Polish Art-Rock vol. I

"I have never thought we would live up to times when progressive rock samplers would be released in Poland. And out of surprise, exactly this was undertaken by the Krakow company Lynx Music, known already by such releases as Framauro or Millenium. They managed to collect an impressive bunch of recordings by Polish artists, which are often alternative takes or unreleased tracks not available otherwise. This is what makes the album very attractive for every prog rock collector. Still, I miss Chimera or Golem, not included here. Apart from that, you get a nice overview of the current Polish prog scene. The packaging is quite spectacular: this is almost like a mini-encyclopaedia of Polish art-rock, a handy book shaped into a digi-pack, with an added CD. The whole set is totally impressive.
I won't go into details describing the bands now, but some of the debutants should get a mention: I like Revolver's tribute to Frank Zappa a lot, Museion and Kroner Cirkus also made a good impression and I hope to hear an official release from them soon. Accolades for Lynx Music! This compilation gets a symbolic "star" as an album recommended by Polish Art-Rock NET Caladan." - Thom, Caladan Polish Art-Rock Net

"Long-standing [Classic Rock Society] members may be aware of the rich seam of classic music in Poland.  Newer ones, like me, need to hear what we are missing.  This limited edition compilation provides that chance.  Bands like Abraxas, with their mix of IQ instrumentals contrasting with angular vocals, or Quidam, who featured high in CRS Awards in 1998, with the All About Eve/Colin Bass comparisons, are better known and are featured with 'Ajudah' (99 remix) and 'Bajkowy' (live) respectively.  Equally beguiling are Museion, their slowburner 'Mez twarzy' featuring a Hackett-like lead guitar, Anamor's lengthy 'Niewidoma' almost a polish Karnataka, and Albion's as yet unreleased 'Motyl' that falls somewhere between Pendragon and Egdon Heath/Flamborough Head.  Add to that Lizard's live mix of jazz/straight rock on 'Bez Litosci', Kroner Cirkus' epic 'Sen o wyspie', Millenium's heavier, proggy version of "A Day in the Life' and Lukask Swiech (Abraxas' guitaris) with an unreleased track of solo material 'Hiperprzestrzen' that shows Gabriel influences in a dark atmospheric rhythm that Parallel or 90 Degrees would appreciate. 

The eccentric, bluesy 'Frank Zappa in memoriam' from Revolver, and 'Jeden dzien z zycla samego siebie' a proggy unreleased track from Framouro (which would benefit from real drums) are the weakest tracks, but still with moments of interest.  This is one of the most interesting samplers I have heard in many a moon, and packaged well in a book-style CD case complete with biographies (some may quibble about the English text at times, but then again, how is their Polish these days?).  Get over the language barrier and the occasional debatable vocal, and this is a very interesting album.  Keep an eye on the CD Sale List." - David Pearson, Wondrous Stories, The Journal of the Classic Rock Society