Record Reviews

SBB ~ WELCOME GAD 109 (Barcode: 5903068120510) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1978 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of the album recorded by the iconic Polish Prog / Fusion band SBBFind albums by this artist (bassist / keyboardist / composer / leader Jozef SkrzekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerzy PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist) released on the West German SpiegeleiFind albums on this label label, being their second album released beyond the Iron Curtain. This is also the second album that features lyrics in English language, two written by Pawel BrodowskiFind albums by this artist and four by Paul DraschFind albums by this artist. The music, as usually all composed by Skrzek, presents seven shorter songs, leaving behind (al lest for a while) the extended suites format preferred by the group and their fans. Some additional drum parts were played by Zbigniew WiatrFind albums by this artist. This reissue adds four bonus tracks, one of which is a radio recording, two are alternate tracks from the album and the last one is from a writing session by Skrzek. Although stylistically SBB continue their modus operandi, on this album they move further away from the early days and slowly approach commercially oriented material. The music is completely drenched in endless synthesizer doodling with the guitar parts sadly being pushed away almost completely. As a result this album is even weaker than its predecessor and almost completely lacks focus and most of the initial charm SBB was able to infuse into their music. With the 1970s nearing the end of the decade Prog and Fusion were losing their sense of existence and SBB were definitely not alone in the creative predicament. Sadly the genres refused to adopt new directions and the creative magic that characterized the idioms a decade earlier were slowly dying. SBB were still an awesome live band, but their recordings lost the impetuous. Even their next, this time Polish album "Memento Z Banalnym TryptykiemFind albums with this title", the last before the group disbanded in 1980 (to be reunited several times later), although returning partly to the suites formula, failed in retrospect to save the day. Overall this is still an important part of the great SBB legacy, definitely worth revisiting, and of course owning in your collection, simply for the reason that nobody makes music like this today. This album still holds water today and with the bonus tracks is certainly a statement worth revisiting.

Updated: 13/03/2020Posted: 13/03/2020

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend