The Polish act SBB has released many albums during their musical career. Most of them I heard and enjoyed. However their album Ołowica is an album most of their fans were not aware was in their discography. It is really an odd one out. Nothing can be compared to what they released through the years. It is the soundtrack recorded by the band for the short movie with the same name. This music was previously released in a box collection of unique recordings from the vast SBB archives, and now it returns as a separate album - remastered for the first time from the original tapes of the Educational Film Studio in Łódź. In the 1970s, documentary filmmakers were eager to use the talents of the Silesian trio. They were also invited to collaborate by Bohdan Mościcki - the author of a short film about the harmful effects of lead on the human body. Most of the footage in the film Ołowica are tastefully made shots showing various industrial activities in which people are exposed to contact with lead. Only in the finale does the monotonous, hypnotic voice of the lecturer announce these harmful effects of lead to the students gathered in the university hall. Before that, only the image and music reigned supreme, prepared by the trio SBB, which was then triumphing on the Polish rock scene. However, it is difficult to mention what Józef Skrzek (keyboards), Apostolis Antymos (guitar) and Jerzy Piotrowski (drums) try to tell music wise with their rather weird soundtrack. It is rather a drastic attempt to break away from any limitations. Avant-garde illustrative music, based on aleatoric drums, heavily overdriven guitar and dissonant synthesizers. You might label it as controlled madness for the needs of an unusual film. Illustrative music for an impressionistic film about the harmful effects of lead on the human body. And at the same time, the most uncompromising, avant-garde incarnation of SBB in the band's long history. The original material recorded by the musicians for the film has been remastered for the first time from the original tapes from the archives of the Educational Film Studio in Łódź. Therefore the audio does sound rather good. But does it mean you can enjoy it music wise? You will not find any catchy themes. Nor richly arranged progressive rock suites. No jazzy guitar performances. Nor drums that effectively drive the compositions. There is only a lot of avant-garde kind of music that you hear on the ten compositions. The names of the tracks indicate most of the time what instruments are used. Good examples are Akcenty: Minimoog (Minimoog), Akcenty: Fortepian preparowany (piano), Akcenty: Davolisint (Davoli synthesizer), Akcenty: Perkusja (percussion) and Akcenty: Gitara (guitar). But don't expect any fantastic soloing on those instruments. You just can not say that this is easy music to digest. Most people probably will listen to it once and never again. Because this is not music you like to hear while you are relaxing. The music only has one purpose. To fit with the images of the movie. As always with the GAD Records releases everything is done very well. The booklet includes photos from the film and images of SBB. Plus some info about the movie. As you read, this is not the average music of what SBB stands for. It is an album for the most ardent fans of the Silesian trio, who want to have the complete works of their achievements in their album collections. Olowica is showing a different face of an outstanding band. A band which isn't afraid to show a different face. A face which not everybody might like. Therefore it is also difficult for me to give a rating, Because it has nothing to do with progressive rock at all. I guess you have to ask yourself what rating you might have given to this weird sounding album after hearing it. Because I don't want to. Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen) Where to buy? |
