Solaris - 1990 (1990)

Artista: Solaris

Álbum: 1990
Año: 1990
Género: Rock sinfónico
Duración: 103:26
Nacionalidad: Hungía

Lista de Temas:
CD 1 (52:56)
1. A Viking visszatér
2. Ellenpont
3. Óz
4. Mickey Mouse
5. Éden
6. Hullámok
7. Egeszséges optimizmus
8. Los Angeles 2026
CD 2 (50:30)
1. Éjszakai Tárlat
2. közjáték a
3. Szabadjáték
4. közjáték b
5. Éjféli valcer
6. közjáték c
7. Józsi Mátészalkára megy
8. közjáték-d
9. Éjszakai Tárlat V.(1990)
10. közjáték e
11. E-Moll Concerto (allegro con molto)
12. Paella
13. A kígyó szive
14. Ez nem kán-kán
15. Magyar Tánc
16. Duo
17. Solaris 1990

Alineación:
- Attila Kollár / flute
- Csaba Bogdán / guitars
- Gábor Kisszabó / bass
- Tamás Pócs / bass
- Róbert Erdész / keyboards
- István Cziglán / guitars
- László Gömör / drums

Un disco hermoso, maravilloso e inconseguible, otra joyita sonora en el blog cabezón, más de 100 minutos de la mejor música, con temas que son uno mejor que otro, y que encima contiene un tema de 23 minutos llamado "Los Angeles 2026", que por lo que se se había extraviado en su momento. Desde Hungría para el preciado público cabezón, un discazo tremendo para reventarles la cabeza de moog!
Y como dice Lino, para muestra basta un botón... Disfruten de esta maravilla.

Ahora vamos con un aporte de Alejandro que se me había traspapelado, y antes que nada gracias Alejandro por permitirnos disfrutar de estos geniales húngaros nuevamente. Es notorio cómo de un país como Hungría, sin una aparente tradición rockera, salieron dos joyas de grupos increíbles, como es el caso de After Crying y Solaris. Quizás porque estén muy emparentados, sobretodo el primero, con lo que es ajeno al rock y más cercano a la música docta, pero no me voy a poner a hablar al pedo. La cosa es que de Hungría salieron dos de los más grandes exponentes del rock de los 90s a nivel mundial, y no es que hayan vendido millones de copias, pero son reconocidos por todo el mundo, aunque no hayan tenido éxito comercial, cosa que obviamente con éste estilo es muy difícil de lograr.

Este es el segundo disco de la banda. Lo interesante de esta obra es la poderosa música que realizan con el ensamble de varios géneros como el blues, el jazz, la música tradicional de su país, el rock, pero sobre todo la estructura con que cuenta cada una de sus piezas, en donde el desarrollo se asemeja más a pequeñas sinfonías o suites, aunque utilizan bastante el 4 x 4, pero en donde los pasajes casi nunca se repiten y crean atmósferas que van desde ritmos rápidos, solos de guitarra o flauta hasta una gran orquestación para formar un todo. Los dos discos que contiene este álbum doble pasan por esta manufactura, pero se tiene que destacar la alta capacidad de cada uno de los músicos para tocar su instrumento. Sin duda una muestra de lo que se hizo con gran calidad en los años 80 y 90 del siglo pasado.
El resultado es un disco instrumental pero profundamente emocional, con grandes melodías basadas en el sinfonismo y el rock pero tocan muchos estilos. Un disco que a pesar de ser doble, termina siendo redondo, con estructuras no demasiado complicadas pero con composiciones complejas ya que son eteernamente cambiantes y contienen una gran cantidad de arreglos variados, así como muchos solos hermosos y una continua interación entre guitarras, teclados y flauta, creando una música llena de inspiración y originalidad, con un fuerte contenido melódico que creo que se basan en temas o melodías populares del Este de Europa.
Un discazo que les recomiendo que no dejen pasar, esto es para disfrutar a lo grande, y pensar que casi no lo publico porque se me había traspapelado en la enorme cantidad de mails que recibo de todos los cabezones. Ya le pedí a Alejandro a ver si puede compartir alguna otra cosa de esta calidad para el goce de todos los cabezones.
Y como siempre, nosotros hacemos una reparación histórica, porque este disco debe ser más conocido y reconocido, al igual que ésta banda maravillosa. Aquí tienen más música exquisita venida de la castigada Hungría... sepan disfrutarla y apreciarla.
Les dejo algunos comentarios en inglés por si le hace falta a alguien (y no encontré comentarios en español).

Many years ago I ordered the 2-LP "1990" in the USA. But they send me the CD-version on which the 'side-long-track' "Los Angeles 2026" had been deleted! What a disappointement but fortunately a few years ago I managed to purchase the reissue 2-CD "1990" , including some fine bonustracks and... the lost track "Los Angeles 2026". It contains dynamic and propulsive with spectacular synth runs, fiery electric guitar and beautiful flute-play. Remarkable is the spacy keyboard sound in some songs and the obvious classical influences. The tracks from the mid-period (1986) sound rather accessible: a catchy and often funny combination of classic, pop and rock. But the most impressive composition is their 'magnus opus' Los Angeles 2026 (almost 24 minutes long). It opens with alarm sirens and SF sounds to evoke a menacing atmosphere of a future Los Angeles. Then it starts to swing with propulsive guitarplay, powerful drums and some funky bass-play, followed by lots of changing climates and short pieces with modern keyboards. Suddenly a mid-long solo piece from the piano begins, from tender to sparkling until the captivating interplay from electric guitar, flute and keyboards takes it over, enjoy the spectacular synthesizer flights! A howling electric guitar and bluesy organ is next and then the 'essential Solaris' appears again with splendid interplay between the fiery electric guitar, swirling flute and spectacular keyboards (Manfred Mann meets Jethro Tull and Focus). Slowly the same climate as during the intro returns, topped by a fat synthesizer sound. I hope that once the video Progfest 1995 Day One will be relased on DVD, it contains almost 30 minutes of Solaris playing live, EXCELLENT, what a STUNNING PROGROCK BAND!!

Erik Neuteboom

This is very good flute / keyboard led instrumental music from Hungary. I was a little disappointed that the guitar wasn't as prominant as it was on their "Nostradamus Book Of Prophesies" album. The keyboard seems to have taken that prominant role on this one, after the flute of course.This is a double cd with a lot of previously unreleased and live material. It flows quite well though, and the playing is very good.
Disc One starts off with "A Viking Visszater" an upbeat tune although the tempo changes back and forth on this one. Some nice guitar 2 minutes in. Lots of synths after 3 minutes. "Ellenpont" opens with some amazing piano melodies, although the flute ends up dominating the sound. "OZ" is one of my favourites with spacey synths followed by flute and drums. Guitar 2 1/2 minutes in returns 2 minutes later and it's even better the second time around. "Mickey Mouse" is an uptempo synth led track. What else ? "Eden" is another favourite of mine. I like the atmosphere that comes and goes. A tasteful guitar solo 1 1/2 minutes in followed by flute a minute later. The guitar returns a couple of times before this one is over. "Hullamok" is a bonus track with some organ. "Egeszeges Optimizmus" is the other bonus track. It's fairly catchy with spoken words that come and go. "Los Angeles 2026" is a side long suite at over 23 minutes. It has a dramatic and epic intro before it levels out. Some excellent bass 4 minutes in. Piano 6 1/2 minutes in. Bass is back 11 1/2 minutes in. Flute leads the way 13 minutes in. Some JETHRO TULL-like moments at this point. Some good guitar late as it ends with an amazing sound.
Disc Two starts off with "Ejszakaitarlat" as keys and flute lead the way early.This one gets quite intense before settling down to a calm 4 minutes in. After each odd numbered track is a short song, each called "Kozjatek".The first one of these features a lot of electronics. The second is the best as the guitar is plucked. The third has the sound of blowing wind. Then there is the fourth and fifth. Back to the longer songs. "Szabadjatek" opens with some mellow flute for 1 1/2 minutes. A full sound of drums and synths mainly 2 minutes in. "Ejfeli Valcer" has this waltz-like rhythm throughout. "Jozsi Mateszalkara Megy" is a bit of a mixed bag with the flute, drums, guitar and synths each taking the spotlight. "Ejszakaitarlat V." is slower paced with lots of atmosphere. Drums and flute lead the way. "E-Moll Concerto" is all over the place, slow, fast, noisy, calm. Some vocal melodies even. The bass is great. "Paella" sounds like a Spanish guitar solo throughout. "A Kigyo Szive" has a nice full sound with flute and guitar shining bright. "Ez Nem Kan-Kan" is less then a minute of different sounds coming and going. "Magyar Tanc" is a cool sounding uptempo track. Lots of intricate sounds. They're just showing off late in the song. Haha. "Duo" is mostly flute and acoustic guitar. That is probably why it's called Duo ?! The final song is "Solaris 1990" and we get snippets of famous movie soundtracks and classical music pieces.They are all pieced together while what sounds like a drum machine keeps a beat going.
Over a 100 minutes of music here from "SOLARIS". I just don't think it's essential. I would suggest you get your hands on "Nostradamus..." or "The Martian Chronicles" first.

John Davie

A sprawling effort showing the various stages of the Solaris saga, "1990" unwittingly chronicles the band's tendency to remain stationary over a fairly long period. This is especially so on the first disk, that from one end to the other is like a "Martian Chronicles" Part 0.5 and Part 1.5. At a certain point it matters not what came first, but what one heard first, so it mostly sounds like outtakes from that fine mid 80s album. The best from Disk 1 are "Oz" and "Eden", while the suite "Los Angeles 2026" has many good parts but lacks a cohesive direction, and again suffers in comparison to Martian Chronicles. Disk 2 is somewhat superior and more original, especially the shorter pieces that show the band in a more succinct thematic mode, and they help tie together the otherwise disparate sections. In particular, the 5 "Kozjatek" links show how the extent to which quality trumps quantity. "Ejfeli Valcer", "E-Moll Concierto" and "Duo" are examples of superlative performances to which they link. The latter fully realizes a fusion of jazzy symphonic prog with the band's ethnicity, something they did not attempt enough. Hence, Solaris' work on the second disk actually points to stellar potential in the future, and is of sufficient note to raise the overall rating to 3 stars.

Keneth Levine

This is one of those bands that I have deliberately omitted to review until a more mature later date, so as to let a few hundred reviews go by before transmitting the euphoria at reviewing prog music from my long-exiled homeland. I never wanted to appear too chauvinistic and overblow my natural admiration for my bloodlines. Even having lived forever abroad had not stilted my deep-rooted belonging to such a unique people and their national character of ferocious independence and melancholia. I had noticed as an eleven -year old tourist going to my very first concert "Omega" (of all bands, this back in 1967), remembering the defiant very Western, very Deep Purple at the time look, which strongly mimicked the prevalent American pre-Woodstock rise of the hippie movement. We proggers prefer to call it "Psychedelia" because we are so romantic. Throughout the decades under somewhat lax communist censorship, many rock and prog groups emulated their Occidental counterparts and rebelled against the orthodox norm. Poland also paralleled these musical rebellions. There were many good groups besides Omega such as Illés, Lokomotiv GT and Skorpió, while the mid-80s saw the nascent arrival of three pure prog entities: East, After Crying and Solaris. Solaris' initial release "Mársbeli Kronikák" made quite an impression world-wide, an unfathomable artistic luxury behind the creaking Iron Curtain and set the stage of a career that continues today.
Solaris 1990 is a 2 CD set that also includes a live set as bonus tracks. What an intense escapade this is, just as tasty and relevant as the preceding and following masterpieces. "Viking Viszatér" is a hard- hitting guitar riff, butt-sniffed by a whimsical Attila Kollár flute delicacy that gives off the aroma of Jethro Tullian expanses that are wholly appealing, an intrepid axe solo that howls mightily, nimble bass and fantastic percussives from László Gömör round up this journey.
"Ellenpont" sort of continues the mood in a yet more intricate surrounding, encircled by wondrous flute melodies, sibilant synth solos from Robert Erdész and a bass bottom that just launches the whole forward, at break-neck speed. This ain't no wimpy stuff, just a magnificent contrast between testosterone power and harmonious estrogen chock full of sweaty sections, technical ones as well and then interspersed with gentle pastoral parts.
"Oz" has an electronica touch, TDream meets the Manfred Mann's Earth Band , swaths of mellotron-like orchestrations overlaid by slippery synthesized barrages, whistling or exploding as need be. A rabid guitar solo adds only more fuel to the fire and. The rollicking "Mickey Mouse" ( a huge sub-culture hero in the Warsaw Pact countries!) is a playful ditty that loosens the chops to a more overt jam , chunky guitar and riffling flute once again in conspiracy , traversed by that sweet synth , very effective, thank you.
"Eden" is an under-appreciated progressive classic that has all the heady ingredients for posterity, owner of a killer bass-fueled mood, a tremendous bluesy guitar rampage, deeply opinionated keyboard manifestations and a magical flute that journey openly into heavenly bliss. The next two cuts rumble on nicely , the second a very sequence ?loaded spacey splurge that flies mightily , unafraid of the depths of the universe.
Disc 1 ends with the whopping 23 minute+ "Los Angeles 2026" (see what I mean by open crafty rebellion?), a massive colossus of progressive amazement, massed choirs trumpeting their entrance. Blooming with breathy confidence, the group arranges an intricate labyrinth of sound and texture that conveys the essence of this involved band's elite status among so many in Progland. It has everything from a dozen various melodies played with utter conviction to exalted soloing and a fiery expression of artistic discovery. Even the ultra-romantic Liszt- like piano interlude is enough to make a grown man grin with glee, fluid rhapsodized fingers floating over the ivories with impunity. If you enjoy a heavy round of multiple solos, this will bowl you sideways.
Disc 2 has a lot a material ranging from the soft musings of space to the harsher climates of fast-paced, flute pulled prog. It kicks off with "Ejszakai Tárlat", a spooky electro romp that has all the ingredients that makes Solaris such a joy, raunchy guitar and dancing flute leading the way through dense keyboard storms , with bass and drums keeping it all tight and taut.
"Szabadjáték" is a lengthier more deliberate etude where atmosphere takes precedence over immediacy, at least until the choppy organ kicks in, abetted by some sly guitar workouts, a drop-dead gorgeous acoustic guitar piece sends this one off into the clouds.
"Ejféli Valcer" is a modern rock waltz with carousel themes and a light breezy tempo. "Jozsi.." is a playful jam that features both ends burning with mischievous arrogance and ends with a revisit of "Ejszakai Tárlat" , called "V-1990" that whirls in vortexian splendor. The next series of pieces are from a different concert setting with assorted classical guests (on trumpet, violin, oboe and cimbalom), stretching from the overpowering "E-Moll Concerto" to the Spanish lilt of "Paella", a ravishing acoustic guitar excursion that is magnificent. The Iberian theme is then expanded into a rockier format ("A Kigyó Szive"), where flute and electric guitar intertwine with sophisticated glee, prancing uncontrollably.
"Magyar Tánc" is another clever rapturous promenade with blitzing lines (cimbalom), bruising bass leading the way, the oh so Hungarian clarinet (Tárogató) divulging its charm and the harsh guitar pirouetting with genuflecting audacity. The magnificent"Duo" is, as the name implies, a combination of astute flute and grandiose acoustic guitar that lightens back to a darker age, intensely medieval and pastoral. The massive musical document ends on a humorous pot-pourri of orchestral sounds and classic well known snippets that many will recognize a rather purposefully cheesy yet sarcastic expression of their humble artistic vision and good-natured playfulness. This collection is a vital addition to their discography, containing some brilliant pieces of superlative progressive rock. No true prog collection would be complete without some Solaris . The next one, "Nostradamus" is their crowning achievement though.
4.5 / 5 Hungarian suns

Thomas Szirmay

SOLARIS may be one of my all time favourite electronic symphonic rock bands with "1990" representing another excellent recording in their discography. Essentially "1990" consists of four parts: 1. 1980 - the first SOLARIS Radio-recordings, 2. Los Angeles 2026 - "A" side of the second SOLARIS LP that had been previously released, 3. A Night Exhibition - a suite, which was composed of their farewell-koncert and 4. Ceremonial Concert - a memorial concert in the year 2026 . Musically SOLARIS are László Gömör - drums, István Cziglán - guitars, Attila Kollár - flute, Gábor Kisszabó - bass, Tamás Pócs - bass, Robert Erdesz - keyboards and Csaba Bogdán - guitars. Their compositions are complex and contain a lot of varied themes and arrangements, as well as many beautiful solos and interplays between guitars, keyboards and flute. This is pretty much an all instrumental album with music full of inspiration and originality. Their music has a strong melodic content, often laced with Eastern European themes, and is highlighted by the use of dynamics and extended thematic developments. For me the definite highlight is the 23+ minute piece "Los Angeles 2026", with its interlocking themes and gradual buildup to the climax.

James Unger

Un disco genial que se destaca por el uso de dinámicas y desarrollos temáticos prolongados y melodías exquisitas. Un grupazo creando un gran disco que pasa a conformar el listado cada vez más abultado de discos super recomendados del blog cabezón. No se pierdan esta belleza, un disco para el asombro y el disfrute.
Simplemente más de una hora y media de música bella, potente y hermosa, en un trabajo para asombrarse.
Si no me creen escuchen... denle Play al video de abajo...