Artist: Bohem
Label: KUD Rumeni zaliv
Release: 2008
Running time: 00:48:02
Rating: 4/5
“I invite you to the game, I take over with actions”. When a new name popped up on the Slovenian music scene a good four years ago, everyone probably figured it was just another one-day wonder. But no, their debut “Življenje ni zločin” got snapped up like hotcakes. The secret? Bohem served up something nobody had heard before: raw, primal rock spiced with electronics, live strings and a choir. On September 22, their second studio album “Manifest ljubezni” dropped, produced by Andrea F, who according to the band is the only true bohemian. Eleven much more mature tracks offer a glimpse into Bohem’s past. Rock for today and tomorrow.
That this is the case becomes clear already in the title track “Manifest ljubezni”, where the intro goes to a string quintet under the baton of Valter Sivilotti. It’s all backed by a powerful operatic vocal that makes you wonder whether you’re really listening to the same band. Compared to the innocence of the first album, Matic Jere has noticeably upped his vocal game. There’s also a bigger emphasis on Manca Pinterič’s keyboards, which were pushed into the background on “Življenje ni zločin”. The honor of first single from the new studio effort went to “Vest”, which surprises with some very good solos from Kotnik, while the lyrics themselves sound oddly down-to-earth. The guitar sawing stands out in “Deja Vu” too, one of the best tracks on the album. The very first riffs get you moving, and the chorus sounds like it was tailor-made for you. As if someone had crawled into your thoughts and brought them to life through a song. “Iluzija” surprises with a slightly more mystical, goth-tinged start. The rhythm keeps building, peaking in the chorus, which is enriched by a short Kotnik solo and, at moments, Matic’s slightly raspy vocal. “Težko = lahko” offers the simplest, most instantly graspable lyrics. On top of that, the track has one more bright spot: a great Kotnik solo at the end of the second chorus that won’t let the song just slip into oblivion. Bohem are simply not one of those “instant” bands flooding the music scene. In the middle of the record sits “Na tleh”, where the first few riffs hint at a ballad. Wrong. The guitars kick in, the rhythm suddenly speeds up and keeps growing. All well and good, until… for a split second Matic’s vocal sounds exactly like Tomi Meglič’s. And that’s the only “thing” Bohem and Siddharta might “share”, though plenty of people love to compare the two bands.
The proven formula for success tips over the edges of its mold in the second half of the album, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. The satirical, barely three-minute “Kič” is at its core a really fun song that brings a smile to your face. The second single “Romanca” is slightly thrown off by its rhetorical intro, but that’s forgotten once the rest of the band joins in. The track doesn’t have a really punchy chorus, but that’s not a problem, since the rhythm flows smoothly from the first note to the last. A welcome change of pace on the album is also the only English-language track, “Islands of People”, which feels like one of those evergreen hits. The album closes with the longest and loveliest track, “Most”, and Matic’s personal confessional “Dan za vas”. Let me point out that the latter isn’t your typical song of that kind, so no need to worry about your blood sugar level dropping.
“Manifest ljubezni” is a collection of “best of” kind of tracks, watched over with his magic wand by seasoned producer and all-round musician Andrea F. With the second album, Bohem stuck to the rule “when I write the script and look for my character, I just upgrade the old one, add a few differences”, which made them the only ones of their kind to land on the MTV “Rock Chart”. The guys and the girl just know their stuff!
Lineup
Matic Jere – Jerry (vocals, backing vocals)
Manca Pinterič (keyboards, backing vocals)
Marjan Kotnik – Mac (guitar, backing vocals)
Damir Pavlič (drums)
Dejvi Kotar (bass guitar)
Production
Andrea F
Tracklist
1. Manifest ljubezni
2. Vest
3. Deja Vu
4. Iluzija
5. Težko = lahko
6. Na tleh
7. Kič
8. Romanca
9. Islands Of People
10. Most
11. Dan za vas
