Focus – X

Releasedate: 05-11-2012; Label: Candlelight
By: Sabine van Gameren

Focus is a Progressive Rock formation from The Netherlands. The band has just released their new album called “X”.

During the years, Focus has built quite a reputation in the international scene. After lineup changes a couple years ago Menno Gootjes entered the band and they went on with releasing material. The new album has still the confidential sound, within the album there are parts that keep returning, the playfulness makes it a bit easier to stick with, it is mainly instrumental and therefore you must be up for listening to this Prog material otherwise you will not feel comfortable with it for a long time. Some of the songs are not really having a defined structure, you can’t always know where they are going to and then the endings are unexpected. But on the other side the band has some cheerful, light and joyful moments within their songs so the album could split you up quite a bit.
Focus seem to know what they are doing, the reputation is there but the results in this album are not always easy to track. Yet, it has its moments and will certainly entertain you. Maybe not the best Focus album being made, but not the worst either.

Line Up:
Thijs van Leer – Hammond, keyboards, flute, vocals
Pierre van Der Linden – drums
Bobby Jacobs – bass
Menno Gootjes – guitars

Tracklist: 01. Father Bachus 02. Focus 10 03. Victoria 04. Amok In Kindergarten 05. All Hens On Deck 06. Le Tango 07. Hoeratio 08. Talk Of The Clown 09. Message Magic 10. X Roads

Links:
Focus Official