STROMBOLI - STROMBOLI (2 CD) - 1987

What a shame that this band combines, out of nowhere, an expression and a talent of jazz power, rock improvisation and deep sound essence, the jazz-rock in the 80s kind, and finds otherwise time and grasp only for mainstream music, confusing pop and a rock of tough to understand or like language. But, first of all, let's make the introduction. Stromboli is a late 80s band from Czech Republic, very applauded for their "progressive ideology", overwhelmingly guided by the craftsmanship of Michal Pavlicek and very refreshing under the special personality of Bara Basikova, a vocalist good to compare with the extraordinary, quirky or sound-truthful voices of the classic progressive excitement. A bit more obscure than it should usually be, this band creates two albums of orientating quality and interesting vibes, but also misses a lot , and has an indiscernible adapted/influence performance, which to safely greet them as follows of the progressive trend and variety.

The debut of Stromboli is the essential album to pick up. It's made of four LPs, or better 2 CDs, with a gasping difference from one to another. The first volume contains live recordings and performances from the early times (1985-1986, around that period) and, as I've already mentioned, it's full wonderful, interesting or "progressive exciting" music. The second album is the concrete studio work of 1986 and, by the same hint I've given, it's awkwardly light and rock fusic, "just prog" and barely satisfying. A promising thought is that the live is the best expression and royal manner Stromboli has ever worked on, and it's the best music to ever clench our art thirst. But sadly the reality is in the studio progress, since this part of the debut, plus the second similar album, does express, quite clearly, the favorite style of Stromboli.

On to the first side of Stromboli, the live and powerful performance, I think Stromboli adapt to a certain degree of prog masters or avengers, since they play with passion, with a lot of indispensable craft and with a joy in comprising the moment. The fierce things are improvisation, lush sound and creativity beyond the simple rhythm. This could be a suffice line of music for jazz rock, since it's in the style of improvising with electric or acoustic guitars and putting the atmosphere into a mind of relaxation and diversity, next being the beat and the rhythm, the havoc art and the indifferent jam of colors and nuances - 80s styles, yet powerful enough to be remarked. Some pieces do evolve more into hard rock, taking 80s open melody themes from Rush or doing a bit more exotic Crimson bass 'n' bout (at least these are small, but prog resembling impressions). Bara Basikova joins after the three improvisational pieces (one better than the other), she's not quite the voice diva of the entire concert, but she does a fine final arrangement to this soft jazz and easy jam good moment.

The second volume of Stromboli is cough-easy and even deceptive or ugly towards the end. Coming from the live experience, you can't like the pop rock, mainstream ash or power drive they make and record here. The first pieces actually differ themselves from the benevolent and artificial mainstream, since Basikova sings more gothic and more marooned, only on an entire wrong line of beat drums, stale keyboards and guitar of fever. But the last pieces (onwards from the dreadful Ivanhoe) really lose it, and Stromboli means nothing beyond AOR, rock cavalcade and, impressionable, a dazzle of eclectic pop.

So goes Stromboli, a band that has prog moments, but is also against the good and mature special musical involvement, in a time of perish and ambiguity (the 80s; the forever unforgivable 80s...). The live album is quite recommended, while the "sadly essential" studio work resembles a low point, all the way.
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