Released almost three years after Boo's debut,
Listen shows all the signs of maturity. Instead of being made of disparate influences plowed from the members' previous projects, the music holds more cohesion and personality. The "avant" aspect has been toned down; the same thing goes for electric guitars. It serves the songwriting, much stronger, especially when it comes to melodies. While the first album was a riff affair (something inherited from Dunaj),
Listen has the arrangements serving the melody. Christoph Pajer puts less strain on his voice, the arrangements breathe around him. The result is exquisite alternative pop/rock (sung in English) with that special Czech touch mostly provided by Andrea Konstankiewicz's cello. The only negative point about this CD is its length, too short at 39 minutes, but there is not a single weak track among the eight songs. "The Sea" (with Konstankiewicz sharing lead vocals), "Sunbeams," and "Lost on the Way" are highlights. The latter pairs a vaguely Algerian melody with a sordid story of travel and murder. For its rock appeal and relative straightforwardness, this album can make a gentle introduction to the particular world of Czech rock, but fans of Dunaj,
Pavel Fajt's Pluto, or
Uz Jsme Doma will probably find it lacking challenge. ~ François Couture