PAVOL HAMMEL, MARIÁN VARGA, RADIM HLADÍK: NA II. PROGRAME SNA

This second collaborative album between Pavol Hammel, Marian Varga and Radim Hladik, came out 4 years after "Zelena Posta". It seems as though Hammel had more to do with this one than Varga did, as there is even a stronger pop tint on it than on the great '72 album. One of the most important developments here is the first time Varga used synthesizers on recordings, to my knowledge, but it still has plenty of organ, and is sonically balanced compared to the disaster "Continuo" that would happen a few years later.

Simplifying the situation we can say that side 1 of the record was the proggier side of the album, with the four longest songs being the most interesting. The title track is a driving tune based on an Emerson-inspired organ motif. "Letia husi" has some interesting mods on the organ, a good chorus in 5/4 and some seriously frantic soloing by Varga. "S chodnikom na chrbte" is a more straightforward rock jam, despite being the longest track the album, but it features some awesome soloing by both Varga and Hladik. Finally, "Lalia polna" is a fairly simple choral piece, but very effective and beautiful, perhaps the single highlight here.

The second side is comprised of some no more than decent pop-rock songs. "V zelenej pamati" in particular is the rock bottom of the album with its latin-pop flavor, and Varga doesn't even play on it. Similarly the dixieland-infused album closer leaves this listener with a bad taste in his mouth.

Overall, if you thought that "Zelena Posta" was a masterpiece then you will also like "Na 2. programe sna", although half of it sounds like pop-rock of the times, and would have been better left for a solo Hammel album. The nice thing is that there is a double-cd edtion that has both albums on it.