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Prazsky Vyber - Prazský Výběr [aka Straka v hrsti] CD (album) cover

PRAZSKÝ VÝBěR [AKA STRAKA V HRSTI]

Prazsky Vyber

 

Eclectic Prog

4.32 | 55 ratings

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Marty McFly
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Before you start considering this album, I have to warn you that this is quite dark record. Perfect, but not optimistic, or pleasant (like symphonic prog). More like furious, full of ideas, promising, but also devastating. But well worth of your attention and money

Strange that the probably best decade for prog music in Czech Republic are 80's. Not so strange, when you consider "shift", we were quite slowed down here, having things released later, genres introduced very later (60's were also little bit swing era), because of WW2 and then

Let's start with statement, that everything is unbelievable insane here Hrabě X ("Count X") starts with psychedelic spoken words (by guitarist's little son actually), them followed by hell interesting and simply riff accompanied by sinister (parodying Dracula) vocals. It's song about weird man misunderstood by everyone, because of his vampiric habits (that are named here). Not crazy enough for you ? We'll get more of these. Watch for little, short parts of this song, as 2:56-2:3:03 (drums with keyboard), really reminding me Beardfish. No, there's no way how could BF be inspired by this.

Na václavském Václaváku ("On Wenceslavic [adjective] Wenceslaw Square"), with full presentation of Vilém Čok's vocals that can almost yodel. Well, it's about little boy lost in Prague, the biggest and quite overcrowded city. Considering the form in which it's made. Furious guitar riff that again, serves only as background for imagination (keyboard mastery, both by skills and ideas). Even solos are fast here and you'll have hard time to keep track with this song I suppose. My suggestion is just to enjoy it.

Straka v hrsti ("Magpie In Hand") starts with crazy introduction (sadly, you don't get chance to see Michal Kocáb on wheelchair with keyboards strapped to it, Michal Pavlíček in crazy hat and shirt with punkish looking (singer from second track) Vilém Čok doing bass quite furiously (he's little bit crazy, but that's advantage in this band).

And others are great too, I said enough.

5(+) without doubts, without bad things, simply pure dark prog psychedelic-crazy rock. Get it if you can (and I suggest you to find it even if you can't). It's the best thing you can get from Czech Republic (or one of the top10 at least)

Marty McFly | 5/5 |

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