onsdag 14 januari 2015

THE BEST OF THE BEAT GROUPS OF SOFIA BTA 1437 (-72) BULGARIA

Bulgarian compilation including three domestic pop/beat acts - Sreburnite Grivni (The Silver Bracelets), Glasovete (The Voices) and Shturcite (The Crickets). Can't say for sure if the numbers involved are earlier recordings, re-makes or brand new for the album, but it's probably the latter. The one cut by Glasovete "You, Serene Moon" starts and ends with a hymn-like setting including heavy organ and elaborated vocal harmonies, while the mid section is organ driven prog reminding of Nice or early ELP. The six contributions from Sreburnite Grivni are very diverse in style. From soft pop - like the cover of Shocking Blue's "Venus" or the self penned "Proxima" - to what can only be described as Bulgarian folk/prog. "Give Me, Vusse, Your Little Hand" has a folky structure with complicated rythms performed to rock backing with fuzz guitar while "Zarezan" - connected to local wine harvesting festivities - is interpreted as r&b including vocal harmonies and a psych solo by guitarist Valentin Stefanov. Shturcite does very charming garage style covers of Kinks' "Picture Book" and Cream's "NSU" plus two Yardbirds/Who inspired rock numbers, whereof "Song For The Crickets" has very good psych guitars. There's lots of skill involved all through, impression enhanced by the simple right-on recordings and a pressing bringing clear and natural audio. So if you're into garage, folk, prog or freakbeat and don't mind the Bulgarian lyrics there's probably something here for you. Checking the net there seems to be confusion about release year. This copy has a date etched on matrix - "6.5.72" - so I'll go with that. As far as I know never reissued in any form, but some of the tracks can be found on the 2001 Red Beat issue "A Psychedelic Trip To Bulgaria". First had label as shown here and thin laminated cover. (BÅC*) (ÖGÄ*) (SÄM*)

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