Desert Online General Trading LLC
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Desert Online General Trading LLC
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2007 reissue of this Prog classic from Indonesian Rock pioneers Shark Move, who formed in 1970 and were founded by Benny Soebardja, who plays lead guitar and sings. The group combined Rock music and English lyrics with traditional harmonies and Progressive sounds. While other bands at that time were still playing sweetened Pop music, this was really an experimental recording for the time and place it was made. Unfortunately, at the end of 1970, the band's keyboard player passed away, so Benny decided not to continue and formed a new band named Giant Step. Ghede Chokra's is a very complex Prog album which is as strong as many of the UK Prog classics of the early '70s, with that little something extra that makes this album unique and great. Shadoks.
D**D
Indonesian prog-rock from 1970
I first heard a very good track by this band on the ultra-cool compilation of 1970s Indonesian bands, "Those Shocking Shaking Days" that was reissued a few years ago. One of the members of Shark Move, Benny Soebardja, also had a cut on that compilation. Wanting to hear more, I found out that he had recorded a solo album, which I found on Amazon. That was quite impressive, so I decided to take the plunge further and order the CD version of this 1970 album by Shark Move. I don't think it's quite as strong as Benny's solo album, but there is still a lot to like on here.Obviously, this band was influenced by many Western musical acts from the late 1960s. Listening to this album I'm reminded slightly of bands such as Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and even Black Sabbath. And yet, there's still a distinct Indonesian thread running through the material too, whether the songs are sung in English or not. For a unique slice of early '70s rock, this CD (although only about 34 minutes in length) more than satisfies.The CD comes with a thin booklet that has a short history of the band. Of the 5 original members of Shark Move, Benny is the only one alive as I write this.