Post Description

FOCUS - Mother Focus (1975) 

Info:
Artist: FOCUS
Genre: Progressive Rock
Source: Victor K2 HD JAPAN mini lp CD, Limited Release
Format: FLAC (lossless) en Mp3 (320kbps).Je kunt zelf kiezen.
Grootte Flac: 245MB en grootte Mp3: 84,8MB
Speelduur: 00:37:05
Covers: 



I had seen some poor reviews of this album long before I heard it. I had some slight reservations initially, but quite soon I realised that the album was not only classic Focus, but added a disco style poignancy to the melodies. The superb harmonic progressions in Bennie Helder alone would be sufficient to justify purchase, but the rest really works too. The album works as a whole, there are nofillers, and the best way to listen is to play the entire thing from start to finish. I must admit that I am always slightly disappointed when it's over. Maybe it just appeals to a drifting personality, there are some especially ambivalent musical moments, but I feel it needs a bit of defending against all the knocks.

This record is really alive and rythmic. Not really progressive, the songs are rather short, mostly lasting 2-3 minutes. The keyboards are often floating ("Soft Vanilla", "Someone's Crying", "No Hands Up", "Father Bach"), the kind of floating backgrounds TRIUMVIRAT and Gary Wright used to employ.

The guitarist makes some simple guitar solos, and they are rather sentimental. The Clapton-esque "I need a Bathroom" is a bit surprising and maybe disappointing. "Bennie Helder" is probably the best one: very rythmic, alive, melodic, loaded and a bit progressive. "All together"sounds maybe a bit country!!! But it is not bad!! "Focus IV" is a good mix of piano and romantic guitar high notes.


Line-up/Musicians

- Jan Akkerman: guitars
- Colin Allen: drums (2)
- David Kemper: drums
- Bert Ruiter: basses, vocals (2)
- Thijs van Leer: keyboards, flutes, vocals (1)

Tracklist:

1. Mother Focus
2. I Need a Bathroom
3. Bennie Helder
4. Soft Vanilla
5. Hard Vanilla
6. Tropic Bird
7. Focus IV
8. Someone's Crying... What!
9. All Together... Oh That!
10. No Hang Ups
11. My Sweetheart
12. Father Bach