Record Reviews

LECH JANERKA ~ HISTORIA PODWODNA TONPRESS 020 ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1986 Released: 2004 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / bassist / songwriter Lech JanerkaFind albums by this artist and his first solo outing, which followed the only album he recorded with the group Klaus MitffochFind albums by this artist, which he founded in 1979 and left just prior to recording this solo album. The debut album with Klaus Mitffoch is considered today as one of the best recordings made in Poland in the 1980s. On this album he is accompanied by his wife Bozena JanerkaFind albums by this artist, who plays electronically amplified viola, guitarist Krzysztof PociechaFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz RoltFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians appear on selected tracks. The album comprises of nine songs all of which were written (words and music) by Lech Janerka. Musically the album belongs to the post-Punk / New Wave movement, which dominated the scene at the time, but Janerka´s music is infinitely more subtle and complex that most simplistic Punk / New Wave efforts. Well developed both harmonically and melodically and with non-standard rhythm patters, this music easily survived the test of time, being one of the very few instances of 1980s music being able to do so from a period that is better mostly forgotten. The only Punkish element strongly present on this album is the vocal delivery, which moves between theatrical and over-the-top, but has its charm. But of course the true strength of this album is the presence of the provocative lyrics, which include hidden, but quite radical criticism of the Polish political system at the time. Ironic, absurd and full of word-games these texts somehow managed to slip under the radar of the censor at the time this album was released and were often considered by the young generation as hymns of their époque and a call to arms in the fight for freedom. Later on, following the fall of the Socialist regime, Janerka´s lyrics became more personal and emphasized the struggle for survival of an individual human being in an alienated world. Janerka is still active today and continues to record. In retrospect this is still a great Rock album, kicking and very much alive today. Considering the basic state of the human society, most of the lyrical content present herein remains completely valid today, as much as it was at the time of the recording. This is definitely a classic album and an important part of the Polish Rock legacy.

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LECH JANERKA ~ PIOSENKI MUZA 1392 (Barcode: 5907783423925) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1987 Released: 2012 This is the third album by Polish vocalist / bassist / songwriter Lech JanerkaFind albums by this artist and his second solo outing. Janerka founded the group Klaus MitffochFind albums by this artist in 1979, which recorded just one legendary eponymous album in 1984 that is considered today as one of the best recordings made in Poland in the 1980s. After leaving the group Janerka recorded his first solo album "Historia PodwodnaFind albums with this title" and later on this album, which was his last release before the Polish Socialist regime was toppled. On this album he is accompanied by his wife Bozena JanerkaFind albums by this artist, who plays electronically amplified viola, guitarist Krzysztof PociechaFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz RoltFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of twelve songs all of which were co-written by Janerka and Pociecha with lyrics by Janerka. Although the album belongs to the post-Punk / New Wave movement, by the time it was released Janerka already established his very specific language, which was quite different from anything else on the scene. The songs on this album are shorter and more concise, varying stylistically from Punkish roughness to melancholic shyness and even romanticism. Despite some use of electronics, the album is completely devoid of the dreaded cheesy synthesizer sounds, which make most of the 1980s music simply unlistenable. His vocals are much softer and less aggressive than on the early recordings and his music is infinitely more subtle and complex that most simplistic output of that period. Janerka´s texts remain one of the album´s highlights; less revolutionary and angry than before but more cynical and brilliantly ironic, the lyrics became more personal and emphasized the struggle for survival of an individual human being in an alienated world. His lyrics are often considered as contemporary Polish poetry by many of his followers. Janerka is still active today and continues to record. In retrospect this is still a great Rock album, perhaps the best Janerka ever recorded. This is definitely a classic album and an important part of the Polish Rock legacy.

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