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X

Focus

 

Symphonic Prog

3.44 | 152 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Evolver
Special Collaborator
Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams
3 stars With "X", it feels to me that Focus is running on cruise control. There are many elements of the classic Focus, although only Thijs van Leer and Pierre van Der Linden of the old version of the group remain in the band. But on the down side, they show us nothing new, and at times appear to be trying too hard to recapture the old glory.

Nothing is more indicative of this than the opening track, Father Bacchus, which strains to sound as much like Hocus Pocus as it can without calling for accusations of it being the exact same song. And it doesn't help having van Leer shout over the beginning of the song "Ladies and gentleman, let me present Focus, F-O-C-U-S, Focus!"

The rest of the tracks show Focus to now be a competant light prog fusion band, playing elegant jazz with more than a little finesse. Menno Gootjes proves to be an adequate replacement for Jan Akkerman, but the material, while good, just doesn't stay with me very long after a listen.

Evolver | 3/5 |

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