A Quest for Prog 16: Focus - Hamburger Concerto

"A Quest for Prog" is a series of 50 Progressive Rock reviews to be written over a year.  The band selection is taken from the book in the first post on this blog.  And the albums I am reviewing is based on the highest user ratings for each band on Progarchives.com.

Focus - Hamburger Concerto (1974)

Produced by Mike Vernon

Thijs van Leer – Keyboards, Organ, Flute, Piano & Vocals

Jan Akkerman – Guitar

Bert Ruiter – Bass Guitar

Colin Allen – Drums

Track listing:

Side one:

01. Delitiae Musicae (1:13)

02. Harem Scarem (5:50)

03. La Cathedrale de Strasbourg (5:00)

04. Birth (7:45)

Side two:

05. Hamburger Concerto (20:18)

·         Starter

·         Rare

·         Medium I

·         Medium II

·         Well Done

·         One for the Road

Released in 1974 “Hamburger Concerto” is the fourth album by Dutch band Focus.  The band was formed by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer in 1969.  The band is best known for hits “Hocus Pocus” from Focus II and “Sylvia” from Focus 3.  

The album begins with the short piece “Delitiae Musicae”.  The track features Flute and Guitar in an English Folk style.  It’s a nice start to the record and the guitar playing is really good.

“Harem Scarem” follows on.  This song is funky and has a strong groove.  There is a real 70’s feel to this song and reminded me of Kiss’ precursor Wicked Lester.  The vocals are a bit silly just allot of “Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs”.  That said quite a fun tune.

The tone changes on “La Cathedrale de Strasbourg”.  A more subtle and quiet track it is quite dramatic and at times cheesy.  The piano is really strong here and is almost classical.  The vocals near the end of the song are over the top and there is also some cheesy whistling.  But the vocals are really interesting at the start of the tune with vocals moving around the stereoscape. 

A nice Harpsicord Intro starts the last song on the first side “Birth”.  The Organs in the main song are great and they play the main theme of the song with the flutes which really cool.  The song get’s quite breezy at points.  The bass is really groovy which give the song a nice 70’s rock feel.  Best song on the record.

We flip the record over to side two for what is almost clichéd for Prog Records a 20 minute side B.  The “Hamburger Concerto” begins with a cool keyboard intro that reminded me of ELO.  The track the moves into a semi-classical section sound similar to “Here Comes The Sun” by the Beatles crossed with Emerson, Lake & Palmer.  An Interesting piece.  The track builds and become almost more triumphant in sound and mood.  There some silly vocals added at the five and half minute mark.  If your into the Goon Show this might be your cup of tea.  There is some harp added before the flute brings the song to a slower section.  The flute playing is great.  The guitars are given a section to play around as the song progresses.  This section is when the mood changes and the sound like late 70’s Pink Floyd.  The soloing does go on a bit longer than it should but it’s still interesting.  There are some decent vocals near the end and the song becomes quite gothic and folky.  As far as 20 minute long songs go this one was quite interesting.

I enjoyed this record and although it tries to silly in places it is quite an accomplished and interesting record.  Well worth a listen.

6/10