ZASTO NE VOLIM SNEG

1. "Juzni voz" (3:29) an organ-based song that supports the dynamic guitar play of Radomir Mihailović as well as the hard rockin' BÖC/GRAND FUNK-like vocals of Zoran Zivanović-Hoze. Hate that one-two straight time. (8.6667/10)

2. "Zajdi, zajdi" (5:27) organ, flute, slow plodding bass and drums supporting a ROBIN TROWER/DAVID GILMOUR-like electric guitar solo--for the whole song! (8.66667/10)

3. "Talisman" (4:42) the best, most jazzy and skill-demonstrative song on the album: here Radomir's guitar skills sound a bit like Allan Holdsworth, Zoran Milanović's bass skills finally get loosed, and Luzar Ristovski's keyboard skills get some room to show and shine. (8.75/10)

4. "Zasto ne volim sneg" (7:09) a slow and very spacious piece in which guest singer Dado Topić gives quite a nice, impassioned vocal performance. As a classic rock song this is quite good; as a jazz-rock fusion piece it is not. (13.25/15)

5. "Balet" (5:32) sounds like a live stage recording in front of an audience. I hate live recordings. Nice Smooth Jazz- infused organ-centric jazz-rock music from a group of performers who may be young or not yet fully formed. I like guitarist Radomir Mihailović's rhythm work in the background. (8.6667/10)

6. "Maht pustinja" (9:31) opening with some bluesy Hendrix-like electric guitar frills and flourishes before the rest of the band joins in. I think they're trying for a heavy Mahavishnu Orchestra kind of vibe here. Nice solo guitar work in the third minute as the rest of the band supports with some solid two-chord rhythm play. A slight left turn at 3:25 leads into a new motif in which Radomir's guitar becomes more supportive so that Lazar Ristovski's organ and Zoran Milanović's bass can have some of the limelight. Their time is brief and not very exciting, then we get Radomir stepping back into the lead with some, at first melodic lead play which, then, turns quite aggressive and incendiary for the eighth and ninth minutes. Not bad--it's enjoyable--but definitely not of top or even secondary tier Jazz-Rock Fusion quality. (17.5/20)

7. "Nebeski splav" (4:21) another stripped-down song that supports a MARK FARNER/GRAND FUNK RAILROAD-like vocal performance by Zoran Zivanović-Hoze (over a Grand Funk "The Railroad"-like musical foundation). (8.5/10)

Total Time: 40:14

Either the tapes/vinyl have not stood up very well over the 40 years of sitting around or the initial tapes were poorly recorded (despite the clarity of the incidentals and subtleties), but something is not quite what I was expecting (from its high ratings). Quite the disappointment. Since I've started my foray into Smak-world with this album, it leaves me wondering whether or not I'll ever give any of their other albums a chance!

B-/3.5 stars; an interesting display of guitar histrionics set to some pretty tame and simple musics. Recommended only for guitar enthusiasts and/or collectors.

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