Moving Waves

by Focus

Overview

The album that boosted Focus into at least semi-fame outside of continental Europe, Moving Waves blasts off with their hit single, "Hocus Pocus." Built around a killer guitar hook by Jan Akkerman and a series of solo turns by the band, this instrumental replaced "Wipeout" as a staple of FM radio. The bizarrely hilarious vocal and accordion solos by Thijs van Leer -- one of which absurdly concludes with rousing stadium cheers -- have to be heard to be believed. After this over-the-top performance, the other tracks seem comparatively constrained: the gentle "Le Clochard" features some gorgeous classical guitar over Mellotron strings. The album concludes with "Eruption," which while mimicking the multi-suite nomenclature of Yes and King Crimson, is essentially a side-long jam session. Stop-time Emersonian organ solos alternate with languid sections of jazzy guitar redolent of Santana, while still other sections are flat-out electric blues-rock stomps. It's impressive playing, though it comes off as a bit meandering after the tightly structured solos that began the album. ~ Paul Collins

Product Details

Release Date:	11/26/2009
Label:	Music On Vinyl / Urp Music Distribution
UPC:	8712944331882
Rank:	101846

Tracks

1. Hocus Pocus
2. Le Clochard
3. Janis
4. Moving Waves
5. Focus II
6. Eruption

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Focus   Primary Artist
Cyril Havermans   Lead Vocals,Bass
Thijs van Leer   Flute,Organ,Vocals,Yodeling,Accordion,Harmonica,Keyboards,Lead Vocals,Synthesizer,Flute (Alto)
Jan Akkerman   Guitar,Percussion,Guitar (Acoustic)
Cyril Havermanns   Bass
Pierre van der Linden   Drums

Technical Credits

Focus   Producer
Jerry Boys   Engineer
Mike Vernon   Producer,Supervisor,Liner Notes
Thijs van Leer   Composer,Performer
Will Hudson   Composer
Jan Akkerman   Composer,Performer
Bert Ruiter   Performer
Terence Ibbott   Design Photography
Ian Gillespie   Pre-Mastering
Pierre van der Linden   Composer
Tom Barlage   Composer
Hazrat Inayat Khan   Lyricist
Eelko Nobel   Composer
Colin Allen   Performer
David Kemper   Performer