For those who have followed the band since they reformed back in 2002 after a hiatus of almost 25 years, Focus continually seem like a band who prove to be just as inspired and quirky as they were in their heyday. Latest album
Focus X is perhaps the best example of that, and despite not particularly representing the band's best musical moments, it certainly tries damn hard to reach that same level of musical success found on, say,
Hamburger Concerto.
Focus' tenth studio effort couldn't have been better introduced. Album opener "Father Bacchus" explodes straight out of the stereo with the same vigour and madness as "Hocus Pocus" did over four decades ago, the mental hard rock sound and well-executed flute performance providing one of the quirkiest songs of Focus' career. One couldn't ask for a better opener, really. Whilst that particular song isn't always matched in terms of musical quality, there are still others which prove Focus are still a very adventurous band at heart. Perhaps overshadowed by "Father Bacchus", the same impression can't really be felt on the likes of the softer "Focus 10" or indeed "Victoria", but what really helps them to get into an above average status is musical consistency. This, together with the band's usual array of both quirky and settled musicianship, is a neat culmination of everything that has worked in the past.
The main problem here, perhaps the only one, is how some songs just seem to be too self-indulgent for Focus' own good. It's probably not the band's fault, of course, but the likes of "Amok in the Kindergarten" and "Talk of the Clown" seem to wander too far into musical obscurity, and at points even seems to bore the listener with an instrumental performance that drags rather than impresses. Nonetheless, these two tracks seem to be the only ones affected as a result, but for those who were expecting something on the same level as the band's 70s material, it would seem comparatively disappointing.
What helps
Focus X furthermore is its variety more than anything else. There are straightforward hard rockers ("Father Bacchus"), softer, more romantic classically-influenced pieces ("Horatio") and even brief forays into the world of Latin music ("Birds Come Fly Over/Le Tango"), the latter of which sung by no other than Brazilian artist Ivan Lins. Put that together with the strong use of keyboard and flute work, striving hard to keep up with the main rhythm section at all times, and you have a real solid effort on your hands. Even the vocal delivery, as rare as it is (unsurprising for those who know Focus' musical career rather well), seeks to impress. "Horatio", the only song credited to bassist Bobby Jacobs, is derived from the poem "Ars Poetica (Horace)", and narrated confidently by the man himself, and the closing excellence of "Crossroads" explores a more forward-thinking approach to lyrical content than ever before.
All that said,
Focus X is definitely an album you should get stuck into, even if you have only a passive interest in progressive rock. For the fans, disappointment may naturally occur, but even then the general impression is that of a band who are every bit as inspired now as they were back in their heyday. Maybe Focus will never release another album as consistent as their tenth effort, but it remains to be seen.
