IPAK VERUJEM U SEBE

The third GALIJA album "Ipak verujem u sebe" ("I Still Believe in Myself") appeared in 1982. The 6-piece band line-up headed by Milosavljević Bros. remained the same as the one which had recorded the previous LP (a rare instance indeed!), and the improvement is noticeable. It obviously required some time for the group to develop their team skills and communication.

By this time GALIJA had already established a popular following, especially across the regions of Serbia, Bosnia and Dalmatian coast, where in the town of Makarska they used to spend the summer vacations frequently playing. On the occasion of the Joe Cocker concert in Belgrade, in October 1982, GALIJA appeared as a support group promoting this album, which had been just published in previous months. The concert opener, symphonic ballad, "Jos uvek sanjam" ("I'm Still Dreaming") also opens the album and still ranks among the GALIJA's best ballads. With loads of organ, piano and choir-like vocals it spurred an unexpected smash hit. "Skolarci" ("School Kids") on the other hand brings some refreshing new wave/funk/neo-prog elements, odd time signature, military drumming, dark tones and psychedelic eastern-sounded synthesizers. Funky guitar riffs recall TALKING HEADS who were then extremely popular in ex-Yugoslavia.

"Ja sam od onih" ("I'm One of Those People") and "Burna pijana noć" ("The Wild Drunken Night") are two very nice symphonic/acoustic ballads containing pleasant melodies, gentle organ chords and melodic bass lines. The longest track on the album, "Da li postoji put" ("Is There a Way?"), starts with folksy acoustic guitar and singing reminiscent of JETHRO TULL's "Thick as a brick", but soon develops as a prog-rocking anthem along the lines of bass, organ and synths. Lots of tempo changes, heavy guitar riffs and harmonica spices suddenly bring to a strange coda; a cappella church-like male choir followed by female voices sing the main theme of the song. Interesting but somehow artificially attached part.

The remaining tracks are not worthy of particular attention - they stick to the worn-out ROLLING STONES r'n'b model, even though the closing title track was quite a hit back then.

"Ipak verujem u sebe" is perhaps the best of the first three, prog-influenced, albums by GALIJA. The musicianship, which suffered a lot on the previous works, has improved here largely by decent production, but the sound is still very competent and engaging. Unfortunately, their later career was to terribly deteriorate (in terms of quality - popularity was never questioned) during the 1980s, with only occasional inspired and justified works produced in the 1990s. Therefore, I would recommend this album to general prog audience.

PERSONAL RATING: 3,5/5 P.A. RATING: 4/5