BEST OF INDEXI: SVE OVE GODINE 1962-2001

This anthology focuses on the more progressive side of INDEXI's work, during the period 1968-73. Out of 30 songs, only 6-7 are commercial pop hits of the 1970s and even they do not really spoil this collection, they rather show the pop-friendly abilities of the band. Only one song "U ulici Karadzozbega" does not fit here because it comes from the later period (presumably the end of 1980s) and it is too cheesy pop indeed. Majority of the songs are situated between psychodelic pop/beat of the 1960s (influence of THE BEATLES and the like) and full-featured progressive with hints of jazz and symphonic. "Negdje na kraju u zatisju" (in English roughly: "Somewhere on the Edge of Silence") running at 11.38 minutes, was the first real prog song in the former Yugoslavian music scene, a multi-part compositions filled with poetry recital, guitar solos, organ soundscapes, noise percussion and some psych moments with flute-like passages. One cannot but wander what would have happened with INDEXI's carreer had they been living in England for example and not in Yugoslavia. This song was recorded in 1969, a year before GENESIS' "Tresspass"! "Plima" is another prog highlight recorded 1968 with famous distorted guitar solo of S. Kovacevic which always reminded me of the style later on utilized by Hackett of GENESIS. "Dvojnik" is the band's only real forray into blues with mid- section of pure jazz. Other songs such as "Jutro ce promijeniti sve", "Svijet u kome zivim", "Ugasila je plamen", "Sanjam", "Balada" and "Hej ti" are the classics of Yugo prog. Among many compilations of INDEXI work, this one is highly recommended for prog fans, especially for those into the old, classic period of the genre. Alas, the sound quality is rather poor on this issue: it sounds like Komuna label people just collected old vynil singles, copied them onto the CD without much production care and released it with equally insufficient info in the cover booklet (for example, missing info on the years the songs originally released). Therefore, a comprehensive re-master edition of numerous non-LP INDEXI songs, possibly in the form of a 3 or 4 CD box-set, is yet to be delivered. Still, this collection deserves high marks for music quality, historical importance and influence on the generations to come.