SFINX (ALBUMUL ALBASTRU / THE BLUE ALBUM)

Oi... As I'm getting to this one, the thankfully final statement by Romania's Sfinx, if it weren't for the clear, though slight 'majority' for 3/5 stars, I wouldn't have been able to guess how polarizing this one is. But hey... I can say now definitively: How the hell is this album polarizing at all?! At best, we get Synth-Pop with decent melodies (I guess); at worst... literally very nearly nothing good happens on this album.

With "An Dupa An"... what can I possibly say?... These drums have aged terribly. Though, also, I can't see them ever sounding all that good. The keys and the guitar aren't a whole lot better. We were warned about this shift to Pop-Rock, were we not? It's really not great here... Decent melody, if anything. Then it's on to the... hard rockin' "Pe Pamant Pace". The drums sound just as bad; it's pretty hokey. What ties this to our Proggy past is the organ, but... Yikes! The electric kit just sounds so plastic and unsavory... If it weren't for the actually very very nice guitar solo, this song would've not just gone nowhere, but stayed bad indefinitely. Don't get me wrong: It's still bad.

Something regal and reminiscent of Proggings Past is "Rostul Vietii". I mean, we all remember Rick Wakeman, right guys? And then splat! I don't know... These drums are just the worst and will bring down any song, anywhere... Welcome to AOR, guys... I'm so sorry.

What follows is... Jazz?! "Canta Cu Mine" brings us into the space lounge and... I guess my weird ass is ready for some delicious Space Romanian Space Cocktails [sheesh haha]. Around half a minute is this very East Euro thing... Then... what the f*ck... It's Ska?! Hahaha! And then it's Eastern Europe's answer to Mario 64... I'm so over this... What else? Well, I can say this: Best song on the album so far (2/5 stars). We're still in vidja game land with "Patru Anotimpuri Cu Tine", and for once I'm actually kind of charmed by the intro. The verses are totally Synth Pop schlock (like, Synth Pop at its worst, and weirdly it's never been this bad). Pretty decent synth solo; I can see it having a place, but still, it's not good.

On "Zana Serii", we're back to Sinning By Drums [Check out my next theological lecture on how to commit the worst music sins Next Wednesday!]... Ugly as hell. Now's as good a time as any: The best thing about this album are the vocals. Next... we're playing Runescape in 2004 with the boys on "Intr-Un Cer Violet"! Easily the most handsome track, as even the weird electro-kit isn't totally offensive. Then a key-dolin(?!) solo?! haha. It's charming. I'm not mad. For once.

To end this whole affair (and to end our misery thusly), "Carul Mare" starts off most confident of the whole bunch. There's still plenty to frown at though, unforutnately. Very static song. The guitar(?!) is the highlight on this one for once, but like... it's also so grating... All I gotta say.

True Rate: 1.5/5.0