VÈCI

Another lovley obscurity that I digged up during my venture into RIO/Avant-Prog music!

Combo FH (shortened from Combo Franty Hromady) plays a very unusal and eclectic style of music, toying with the avantgarde with a Canterburian approach. Traces of folk and classical can be heard as well, mostly because of the slightly chamber oriented instrumentation, including bassoon and violin. But if I shall compare this band to other RIO bands/artists, I would say Begnagrad, Samla Mammas Manna, Frank Zappa and Albert Marcoeur would come close, with similar humoristic and absurd elements in the music, and their own unique take on experimentation. A very notable thing with this band is their VERY unorthodox use of "percussions" inclluding scissors, bicycle pumps, clocks, and carpets to spice up the music from time to time. It works incredibly well. The music is very lighthearted, with a very gentle use of dissonance, but still maintaining a very odd and RIO-ish approach, done in a way that surely would make RIO fans drool. The arrangements are fairly complex, not unlike Henry Cow, and are mostly written by leader/keyboardist Daniel Fikejz who stands out as one of the most interesting composers I've heard recently. He's also a very established name in the Czech Jazz and movie score scene. The rest of the band shines as well, and I really admire the music and instrumentation very much!

To quote their Last.fm bio, 'the band were purely a part-time activity, all the while the band members kept their day jobs as everything from academic mathematicians and computer programmers to waiters and janitors'. Makes me think how their other albums would be if they released more of this kind, hehe. Anyways, this is a very unique, interesting and fun album that really should be heard. 4.5/5.

3.5 stars. COMBO FH were from the Czech Republic and they released two albums back in the eighties. This is the debut and it's a highly complex album with punchy sounds as these songs constantly change. MIRIODOR came to mind a lot although I much prefer their music to this. I should mention that the follow-up album sounds like eighties New Wave so it seems they are a band of extremes. This one was a tough one to actually enjoy even though it's clear these guys are brilliant composers and players. We get 14 tracks over 38 minutes and to my ears this is pretty sterile music or maybe it's over my head. In fact I think Bj-1's review holds more weight than mine because this recording does get a lot of praise from Avant fans.

"Guma-Gu" has this almost Reggae-like rhythm as sounds honk, pulse and beat. A change before 3 minutes as the rhythm stops but it's back at 4 minutes. "Sedli A Jedli" is all over the place until it settles. It picks up 2 minutes in with sax playing over the complexity. So much going on. "Oukleji Slalem" is laid back with sax but then it picks up before a minute. Catchy stuff. It settles back down with piano to end it. "Juta Targo" is a short pice that's all over the place. "Reznk Zitra Neprijede" is uptempo and complex although we do get a brief calm after a minute.

"Sen Susene Jahody" doesn't really become melodic until 3 minutes in. Before that we get some accordion, sax and a strange sounding instrument. "Laserova Pout" features piano, drums and more. "Koko A Bucka" is short with intricate sounds. "Je Za Deset Minut, Pardale" kicks into a full sound after a minute. So much going on. Love the abrasive guitar after 1 1/2 minutes but it's brief. "Priloz Ucho" eventually gives up a crazy rhythm with sax. "Druha Nejlepsi Pasticka Na Mysi" is an interesting pice. Quite short. "Zeleny Muz" has some atmosphere to it for a change and bassoon i believe. "Tam Na Horach V Rakosi" is bright and uptempo. "Asi To Zabalime, I Josef Oz To Zavinul" ends it in a relaxed manner.

A tough listen for me but certainly recommended to Rio / Avant fans.