NON STOP

FSB are viewed as Bulgaria's foremost progressive rock group, and with a recording history that stretches back almost twenty years there is support for that. 'Non Stop' was the first album in 1977 and inside the cover slip is a photograph of all five band members, which was obviously taken more recently, and this is repeated in the other two albums I have here. Back then FSB were a trio with some extra musicians, and with two keyboard players and very little in the way of guitars they come across as a modern sounding Greenslade. Actually it is hard to believe that this is an Eastern European band and also that the album is as old as it is as it has dated very well indeed. Largely instrumental, with what lyrics there are sung in Bulgarian, this is an album that is still accessible and enjoyable.

Originally appeared in Feedback #84, July 2005

This album was a bit of a mystery to me, in fact FSB (or as the original name goes: ФСБ) in general is weird for me!

This is a Bulgarian band that started in late 70's and it's still playing and recording. Their first albums were a mix of Progressive Rock that is a kind of a mess, honestly.

Their first album Non Stop (1977) is some strange concept to have in your first album. I mean, the playing in general is very tight and the production is not bad at all, especially when it comes to a Bulgarian band (with no traditional at all on the Prog scene).

The album is basically instrumental being half of it of versions, but not just that, half of the album is made by Gentle Giant songs... played in instrumental versions. Now tell me, what's the point in doing that? Maybe playing like this in your concerts would be a great thing to do, but to record that? No, doesn't work!

Well, anyway, interesting as a fun listening, let's say. You can stream and buy all of their albums in their Bandcamp/Website page: music.fsb.bg/

Bulgarian label Balkanton gathered three musicians in 1975 - keyboardists and songwriters Rumen Boyadzhiev and Konstantin Tsekov and bassist Aleksandar Baharov, thus forming what became one of the most successful Bulgarian rock/pop bands, Formation Studio Balkanton (or FSB).

Oddly enough, for their debut studio release they decided to compose a handful of covers of not-so-obvious progressive rock songs: such from Gentle Giant, Patrick Moraz, Le Orme, and who knows who else. Sounds all good, but none of the original artists were actually credited... ever. So, this makes 'Non Stop' an album of songs which have been covered without any knowledge by the actual bands that wrote them.

As for the music here, it is a good musicians' album. Occasional lyrics have been added, plus a little help from a couple of drummers and percussionists, and a saxophone that appears on the opening track and on 'My City'. Still, is there much originality going on?

'Ten Years After' would also become the most well-known song by the band. I personally think it is mediocre but has a memorable one-line chorus.

So, overall, this is interesting to hear if you are a prog fan who wants to dig deeper than the usual stuff. I must admit there are some great sounds going on, and of course there will be when you have the double keys, the Hammond organs, the mellotron, moog synths, all sorts of electric pianos, and bass pedals!