MEDITACE [AKA: KINGDOM OF LIFE]

Here's me thinking that ModrY Efekt's first album was a blues record and nothing else. How wrong was I? Well, actually not all wrong. Just not totally right either. There are clear blues influences to be found throughout this album, alongside ballads, hard rock, sunshine pop and, I dare not say it, prog. Actually I find this album to be more of a progressive blues album than prog. There are Jethro Tull-like excursions (circa This was) and a blend of other sounds to be found in 1969. There is little to be blown away by here, I find. It is kind of straight forward blues/rock/pop, albeit skilfully constructed and performed.

The music is rather standardized stuff, although they do tend to stretch the boundaries a bit. The greatness to come is only evident in the musicianship. The music is enjoyable and listenable. It thunders along quite nice but never takes off. I wish they'd sung in their native toungue throughout. As it is now I tend to be more or less annoyed by the english vocals.

The most mindblowing thing about these recordings are the progression they made on the next album, Coniunctio. Going from this, sort of average, blues rock to the all out freakish, freeform jazz is staggering. From then on they never stopped progressing. Never looking back, they stormed onwards and on. Meditace is, in that respect, the beginning of a glorious journey to greatness and genius. I love Modry Efekt and as a result I lime this album for what it represents, more than it's contents. If you are looking for their peak of powers, go for any of their albums between 1974-1981. When you've listened to them, try this one and see their origins and from what humble beginnings they came. That is the marvellous thing about it all. The marvellous thing about Modry Efekt.