Angels' Dreams

Sny Aniolów came out two years after Quidam's debut CD. It was released simultaneously in Poland by Rock-Serwis and in the rest of the world by Musea, although the latter version was retitled Angels' Dreams and featured re-recorded vocals in English. The album introduced a new flute player, Jacek Zasada. More confident than Ewa Smarzynska, he is also a bit more macho, hinting at Ian Anderson occasionally. In general, the writing is more assured and stronger, but the album lacks songs the calibre of "Sanktuarium" and "Ptone." The harder edge and bombast have been toned down to something closer to neo-prog (Musea's main sound) and Renaissance. Emila Derkowska's voice has grown stronger and more flexible — she does amazing things and will seduce any male listener in the range of your loudspeakers. "Moje Anioly" ("Angels of Mine"), also released as a single, stands among the group's best tracks: Punchy and light, it shows that it is still possible to play commercial prog rock without sounding lame. "Beznogi Maly Ptak" ("Little Bird With No Legs") provides another highlight, while the 14-minute "Pod Powieka" ("Behind My Eyes") can't match duration with intensity. The album ends on a heartfelt cover of Budka Suflera's seminal "Jest Taki Samotny Dom," left in Polish on the Musea version out of respect for this classic track of Polish rock. Sny Aniolów sounds slicker and better produced, but if it avoids its predecessor's lows, it offers nothing to match its highs. ~ François Couture, Rovi