back then. Crate digger veterans will know what I mean here! For years, I had wanted a copy of the Dutch original, which I think is the nicer cover. In the catalog days of the late 80s and 90s, this was a fairly expensive item.

But when the great market equalizer ebay came along, it turned out there was plenty of supply. I bought one cheap as soon as possible and even today you can find one at a very reasonable price. The American version is very common. However finding one without a massive promo sticker and sawcuts is much more challenging. 

1985; 1994; 1/6/15 (new entry); 10/31/19