SBB - 2 & 3

Year of Release: 1997
Label: Polskie Nagrania
Catalog Number: PNCD 371
Format: CD
Total Time: 73:05:00

From the very beginning it is clear that you are listening to an extraordinary disk. The first two studio albums on one CD, "Na Pierwszy Ogien (To Begin With)" and "Blysk (Flash)," bring in a great dose of energy resembling the early Black Sabbath style. Nowy Horyzont (New Horizon) is a longer and elaborated piece alternately very energetic and melancholic, reminding of Mahavishnu Orchestra's best recordings on its first two disks. You can also admire the full sound of the McLaughlin band with Antymos Apostolis playing a guitar. The endings of all these pieces of music surprise with piano in romantic shades, as if Chopin joined for a minute. "Ballada O Pieciu Glodnych (Ballad About Five Hungry Men)" is more a recitation than music. Finally, there is "Wolnosc Z Nami (Freedom With Us)" - a suite which is a few minutes shorter than the original recording. All the time Mahavishnu's inspiration can be heard. Moreover, the influence of Pink Floyd, early Tangerine Dream, Hendrix, avant-garde and classical music is present there, too. However, the combination of so many styles does not strike as odd. It is completely harmonious. Within the space of less than twenty minutes so much is happening there. It is like several disks of other performers.

The second part of CD is the band's second studio album and the third album in their discography, Pamieć (Memory). The music here is a lot more homogeneous than on the previous record. It is also mainly instrumental. "W Kolysce Dloni Twych (In The Cradle Of Your Hands)", "Z KtorychKkrwi Krew Moja (From Whose Blood My Blood Is)" and "Pamiec W Kamien Wrasta (Memory Grows Into The Stone) are long suites, full of lyricism - parables full of metaphors. Texts written by Julian Matej create an atmosphere of mystery, which is intensified by amazing music. You may have an impression that it is inspired by electronic music, Dark Side Of The Moon, or Gong, but the longer you listen to the recordings, the more they seem to be beyond compare. You can hear beautiful melodies, wonderful sound, cooperation of all the musicians, J?zef Skrzek's brilliant voice, solemn organ scores, improvised Apostolis solos, and the great Jerzy Piotrowski's skills as a drummer. All in one. Undoubtedly it is one of the most beautiful progressive albums of the seventies. A masterpiece.

Search, Break and Build.

Tracklisting:
Na Pierwszy Ogien (4:23) / Blysk (3:28) / Nowy Horyzont (8:27) / Ballada O Pieciu Glodnych (3:56) / Wolnosc Z Nami (13:20) / W Kolysce Dloni Twych (9:08) / Z Kt?rych Krwi Krew Moja (10:12) / Pamiec W Kamien Wrasta (19:53)

Musicians:
J?zef Skrzek - bass guitar, piano, moog, Hammond, synthesizers, vocal
Antymos Apostolis - guitar
Jerzy Piotrowski - percussion

Discography:
SBB (1974)
Nowy Horyzont (1975)
Pamieć (1975)
Ze Slowern Biegne Do Ciebie (1977)
Jerzyk (1977)
SBB (aka Amiga) (1978)
Follow My Dream (1978)
Wolanie O Brzek Szkla (1978)
Welcome (1979)
Memento Z Banalnym Tryptykiem (1980)
Live In America '94 (1994)
SBB Live 1993 (1994)
SBB 2 & 3 (box set) (1997)
Gold (1998)
Absolutely LIve '98 (1999)
W Filharmonii: Akt 1 (1999)
W Filharmonii: Akt 2 (1999)
Good Bye! SBB - Live In Concert (2000)
Karlstad Live (2001)
Budai Ifjusagi Park (24 & 29.11.1977) (2001)
Nastroje (2002)
Trio Live Tournee 2001 (2002)
Freedom - Live - Sopot '78 (2002)
22.10.1977, Gottingen, Alte Zeigelei (2004)
Anthology 1974-2004 (2004)
Sikorki (2004)
Wicher W Polu Dmie (2004)
Odlot - Live 2004 (2005)
New Century (2005)
Lost Tapes Vol 1 (Studio & Live Recordings 1974-1978) (2005)
Lost Tapes Vol 2 (Studio & LIve Recordings 1971-1979) (2006)
Live In Spodek 2006 (2006)
The Rock (2007)
Complete Tapes 1974 (2007)
Live In Marburg 1980, The Final Concert (2008)
Roskilde 1978 (2008)
Live In Neckargemund 1978, From A Town Called N (2008)
Iron Curtain (2009)
Live In K?ln 1979, In The Shadow Of The Dom (2009)
Live In Opole 1974, Rock Przez Cały Rok (2009)
Live In Frankfurt 1977, Follow My Music (2009)
Live In Sopot 1978, Extended Freedom (extended reissue of Freedom - Live - Sopot '78) (2009)
Live In Czechoslovakia 1980, Three Quarters (2009)
Malczewski (2009)

Szczęśliwi Z Miasta N - Koncert SBB 28.10.1979 (DVD) (2004)
Follow My Dream (DVD) (2004)
Live In Theatre 2005 (DVD) (2005)
Live In 1979 (DVD) (2006)
Four Decades (DVD) (2007)
Behind The Iron Curtain (DVD) (2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin PL

Added: July 13th 2002
Reviewer: Krzysztof Sutkowski

Artist website: www.sbb.pl
Hits: 2166
Language: english