Sunčana strana ulice

Sunčana strana ulice is the second studio album by the Zagreb band Azra, released in June 1981 by Jugoton as a double LP. It was recorded in February and March 1981 at MM Studio in Zagreb, and produced by Branimir Johnny Štulić himself. The album contains 24 songs and lasts just over an hour (1:00:55).

This is the record on which Azra reached full maturity. After an energetic debut, Štulić here expanded – from raw new wave rock and post-punk, through acoustic ballads and reggae influences, all the way to cabaret and folk elements. The sound is more sophisticated: prominent acoustic guitar, prominent bass by Miša Hrnjak, precise drumming by Boris Leiner, and guest brass instruments (Miroslav Sedak-Benčić on saxophone, Franjo Vlahović on trumpet and trombone, etc.).

The lyrics are Štulić's masterpiece – a mix of street poetry, love themes, social criticism and political engagement. Songs like "Užas je moja furka", "Kurvini sinovi", "Poljska u mome srcu" (dedicated to Solidarity) or "Pit... i to je Amerika" bring a sharp criticism of the system, hypocrisy and imperialism. On the other hand, there are gentle love miniatures like "Ne reci mi dvapat", "Između nas", "Gospodar samoće", "Karta za sreću" or the title track "Sunčana strana ulice". The album acts like a documentary about life in Zagreb in the early 80s – from waking up in the morning ("041" – Zagreb's area code) to leaving at night ("Departure into the Night").

The album was critically acclaimed: in the Rolling Stone Croatia (2015) poll, it was ranked third all-time in Yugoslavia and first among Croatian albums. Many consider it the pinnacle of Štulić's creative power and one of the best double albums in the history of regional rock.

Sunčana strana ulice is not just an album – it is a cult record that defined the sound and spirit of a generation, and still sounds fresh, poetic and provocative today. A must-read for every fan of true rock poetry.