ALL THE PRETTY DAYS

1. "Hammill" (6:06) the reference is obvious. Though instrumental, the phrasing is quite like Peter Hammill's vocal pace and style. Some don't seem to hear it, but I feel this is a rather direct emulation of Hammilltonia--a place I appreciate but do not often feel like hanging out. (8.75/10)

2. "Wiosna" (10:23) a nice heavier bass and piano chord progression opens this before softening and morphing at the end of the second minute for a bit before kicking back into a support groove for some adventurous lead guitar work. Technically, I'm not so very impressed with these musicians, but they do have a penchant for creating engaging if simple groove melodies. Soft again at the end of the fourth miunute for the usual 45 seconds--allowing the drummer some show time (he's much better keeping time than soloing)--before settling back into some PINK FLOYDian SOUP-like spacious groove. Nice STEVEN WILSON guitar tone in the second half of the ninth minute. (Is it Steven?) There just seems as if there could have been so much more development and flash in this song. (17.25/20)

3. "Romantik" (9:31) interesting use of fast echo effect on piano for establishing opening foundation--and for building the first 2:20. Then we rock before we jazz swing. (I hear the "Take Five" motif another reviewer mentioned!) Then we use the piano echo to create a kind of classical base over which the rest of the band creates a kind of reactive cinematic pastiche. Despite the electric guitar taking over the lead, it's the echoing piano that continues to draw one's attention. A curious albeit creative song.(17.5/20)

4. "Bajka" (3:04) melodrama. Like Richard Wright and Elton John. (8.5/10)

5. "All the Pretty Days" (11:40) for the first four minutes, piano and cymbal play support a prolonged bass solo. Then tempo sows down to a snails pace as main themes/motif continues but then gets built upon by guitars and synths--turning into a proper weave. Nice chord changes but, ultimately, kind of a boring, too-repetitive song--I mean, it's not until the tenth minute that we finally get a change in the four-chord progression used by the piano from the start--and it's not even that great of a crescendo/climax! (17/20)

6. "Turque (24:23) like a collection of themes offered in tribute to a variety of early rock icons and film soundtrack artists. Some really dated sounds, styles, and passages--all showing more a respect and reverence without any virtuosity, dexterity, or talent (meaning, virtually any music-loving, equipment-rich garage band could've practiced and spliced these themes together. Quite unimpressive and even dull. Still, the theme developed in the fifteenth and sixteenth minute does suck one in nicely until turing to blatantly into something TD/FLOYDian. One of the poorer prog epics I've heard from the year 2022. (38.5/50)

Total Time 65:07

C/three stars; a good album that many prog lovers will like for background music and for conjuring up some nostalgic memories.

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