COMBO FH

"Guma-Gu" has this almost Reggae-like rhythm as sounds honk, pulse and beat. A change before 3 minutes as the rhythm stops but it's back at 4 minutes. "Sedli A Jedli" is all over the place until it settles. It picks up 2 minutes in with sax playing over the complexity. So much going on. "Oukleji Slalem" is laid back with sax but then it picks up before a minute. Catchy stuff. It settles back down with piano to end it. "Juta Targo" is a short pice that's all over the place. "Reznk Zitra Neprijede" is uptempo and complex although we do get a brief calm after a minute.

"Sen Susene Jahody" doesn't really become melodic until 3 minutes in. Before that we get some accordion, sax and a strange sounding instrument. "Laserova Pout" features piano, drums and more. "Koko A Bucka" is short with intricate sounds. "Je Za Deset Minut, Pardale" kicks into a full sound after a minute. So much going on. Love the abrasive guitar after 1 1/2 minutes but it's brief. "Priloz Ucho" eventually gives up a crazy rhythm with sax. "Druha Nejlepsi Pasticka Na Mysi" is an interesting pice. Quite short. "Zeleny Muz" has some atmosphere to it for a change and bassoon i believe. "Tam Na Horach V Rakosi" is bright and uptempo. "Asi To Zabalime, I Josef Oz To Zavinul" ends it in a relaxed manner.

A tough listen for me but certainly recommended to Rio / Avant fans.

"Dnes V Noci" has lots of that percussion with vocals. Horns before 2 minutes and a guitar solo after 3 1/2 minutes. "Psi Hodinar" is laid back with vocals. I really like this one and it has lots of atmosphere. "Filmy Diouhych Zaberu" has a dance beat with vocals. it picks up some before 2 minutes and the sax joins in briefly. "Sluchatka" makes me laugh. They can't be serious. Haha. "Mladi Vybourene" has those deep vocals and light sounds. Again i'm trying not to laugh here. "HM. HM. HM." isn't bad with the horns coming in after a minute.

"Plany" is different and my favourite. Lots of atmosphere with vocals that are reserved. Some clarinet too then the vocals get more passionate. Nice. "Vemisaz" is one that gets me laughing again with those light vocals and beat. "Klouzes" is one I like while "Situace Na Strese" is the only instrumental but with those fake dance beats. Horns after 2 minutes. "Soused Kope Jamu, Ale My Dva" has these loungey vocals and lazy sax and i'm running for the door, but then it gets better until we get a great sound 3 minutes in with atmosphere and sax.

I can't imagine any Prog fans giving this 4 stars or for that matter even 3 stars. For me though it's an entertaining listen that takes me back to a time in my life when I was having a blast.

Combo FH (shortened from Combo Franty Hromady) plays a very unusal and eclectic style of music, toying with the avantgarde with a Canterburian approach. Traces of folk and classical can be heard as well, mostly because of the slightly chamber oriented instrumentation, including bassoon and violin. But if I shall compare this band to other RIO bands/artists, I would say Begnagrad, Samla Mammas Manna, Frank Zappa and Albert Marcoeur would come close, with similar humoristic and absurd elements in the music, and their own unique take on experimentation. A very notable thing with this band is their VERY unorthodox use of "percussions" inclluding scissors, bicycle pumps, clocks, and carpets to spice up the music from time to time. It works incredibly well. The music is very lighthearted, with a very gentle use of dissonance, but still maintaining a very odd and RIO-ish approach, done in a way that surely would make RIO fans drool. The arrangements are fairly complex, not unlike Henry Cow, and are mostly written by leader/keyboardist Daniel Fikejz who stands out as one of the most interesting composers I've heard recently. He's also a very established name in the Czech Jazz and movie score scene. The rest of the band shines as well, and I really admire the music and instrumentation very much!

To quote their Last.fm bio, 'the band were purely a part-time activity, all the while the band members kept their day jobs as everything from academic mathematicians and computer programmers to waiters and janitors'. Makes me think how their other albums would be if they released more of this kind, hehe. Anyways, this is a very unique, interesting and fun album that really should be heard. 4.5/5.