RZEKA DAM

Wonderful new band from Poland, that's not trying to be Riverside!

Polish band APPLE BELLS dates back to the early 1990s, when founding members Blazej Kubica, Lukasz Jura, and Dariusz Rybarski formed with some friends the earliest incarnation of the band. After disbanding for several years, the group was reformed in 2004. They honed their music for several years and then began recording their debut album "Rzeka Dam" in 2010, with the help of several professional studio musicians. The album was released in 2011.

APPLE BELLS lists as their influences King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Czeslaw Niemen, The Beatles, Jethro Tull . . . even Eminem! But stylistically the band takes equal parts King Crimson and Pink Floyd, and mixes in the Eastern European progressive style of Niemen and others. There are lush atmospheric stretches, jazzy interludes, with periodic Crimsonic outbursts--although maintaining a stronger sense of melody that softens the harsh angles that Crimson exhibits. This is strongly exemplified in the song "Sen," which moves from moody atmosphere to angular guitar and bass, with overlying melodic sax. Another strong moment comes in the beginning of the following song, "Pamiętnik," in which the spirit of some of the great Eastern European prog giants is invoked--I don't know if it was intentional, but I get a strong sense of Blue Effect here.

The album is truly enhanced by the artwork that comes in the digipack, which is expanded upon on the band's website. They are working on art videos that will complement the poetic beauty of the album--and if there's one word I would use to describe this album, it is poetry. Truly mesmerizing stuff--not always pretty, but always meaningful. The lyrics are thankfully sung in their native Polish--I don't understand a word, but as I go through the efforts of translating the lyrics, they're that much more impacting. The language is beautiful, to match the words and the concept. This is definitely an album to be experienced. Four stars.

APPLE BELLS is such a lame name for a band but maybe in Poland it means something other than what someone might be selling at a craft show. The music here is anything but lame though. KING CRIMSON is who came to mind the most by far. I was reminded as well of fellow Poles LIZARD. The vocals are in Polish and it clocks in at a tidy 43 minutes.

"Swit" is the spacey and dreamy intro for "Lan". Soft vocals come in with bass, drums and sparse guitar sounds. This is relaxing until a raw guitar solo comes in before 3 1/2 minutes. The vocals are back a minute after that in a heavier soundscape. Back to that relaxed sound with vocals before 6 minutes. It's heavier again late. "Wik Link" has percussion sounds and atmosphere to open then frogs and rain can be heard after 2 minutes, thunder too. It blends into "Bosa W Deszczu" where a beat with strummed guitar comes in. Violin and reserved vocals too. "Damy Rade Dojsc W Tym Stanie ?" is a short piece where the guys are talking and laughing and it's contageous. It's hard not to laugh along even though I have no idea what they are saying.

"Taki Jest Swiat" is nice and heavy with vocals. The sax rips it up a minute in. The vocals are back with the heavines as the organ floats in the background. They do a vocal tribute to KING CRIMSON copying Wetton's part off of "Red". Cool. "Sen" has birds chirping with atmosphere as bass and a beat help out. Reserved vocals join in then it picks up before 2 1/2 minutes. Sax before 4 minutes. Great sound reminding me of the "Islands" album by KC. A calm ends it as it blends into "Pamietnik". Reserved vocals join in as we get a Rap section (they are Eminem fans) then it turns dark and eerie before the vocals return. Themes are repeated. "Rzeka Dam" sounds amazing. Love the atmosphere. Some KC-like heaviness after 1 1/2 minutes as the vocals join in. Killer guitar in the Fripp mode as well. "Kamienie Solne" is a vocal track with sax. Love this stuff. It's heavier late as it blends into "Demon". Vocals join in as the sound of drinks being poured can be heard.

A very solid 4 stars for this one. I really enjoyed this record.