Tako(prog)!!!!
Tako - Tako (1978 prog)

As it turns out Yugoslavia had their share of prog acts. Smak, Korni Grupa, Leb i Sol, and this particular band, Tako are some examples. Tako managed only two albums, in which this self-entitled album was their debut. The band consisted of bassist/vocalist Dušan Æuæuz, keyboardist/flautist/harmonical player Ðorde Illijan, guitarist/vocalist Miroslav Dukiæ, and drummer Slobodan Felekatoviæ. Ðorde Illijan tends to use a lot of Elka Rhapsody string synth, as well as electric piano. Some of the music tends to have a bit of a fusion influence. A couple of songs have vocals, including the opening cut "Probudi Se". It's in Serbo-Croation, so it's nice to hear the language in a prog setting. This song tends to be dominated by Illijan's Elka. "Sinteza" shows the more fusion-end of the band, especially when Illijan uses the Fender Rhodes electric piano. Perhaps my favorite is "Utapanje Sunèeve Sveltlosi U Pešèanu Memoriju", where the band goes through several changes. Again the vocals appear here. I especially like the guitar work of Miroslav Dukiæ found here. "Lena" is a short, flute-dominated piece that bears more than a passing resemblance to Hungary's Solaris (making me believe Solaris was influenced by Tako, since Solaris' debut did not appear until the 1980s). "Minijatura" is another flute-dominated piece, that brings to mind Jethro Tull. Then the album closes with the 16 minute epic "Druga Strana Mene". The CD reissue comes with a bonus cut, "Put Na Jug", which is a nice addition, this one also has vocals. I don't exactly call this album essential. For one thing, the production isn't all that great (but then I expect that, coming from a communist country), and now I got to hear their second and final album U Vreci Za Spavanje, I have to say that second album is quite a bit better and I guess that's what all the hype of this band is all about. I really suggest you go for that album before you come here.

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Tako - U vreći za spavanje(1980 prog)

OK, so I had to say that Tako's debut wasn't an album that blew me away. It was decent enough, but then I also have to remember this was an Eastern European band (this band being from what was then Yugoslavia), having to play by communist rules to get their music released. I really thought the biggest weakness of their first album was the vocals, which, although used on only two cuts (and one more on the bonus cut on the Brazilian CD reissue). Really I am really surprised with their second album, U Vreci Za Spavanje (translates as "In the Sleeping Bag", which the original LP shows the band members in sleeping bags). One thing the album was released in 1980 so I expected it to be not as good as their 1978 debut, instead it's even better. I was expecting some nasty early '80s sounds to be found, not at all! The fusion elements of their debut has gone, and so are the vocals, which is a wise decision! Dorde Ilijan seems to use the same keyboards as before, he tends to use the Elka Rhapsody the most (I seen photos of him with Mellotron, but I sure don't notice any on either of their albums, although I might notice some tron flute buried with real flute at the end of this particular album).
Basically all the good things of their debut made even better here. Anyway, notice something familiar with the opening title track? The droning synths, the Moog leads? Sounds like them copying Pink Floyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", something Eloy did a year before on their "Astral Entrance" (from their album Silent Cries and Mighty Echoes). But then the flute kicks in and they get off of the Floyd kick. "Senke Proslosti" is the second cut, and I really dig those heavy guitar riff with that spacy synth backdrop.
Nice to see in 1980 a band creating great prog rock, that is simply the exception not the rule by that time. Even in communist Yugoslavia, the progressive rock scene there got cut short by the punk rock explosion of the late '70s, and of course, Tako fell victim.

Link:http://link-protector.com/x-50280