AKUSTICNA TRAUMA

This double live set represents the last release of PGP RTB label and captures LEB I SOL at Zagreb's "Kulusic" Club which was a "Mecca" for live recordings during the most prolific era of ex-Yugoslav rock scene in the 1980s. The band is stripped to the bone here, in the basic rock trio of drums, guitar and bass, with raw sound and engaging musicianship. Personally, I can still remember many of their gigs at Sarajevo in that period and this album closely represents the repertoire they usually performed. Songs from their last and up to that point the weakest album "Sledovanje" sound better here, without studio manipulations, especially "Lokomobila" and "Mile Pop Jordanov". On the other hand compositions from their first three "classic" albums are played differently (they had to cover the loss of the keyboards), but not always to a succesfull results. Djuricic on drums is still not on par with others, although he is trying hard. Perhaps the most interesting tracks on this set are "Ziva rana", which is extended to 21 minutes improvisational jam and "Bonus", which developed from a short acoustic coda vignette from "Leb i Sol 2" to a full length song that would remain their concert favourite in many years to come. I always hesitate to recommend "live" albums because I do not really trust their documentary nature. But, in this case I remember well the LEB I SOL concerts and this record truly represents their potentials on stage, even you may get a sense of being there. "Akusticna trauma" is a very good LEB I SOL performance and it is recommended purchase, if you find it reissued on CD!