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| This third full-length studio album from Polish band Quidam was released in both Polish and English versions. I have seen the album being sold as Pod niebem czas, but the version I have is called Time beneath the Sky, and has Polish lyrics on all tracks except for "No Quarter". Quidam covers familiar ground on this album. Emila Derkowska's voice is still stunning, and the group's sound remains in the Camel-inspired neo-progressive region. They even revisit their The Corrs inspiration on the track "Kozolec (for AgaPe)". There is perhaps a little more spacey jamming and a slight Arabic aroma to the music, but nine out ten tracks are essentially the same fare as the last album. Where Quidam do take a sharp left turn, however, is in their cover of the Led Zeppelin track "No Quarter". This is a Led Zeppelin song I am a little ambivalent about, because while it has some great moments, the overall effect is a little mediocre. Quidam's version manages to get the atmosphere almost right and improves the dull sections, but fails with the song's strongest point, the guitar riff. While Maciek Meller is a technically gifted guitarist, the distortion on the main riff is not strong enough to match Jimmy Page's power, and when the riff is doubled up by the synth the effect is ruined. Highlights for me are the atmospheric opening track, which includes Emila howling like a banshee, some Tull-style flute, and a great guitar solo. The closing track, "(Everything Has Its Own) Time Beneath the Sky", is the sort of song Quidam do very well. A melancholy opening with a beautiful melody changes to a more upbeat mood, with an elegantly complex instrumental backing. This is another pretty solid release from Quidam, but for some reason leaves me less satisfied than their previous two, perhaps because the best moments here are not as outstanding. Start with Sny Aniolow from Quidam, but if you like that then you will like this. review by Conrad Leviston — 5-11-05 —
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