Customer Reviews

Focus 3

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4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
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Suprised no one pointed this out, but there's some differences between the vinyl issue and the CD. On the plus side, Anonymous II is edited whole (it spanned sides 3 & 4 on the LP) and Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! is almost 6 minutes longer than the LP version (14.03 vs 19.54). The CD omits House Of The King; but remember that was a re-recording from 1972 and NOT the version that was a single (from the first LP) and the running order is different.
At any rate, this was a great album from Focus, on par with Moving Waves and Hamburger Concerto. Round Goes the Gossip is one of their best "vocal" efforts, while Questions... and Anonymous II are great sprawling jams, with some of Akkerman's hotest guitar work.

Musicians : Jan Akkerman (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, lute), Thijs Van Leer (vocals, keyboards, flute, piccolo, recorder), Bert Ruiter (bass guitar), Pierre Van Der Linden (drums), Martin Dresden (bass guitar on House of the king), Hans Cleuver (drums on House of the king),

Focus 3 was recorded in 1972. In early 1973 it became a top ten album, and in Sylvia produced a top ten single. Focus were then at their peak of popularity, with their earlier album Moving Waves also being a top ten album, and Hocus Pocus taken from Moving Waves being a hit single. Each of the musicians were voted as top ten musicians in each of their categories. Jan Akkerman was voted world's best guitarist.

Focus 3 is an entirely instrumental album, apart from one track. All of the longer tracks have a very live feel to them because they were recorded without any overdubs.

Round goes the gossip is an odd vocal track to start an otherwise instrumental album with. The only words sung are "Round goes the gossip", apart from a slow middle section in which Thijs Van Leer sings part of Virgil's Aeneid in latin !

In stark contrast, the melodic Love remembered has a gentle flute lead with acoustic guitar backing.

The success of the single Sylvia at the time made Focus known all over the world. The memorable guitar led instrumental is a bit reminiscent of The Shadows at their best. This track will probably be appreciated by just about anyone.

Carnival Fugue is far more jazz than rock. Its slow piano intro in part Baroque, part Jazz style eventually becomes faster and ends with Thijs Van Leer playing a piccolo solo with the rest of Focus backing him.

The title track Focus 3 is in a similar style to other Focus tracks with Focus in the title. After the solemn organ intro, and gentle guitar lead, the pace gradually speeds up, until the track goes straight in to Answers Questions Questions Answers. Although Answers Questions Questions Answers lacks a distinct or memorable melody, parts of it contain some of the most sensitive guitar playing on the whole album.

Anonymous 2 was originally recorded as Anonymous on the first Focus album "In and out of Focus". However, Anonymous 2 is faster and musically far superior than the original, and at nearly thirty minutes is much longer. In live performances it served as a showpiece for their considerable musical abilities. After the initial guitar led melody of Anonymous 2, each of the musicians is given the opportunity to solo : Thijs Van Leer on flute, Bert Ruiter with a bass solo which is probably one of the longest on any recording, Jan Akkerman on guitar, and Pierre van Der Linden with a lengthy drum solo. They eventually return to the main melody of Anonymous 2. Given the amount of improvisation this is really jazz rather than rock music.

Although known for his abilities on electric guitar, Jan Akkerman had a considerable collection of lutes. He plays lute on Elspeth of Nottingham. He is backed by Thijs Van Leer on recorder. Elspeth of Nottingham is in the renaissance style of 16th century lutenist John Dowland, and is as good or better than anything that John Dowland wrote.

House of the King was the B side of the hit single Sylvia. It would have made a very good single itself, and in some countries was released as a single. The chords of the acoustic guitar intro leads in to a fast and memorable melody played on the flute, with the bridge played at remarkable speed by Jan Akkerman on electric guitar. House of the king is actually taken directly from Focus's first album "In and out of Focus". It was not even rerecorded for this album. Although they are not credited, Martin Dresden plays bass and Hans Cleuver plays drums. Around the same time, Jan Akkerman recorded a "fluteless" version for his solo album Tabernakel, on which he plays guitar lead throughout.

Focus split up after a few more albums. Jan Akkerman has had a very prolific and successful solo career since then. Thijs Van Leer eventually reformed Focus by joining what was going to be a Focus tribute band. They recorded Focus 8, although it does not contain any of the other previous members of Focus apart from him.

Released in 1972, this mostly instrumental recording by the Dutch proggers Focus continues the wonderful blend of staggering virtuosity, classical-structure (one obvious example is a fugue), jazz, hard rock, reflective and haunting moments, and silliness developed on Moving Waves (1971), although in a somewhat more even fashion. Specifically, although there are hard rock and soft, classically-influenced pieces one right after the other, the transition between songs is not terribly jarring. In addition, different sections are integrated better within individual pieces. The eight pieces presented on Focus III range from the quiet, 2'50" "Love Remembering" to the epic, 26'24" quasi-jam session "Anonymous Two", which was originally presented as "Anonymous" on the 1970 debut "In and Out of Focus". Other continuations of earlier pieces include Focus III. The highlight of the album for me is the 13'48" "Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers!", which works very well from both a composition and arrangement perspective. Although there are lengthy solos in this piece, they are incorporated into the arrangement and do not seem gratuitous. Jan Akkerman is an incredible guitarist and creates an infinite number of moods and textures with both the acoustic guitar and clean, undistorted tones on his electric, while the Hammond organ and flute work of Thijs van Leer is something to behold. These two musicians perform on the medieval flavored piece Elspeth of Nottingham, which features just the lute and the flute. Drummer Pierre van der Linden does a great job on this album and continues the excellent work presented on Moving Waves, although this was his last performance with the group and left Focus in 1973 (he would turn up in the prog bands Group 1850 and Trace in 1974). The bassist slot opened up again on Focus III and was filled by Bert Ruiter, who lays down some solid parts. Although this album is quite good, the 26'24" Anonymous Two" is a bit too long and needlessly so. Specifically, the bass and drum solos seem to go on for just a bit too long, don't contribute much to the piece overall, and should have been omitted or severely edited. Apart from this minor complaint, Focus III is a great recording and one that is recommended to all fans of prog rock along with Moving Waves (1971), and the 1974 debut by the Dutch prog group Trace.

I bought this album at a local department store when I was 13. All I knew about them was "Hocus Pocus" from hearing it on AM radio, and "Sylvia" from a various artists LP called "Super Sessions." When I saw it in a cut-out bin, I wasted no time in grabbing it. I LOVED the cover (still do). We're talking American, ya know, the cover is black die-cut with the band name and album title in rainbow colors with four teeny tiny pictures of the individual band members placed squarely (literally) in the middle of the cover? The cover told you there was something great going on inside those grooves, and dog-gone it was right!
I have to tell you, I was thoroughly impressed with the two songs I already knew, but when I first played this album (in headphones, turned up pretty good), I was transported! Ah, what fantastically gifted musicians I was hearing! This was 1976 and I was bored to tears with radio. I had reverted to the music of the 50's and 60's, my favorite stuff at that time being doo-wop, garage and invasion music (all of which I still love). But this was so serious, so playful, so moving, so jamming, so great that before side 1 had closed, and this is no kidding, these guys had gone from: "Yeah, I've heard them before" status, to: "One of the 5 all-time greatest bands in the world!" This band (mainly because of this album) is one of the most precious natural resources to have existed in our lifetime. That is NO EXAGGERATION! I would carry one of Jan Akkerman's filthiest, smelliest socks unwashed in my guitar case to wipe my guitar with for the rest of my life, I hold his playing and writing abilities in the highest regard.
For a solid musical education, you must own this!

This album has been released in many varieties. The LP in the US had two different covers. Both of those covers were completely different than what was released in Europe. There are at least 2 versions of the CD, with different tracks.

This version of the CD is missing House of The King, which was on the original LP. That would make it 67 minutes long. The original LP was 70 minutes long. I don't know why the song was left off the CD, because it would easily fit. The Japanese version of the CD does have the extra song.

I think this is the best Focus album. All the compositions are great, and interesting.

The best part is Focus III and Questions? Answers! Answers! Questions? which is combined into one long 20 minute suite. It is just a very beautiful peace.

Anonymous II is an extended version of the piece from the first Focus album (In and Out of Focus). It is basically a high energy jam that features solos by each of the group members. It could have easily been a live jam.

Progressive rock music gained a bad reputation due to the overblown excesses of the most popular groups and their very boring extended tracks (like Yes's Tales of Topographical Oceans). But that is not the case with Focus III. The next Focus album, Hamburger Concerto would feature a long suite that was not quite as successful but is still good.

After 2 more studio albums and a live album, Focus sort of broke up in 1975. They reformed in 1978 without Jan Akkerman, but added a vocalist and released Focus con Proby. The group disappeared again and van Leer formed another version in the late 90's. They recorded Focus 8 and a live album that has been released with several different titles.

Jan Akkerman went on a solo career and released some good albums. I bought one album that was factory sealed and when I opened it, the record was actually of ABBA. bummer

Focus III is a fantastic display of technical wizardry. At the same time Focus avoids the cold, "voidy shallowness" that so often stained other virtuose, progressive acts at the time. The album is brimming over of pure warmth and genuine joy. Also, Focus III is a set of strong melodies, some of which are true masterpieces in their own rights.

It kicks off with the weird, jazzy "Round Goes the Gossip", trademark playful Focus. Next up is "Love Remembered", a beautiful flute tune, only just staying put on the right side of banality. "Sylvia" sees Akkerman riffing and soloing with catchy hooks and melody lines - A European and US hit. "Carnival Fugue" starts off with a beautiful classical piano theme that transforms into a jazz fugue and culminates in a carribian style party music. Wonderfully inventive stuff.

"Focus III/Answers?Questions!Questions?Answers" should be regarded as one piece of music, 20 minutes at that, as the first effortlessly flow into the latter... Focus III is standard Focus material with catchy ever changing themes whereas Anwers... portrays the unique talents of van Leer and Akkerman on organ and guitar respectively.

"Elspeth of Nottingham" shows the other side of Mr. Akkerman, a tender, medieval piece played on lute - absolute and utter beauty. "Anonmymus 2" - all 26:30 minutes of them is just a masterpiece - end of story. It contains just about everything,beautiful melody, bass solo, drum solo (that actually works!!!) a guitar solo that quite simply is out of this world and an over-the-top jam sessions. The finale shows Jan Akkerman running up and down that neck with frantic speed, yet with total ease, note perfect and 100% true to melodyline .

Wonderful songs aside, it is the totality of Focus III that makes it a true classic. One melody logically follows another, and when Jan's final guitar runs abruptly ends "Anonymus 2", you understand that you have heard one massive, coherent album.

"Focus III" was certainly the pinnacle of Focus' career. It is arguably also the very high point of the prog rock movement. Actually, it may very well be on par with any classic you care to mention in the general vein of popular music.

If you only get one Focus album, get this one. It is actually my favourite rock album but may be a bit weird for the mainstream crowd. Excellent compositions and execution. I agree with an earlier reviewer who stated it is probably the pinacle of progressive rock. The Baroque pieces show the depth of musicianship and intellect these guys have but with a good dose of humor as well. Check out Akkerman's solo album Profiles if you want even wilder guitar. It's good to see some of the good albums made it to CD.

Dan

this is the only time the exceptional dutch formation with the congenial van Leer/Akkerman creative souls was trying to go to extremes. Full spectrum - heavy guitar sound followed up by chamber music, occasional yodeling develops into tricky jazz patterns. The sound on this CD, however, despite being remastered lacks the depth of the analog recording, reflecting a common problem. Still, it is a fresh piece of music of a group still checking out its possibilities. And, it is featuring the most lyrical guitar player you can possibly imagine

From start to finish this album is amazing. Based around 2 virtuoso musicians, guitarist Jan Akkerman and keyboardist Thijs Van Leer, this is pretty complex, pretty spectacular music. Every song on here is great, and this album is will definately grow on you. If your a fan of prog rock you must get this album..for some reason this album isnt better appreciated, but this album, like this band is simply amazing at times(most times).

This is a great album by a vastly underrated band! For the past year or so I've been on a quest to find the roots of rock guitar, trying to link such `30s giants as Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt to more contemporary guitar gods (personal favorite remains EVH) and in the process I accidentally bumped into this CD. The album was released before I was born so I don't know if it produced any shock-waves at the time (1972), but if it did, it somehow managed to quietly disappear from the radar screen thereafter... I've seen many lists of 'classic rock bands', 'classic rock albums', and 'best guitarists', and while this band/album/guitarist could and should feature in all categories, it features in none!
Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman display some serious musical chops (rhythm section is pretty okay as well!), but thankfully also posses a natural tendency towards catchy (albeit lengthy) tunes. This, combined with their generally humoristic approach to songwriting, sets them apart from many self-indulgent 'prog-rockers'. There's no weak track on the album, but my favorites are Sylvia, Focus III/Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! and Anonymous II.
Special mention must go to guitarist Jan Akkerman: the guy is technically up there with the best of them and has tons of feel - which is quite unique in guitar-land! (also check out his excellent DVD "Jan Akkerman - Live").