Focus 12 By Focus

Today we're having a listen to the new album by our favourite prog rock band from Amsterdam, Focus. Still fronted by legend Thijs van Leer. If all you know of Focus is Hocus Pocus, then you're in for a bit of a treat.

The album opens with Fjord Focus, the name of which I will move swiftly past. It's a glorious jam, rooted I would say in classic 70s prog, not unexpectedly. Great guitar work. Eminently listenable.

The second track, Focus 13, starts with a guitar solo that strays close to the line of sentimental but just about stays the right side, before it morphs into something rather faster. Never obvious, always interesting, I have to say this really makes me want to listen to a lot more. I'll be honest, I've been put off for years by Hocus Pocus, which is, let's face it, a rather silly track. Good, but silly.

The third track starts with piano. Harmonically sophisticated, and again just about staying on the right side of sentimental. Thijs clearly has a formidable musical brain. Again, it morphs into an instrumental featuring lead guitar.

I love the intro to the fourth track Meta Indefinata. Beautiful spacey guitar duelling with the flute. Then, in come the drums - beautifully recorded drums - and the spaciness continues. I absolutely adore this track, it's the highlight for me so far.

None of the tracks are longer than about five minutes. There's no bloat, no over-extension of ideas. But within a song there are always interesting variations. There's nothing abrasive, and no vocals, so for me this makes it ideal music to play when I'm working.

In fact, I find myself wishing some of the tracks were actually longer. I could quite happily have listened to ten minutes of Meta Indefinata.

Reasons to listen:

  • Beautiful guitar, lovely flute, great melodies, harmonic complexity, beautifully recorded - what's not to love?
Reasons not to listen:
  • There are no reasons not to listen to this album. It's glorious.

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