DE PROFUNDIS

AFTER CRYING's de Profundis is a monumental work of art. With it's small pieces intended to display the skill and artistry of its individual members, I am reminded of YES's Fragile. Yet, as so many reviewers have noted, there are definite signs of the influence of Robert Fripp and Keith Emerson. Most predominant, however, are the deep and rich traditions of Hungarian classical and folk music. As with many "Eastern European" music traditions, we "Westerners" sometimes have some difficulty hearing the 'beauty' or getting used to the 'melodies' of these musics. That is why repeated listening, attentive headphone listening, and background listening are all important--to, if you will, immerse oneself or imbue oneself in these sounds and textures. Such has been the educative approach which has led to last night's 'breakthrough.' It all makes sense. It is truly beautiful, powerful, albeit, at times, complicated music. With two short songs being among the most hauntingly beautiful songs I've EVER heard, I knew I had to keep listening to the rest of this music. I now champion five songs from this album to be included among the pantheon of all-time 'classics.' The first is the first song on the album:

1. "Bevezetés." A female choir chanting angelically from within a chapel/cathedral setting over an organ. Beautiful arrangement. 10/10

2. "Modern Idök" is an orchestral behemoth with very theatric male voice singing in Hungarian. 8/10

3. "Az üstökös." A beautiful piano rondo. 9/10

4. "Stalker" is one of the album's two epics, clocking in at over 12 minutes. Beginning with a very ominous rolling bass line accompanied by sporadic percussion and percussive guitar playing and strings until 2:20 when brass and woodwinds join in. At 2:50 an electric guitar takes over, playing over a fairly standard rock beat & rhythm section until gradually joined by the brass playing a very PHILLIP GLASS-like rolling part. The 4:55 mark sees a winding down to a quiet section: bells, organ, light cymbol play, and spoken word carry on until at 6:55 when a flute takes over with an airy melody. Then, just as you're lulled to sleep, all hell breaks loose at the 7:55 mark. Very CRIMSON-esque "Red"-like until the 9:23 mark when it just as suddenly stops. Instead, a FRIPP-like guitar solo struggles within its sadness and melancholy while a distant organ and the sound of a train traveling on its tracks serves as its only background. Amazing song! 9/10

5. "Stonehenge" is a rather uninteresting cello solo not unlike some KRONOS QUARTET pieces. 6/10

6. "Külvárosi éj" is one of the most stunningly beautiful, creative instrumental pieces I've ever encountered. Floating, shifting electric guitar arpeggios over which build tympani, cello, and trumpet into a weave of such intricacy and majesty--?! 10/10

7. "Manók tánca" is a chamber music song built around a piano which later engages a drum kit. 8/10

8. "Kifulladásig" contains an electric guitar playing in a kind of STANLEY JORDAN meets NARCISO YPES style. Not unlike something ROBERT FRIPP would do. It does have a quite beautiful mid-section sounding more like BRUCE COCKBURN beginning at the 2:00 minute mark. 7/10

9. "De Profundis" is a four part epic of almost 12 minutes. The first part has a very medieval, chamber music feel--complete with minstrel-like vocals--while later adding piano. At the 5:00 minute mark, section b. slows down the piano, bassoon, flute, cello--having a very GENESIS feel to it. Section C presents a MIKE OLDFIELD sounding guitar solo until at 9:55 we have a return to the beginning format and vocal. Wonderful song! Very pastoral and accessible. 9/10

10. "Jónás imája" begins a series of short pieces with one longer piece (the 8 minute "Esküszegök") in the middle. Like "Fragile," these pieces seem to serve mostly to showcase the individual talents or experimental song structures of the group. This one contains a storytelling over electric bass harmonic arpeggios. 6/10

11. "Elveszett város" contains oboe playing over a chamber orchestra. 6/10

12. "Kisrasút" is a piano piece done in an almost DON PULLEN-plays-Ragtime fashion. 7/10

13. Esküszegök" Very CRIMSON-esque electric rock band until the third section when brass and woodwinds are added. 6/10

14. 40 masodperc" is 40 seconds of street noises and organ.

15. A világ végén" A female voice singing over SUPERTRAMP-like keyboard, joined later by bassoon, then flutes with synthesized strings, then oboe. 7/10

Giving this innovative and very progressive yet far-from-perfect album anything less than "Masterpiece" status is really difficult for me. Kind of like getting used to GENTLE GIANT: it requires persistence and appreciation for the mathematical possibility of musical dimensions. Yet, most everyone agrees on the genius and virtuosity of GG. Were the same numbers able (or willing) to access AFTER CRYING, there might be greater appreciation for them.