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Talinka

Talinka

Review by Gary Hill

I'm not sure about the whole concept of putting this under the "progressive rock" heading. It's on the MoonJune label, and that's a prog label. The music here is "progressive" in some ways and "regressive" in others. It's definitely "art" based music. It's not rock at all, though, tending toward world music, folk and jazz. Whatever you label this as, though, it's strong stuff that leans on the mellower side of the equation. While Tali Atzmon is more or less the focal point of this as the lead singer, Gilad Atzmon is the best known musician here.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2017  Volume 5 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2017.

Track by Track Review
Talinka

Pretty piano opens this and holds it in an almost classical style. The vocals come over the top with a rather jazzy, non-lyrical approach. A horn joins as the arrangement continues to work its way forward. This is mellow, rather sultry and dreamy. It's also quite jazz-oriented. The instrumental section later includes some nice interplay (almost call and response) from the piano and the horn.

Losing Vision
This cut is slower and mellower. It's intricate and quite jazzy. The vocals on this are lyrical. While this is compelling and manages to work really well, it's odd in some ways.
Baroque Bottom

There is definitely a classical edge to this. In a lot of ways it calls to mind folk prog, too. While there are vocals on this piece, large chunks are purely instrumental. Those vocals are almost ethereal to a large degree.

Don't Explain
Piano begins this track and it moves forward from there. As the vocals join they bring a sort of jazz torch vibe, but with some world music in the mix, too. This grows gradually with just those two elements (piano and voice) holding the piece together. Just those two things provide the bulk of this track, with a bit of clarinet joining late in the piece. This is a somber cut.
Invitation
Jazz and folk music merge on this intriguing piece. It has a real French cafe kind of vibe to it in a lot of ways. The instrumental section later in the piece both brings into folk prog kind of territory and adds more world music to the mix.
Four 2 Tango
The French cafe is back in style here. There is definitely a folk music element here along with plenty of jazz. The introduction is an extended instrumental movement. This turns very strange and avant-garde later in the number. That part definitely moves it toward chamber prog and Rock In Opposition.
Heimat
This instrumental (there are non-lyrical vocals more as instrumentation) is very much classical music meets jazz and folk prog.
You Don t Know What Love Is
Dramatic music that is quite classical in nature begins this in a start and stop way. The vocals join bringing a French cafe jazz element to it. The cut becomes more of a pure jazz ballad to a large degree.
When You Are Gone
This combines that French cafe sound with something more artsy and left-of-center. It's definitely an artsy kind of thing. The extended instrumental section combines folk music, world sounds, jazz and classical music.
Every Now And Then
I like the low register vocals on this cut. The music here is creative and laced with all of the elements we've heard throughout the set. Of all the music here, I think I like this one the most. It makes for a strong closer.
 
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