TRACK LIST:
1. Rajzolj At 8:11
2. Ugy Varj Majd Ram 11:18
3. Estekek 6:31
4. Esotanc 20:39
5. Ma Minden Erdekel 9:20
6. Panoptikum 1:21
7. A Mereg 4:18
8. Engedj El 8:51
9. Rajzolj Ujra At 3:01
LINE UP :
Bogati-Bokor Akos - vocals, guitars, bass, Mellotron, MiniMoog, Hammond Organ, piano, synthesizers, percussion, drums
Kecskemeti Gabor - flute
Kosa David - percussion, vocals, vice
Stephanie Semeniuc - vocals
Tarsoly Csenge - vocals
Zsigo Laszlo - drums
with:
Francesco Faiulo - bass
Enyedi Zsolt - synthesizers
Prolusion.
Romania based Hungarian progressive rock band Yesterdays started out back in the latter part of the 1990's, and in 2006 they released their initial album "Holdfenykert". Since then they have released new albums and EPs at a fairly steady pace, of which four are full length studio albums. "Saint-Exupery Alma" is the most recent of these, and was released in the fall of 2022.
Analysis.
Yesterdays are best known for exploring the symphonic aspects of the progressive rock universe, and they continue doing so also on this most recent album of theirs. They have a bit more of a traditional approach to the genre, exploring this part of the progressive rock universe with a bit more of a retro-oriented approach. On this production they are also taking care to explore and retain the audio qualities of yesteryear, a fact that will please many with a dislike for the modern compression techniques and digital adjustments of recorded music.
This is an album filled with long songs, where the most elaborate composition clocks in at a meaty 20 minutes. As one would expect from a band with this approach we are treated to compositions that ebb and flow and change along the way, and while the band takes care to explore the different arrangements thoroughly they take the same care to never overstay in any of the landscapes they traverse. There's always movement or development that is happening or about to take place.
A recurring aspect of the compositions are compelling and atmospheric laden passages that for me will bring a band like Camel to mind. In this case with a similarity in approach rather than overall sound and orientation, but music made in a similar universe nonetheless. Like Camel Yesterdays also include elements from folk music, albeit in this case with a bit more of a liberal glee. Much the same is the case with elements with a jazz origin, and in this case also stretching to the vocal harmonies, some of which actually gave me associations towards a band like Magma. In addition Yesterdays will also venture out into more elaborate and quirkier landscapes, often with a more forceful expression, and in these instances the compositions stick to more of a purebred symphonic progressive rock expression. Possibly with a nod or three in the direction of Yes, but at least in mood and spirit I was perhaps more often reminded of a band like The Flower Kings as far as these specific sequences are concerned.
All of this is explored inside a warm and compelling retro style production of the kind that makes me suspect that a great deal of studio time was used to make this sound as good as possible. The dynamics in the soundscapes strikes me as smooth, the instruments are nicely separated and the balance comes across as just about perfect. While I'm not an audiophile myself, this is probably an album I'd suggest people that are audiophile might want to have a listen to at some point. To my mind at least the technical aspects of this album comes across as being well above average, and an element that elevates the total listener experience here.
Conclusion.
Yesterdays have always struck me as a quality band, and on this latest album they continue to deliver high quality content. This is a solid example of retro-oriented symphonic progressive rock, exploring the atmospheric as well as the more expressive sides of that style, with a liberal folk music flavoring and a tad more subtle inclusion of jazz elements. An album that is easy to recommend to fans of progressive rock in general and fans of symphonic progressive rock in particular.
Progmessor: January 2023
The Rating Room
