ALTER EGO „“Poezje Wybrane” (Selected Poems)”

Music: Progressive Rock
Website: http://www.alters.pl
Country: Poland

The group was formed in 2001 during some workshops concerning blues. Since that time they have changed their name twice, to MILD and finally into ALTERS. ‘Selected Poems’ is their first release, recorded at the Fryderyk Chopin Musical Academy in Warsaw.

Everything that ALTER EGO can offer is a huge dose of guitar play. Everything is very characteristic for poetry set to music. Very noble and pathetic intentions, although the concept fails on the whole line. The compositions are quite uninteresting an coloured [sic] with longish intros, which really tire after a while. What is more, the wild laugh used as a vocal line in ‘Rather Not Depths’ seems to be inappropriate. Of course, in some way, it is an original and very imaginative idea (so to speak). But who will actually be excited by this fact? Mainly the performers. When it comes to the poetry itself, it is quite nice, but during the monologues the music is being diminished and suffers from it. It is limited to a few sounds, mainly guitar riff, with slight accompaniment of drums. Boring.

Apart from being poetic event, if they want it or not, ALTER EGO are also a musical one. Whereas the poetry defends by itself, the music cannot do that (in this case). It is left alone in the backgrounds, chaotic and not much sublime. One would expect more from the musicians, who were born in the country of MAREK GRECHUTA (the greatest Polish performer of poetry set to music).

note: 4.5/10

Tracklist

1. Przyjście (The Arrival)
2. Sobie Samemu Nieznany (To Myself Unknown)
3. Raczej nie Głębina (Rather Not Depths)
4. Powiew w Sadzie (Puff in the Orchard)
5. Między Wargami i Brzegiem Pucharu (Between the Lips and the Brim of a Cup)

Total playing time 23:29

Line-up

Adrian Modrak – guitars
Michał Sołtan – guitars
Łukasz Smoliński – vocals, bass
Robert Pludra – drums
Michał Szpotakowski – electric violin, piano