Prog Rock Saturday: In and Out of Focus

Focus - "In and Out of Focus" (1973) - Sire Records

Hello Friends,

Or rather, Hallo Vrienden...

We've got some sweet-sweet prog rock courtesy of the Dutch on the turntable tonight!

Formed in 1969 by singer, composer, organist & flautist-extraordinaire, Thijs van Leer, Focus would release seven excellent prog rock records throughout the Seventies.  Their 1970 debut LP, Focus Play Focus, would be re-released by Seymour Stein of Sire Records in 1973 under the name In and Out of Focus.

And this is a pretty fantastic debut!  We hear a lot of Meddle-era Pink Floyd-style arrangements with some early Genesis and King Crimson thrown in for good measure.   

The album opens with the very Floyd-ish instrumental, "Focus"-- a melodic and classically-influenced, nine minute overture featuring some great guitar work (courtesy of Jan Akkerman) and culminating in a spazzy organ/flute crescendo. As our Dutch friends might say, Ja!  

Menacing organ chords open the next, apocalyptic-themed song, "Why Dream" which sounds like something that could be on an early version of Pink Floyd's Animals.  With lyrics like "Why Dream about a future?  / Now is the present as bad as the present can be! / Why Dream about a future? / The light is dark and darkness is all you can see" all I keep thinking is, Hey didn't I write that in my journal back in high school?

Now with lyrics and music like this, you might be wondering, are these dudes into drugs?  Well, I think our questions are answered on Side One's closing number, the trippy and psychedelic, "Happy Nightmares (Mescaline)".  I'm booking my flight Amsterdam in the morning!  Just say no, kids!



Side Two begins with the court jestery instrumental "Anonymus" which-- mostly because of the prominent flute-- is reminiscent of early Jethro Tull.

Next up is "Black Beauty", but don't let the title fool you, this song IS about forbidden interracial love!  Didn't realize this sort of thing happened in the Netherlands.

The album ends with a reprise of the first song, "Focus", but this time with vocals!  

And once again, we've come full circle on another prog rock Saturday.  The drinks are still flowing, the mosquitos are biting and the neighbors are yelling to keep it down!   Proost!

RATING: 4.5 Clocks of Life Ticking Loud out of 5