*. Tomaž Pengov .* (Remaster)

Album: Odpotovanja (1973)(Remaster 1991)
Genre: Prog Folk (Contemporary/Chamber Folk/Acoustic)  /  Slovenia

If you've managed to stumble across this album via some list or discussion thread on here, you're certainly using this site the right way.  It's easy to see why this has fallen through the cracks: it's a Slovenian album played entirely on a 12-string guitar (with the exception of one or two tracks which feature an added guitar and a female backing singer), with no more augmentation than Tomaz Pengov's voice.  However, his voice has that same ability to warmly wrap its way around the acoustic guitar tapestries as Perry Leopold's.  I'd say that this is certainly better than anything Leopold ever put out, good as he is, and were it not for the fact that it's Slovenian, it too would have been the object of a revival frenzy. The fact that it's called "Odpotovanja" probably didn't help its chances in the West, either. This has a remarkable spaciousness and airy feel about it missing from the majority of singer-songwriter music of late, which seems too intent on either replicating an affected Blue Notey malaise or driving the songs along with a graceless FM country swing.  Pengov's beautiful, drifting melodies seem as if they were culled from the air.  Unlike most '70s psyche-folk rarities, Odpotavanja never lulls, it only lures.  All the Brit folkies' attempts at ramrodding a medieval vibe into their songs often did their music a disservice (with the exception of a few bands like Pentangle).  There was an organic quality missing, the type of thing which seeps out of every song here.  The fact that Pengov in one song strums along to the sound of raindrops, and without sounding in the least bit forced, should give some clue as to what sort of music you're listening to.  It's gentle, quiet, pastoral beauty, without any affectations or pretentions. Pengov just lets the music make itself. If you're a fan of Robbie Basho, or want an LP to make those late afternoons drift into evening in the most delicate way possible, this is certainly one to scout down. 
Review by "sinagog" (Rate Your Music).

RATING:  7.75 / 10

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