"Priđi mi bliže" by Vesna Kartuš (1982)

Out boredom and curiosity, I decided to check some albums from the archives of "Jugoton"  that escaped my attention the first time around. Unlike today, when production depends on re-packaging and countless compilations, back than music industry was going full blast and there was literary something for everybody, be it hardcore traditional folk, jazz, classical or latest pop star. Around the same time, "Jugoton"  decided to give a chance to two newcomers, Božica Jurić and Vesna Kartuš whose albums forever graced bargain bins ever since and who quickly disappeared without a trace, which was reason for me to have a closer look. 

There was something slightly anonymous about both ladies but Vesna Kartuš was actually surprisingly good. So much, in fact, that I have returned to her album "Priđi mi bliže" several times and it has never failed to lift my spirits and always made me sing along. It is a wonderfully sweet, light and breezy pop collection that was specifically tailored for younger singer by talented composers as Dejan Petković, Stjepan Mihaljinec and Arsen Dedić (Kartuš herself wrote one song which is actually not bad at all). To be honest, this unfairly neglected and completely obscure LP is genuinely much better than works by some artists who were at the same time doing routine work - for the life of me I can't understand why this wasn't bigger success or more popular. This is now pure speculation but it might have something to do with lack of promotion or the overall atmosphere where media focus was on either latest rock or hardcore folk artists - 1980s were all about loud image, big hair and attention grabbing costumes so girl-next-door image might have worked against her. However, Kartuš left handful of sunny, cheerful singles and her recordings, inconsequential as they might have been in the bigger scheme of things are very pleasant to this day - she comes across as a good natured younger sister and sometimes we are in the right mood for something that is not too heavy, music that is lighthearted and melodic as it is. "Renault - Peugot" , "Posudi Mi Tvoj Kišobran" and title song should have been hits and there is a certain sweetness and innocence that Kartuš  shares with older Zdenka Vučković - very appealing artist.