GARGAMEL - Watch the umbles (Trans020)
Here's another winner from the folks at Record Heaven/Transubstans Records.
Gargamel are a prog band from Oslo, Norway, whose debut album Watch for the
Umbles is sure to make some waves among lovers of 70's styled progressive
rock music. Hints of Van Der Graaf Generator, especially in the lead vocals and
raging Hammond organ, as well as bands like Univers Zero, Eloy, Anglagard,
Anekdoten, and King Crimson, can be heard throughout this CD. Overall, the music
is pretty dark and ominous, littered with keyboards (Hammond organ, Mellotron,
electric piano, Moog synths), guitar, flute, cello, saxophone, bass, and drums.
As the album kicks off, you are assaulted by the Deep Purple meets Van Der Graaf
Generator madness of "Ties", a lengthy and hard rocking prog number with beefy
yet angular guitar riffs and wonderful Hammond organ passages, as well as creepy
cello. "Strayed Again" is a wonderful near 13-minute epic with cello and flute
battles, not to mention heavy guitar work and organ, and trippy electric piano.
Lead vocals are in a similar style to VDGG's Peter Hammill, filled with plenty
of emotion and angst. There's some dreamy and chilling sounds on "Below the
Water", a dark piece highlighted by cold vocals, biting lead guitar, haunting
cello, and waves of Mellotron & electric piano. The Mellotron is once again at
the helm on the intro to "Into the Cold", an upbeat number with loads of
stabbing flute, cello, and electric piano. The band goes for some dark yet
majestic psychedelic sounds on "Agitated Mind", which starts off with gently
picked electric guitar chords before the mysterious vocals and spacey electric
piano kicks in. This ones a near 18-minute monster that will instantly bring a
smile to the face of Eloy or Pink Floyd fans. In fact, near the mid-way point on
this tune, I was reminded of "Echoes" by Floyd with all the keyboard effects and
atmospherics.
It's hard to imagine that Gargamel will fail to make a splash with Watch
for the Umbles, a dark and complex prog rock opus that has all the
characteristics that lovers of the genre want to hear. My guess is we will be
hearing much more about this band in the months ahead, along with bands like
Wobbler, who are also keeping 70's prog alive. Highly recommended!
Reviwed by Pete Bardo for
Sea of Tranquility
My enthusiasm about the band's name (who doesn't remember this almighty
villain from The Smurfs) was prophetic. I was told by a friend to keep an eye
for this new progressive rock band from Norway, but nothing could prepare me for
what my ears experienced by listening to the first album of Gargamel, called
"Watch For The Umbles".
The creme de la creme of the 70s european prog scenes, finds the most worthy
carrier of its inheritance in the face of Gargamel. I won't be exaggerating if I
say that these guys play almost every style of music that was related to prog
rock. Symphonic, kraut, folk, some jazz, even freak style when they improvise
with their instruments, without forgetting to focus on a standard melody from
time to time and build an entire song around it. Cherishing the influences from
the composing lunacy and imagination of Van Der Graaf Generator (which is
probably the band closer to the style of Gargamel), the endless darkness and
paranoia of King Crimson, the most atmospheric moments and colourful soundscapes
of Nektar ("Journey To The Centre Of The Eye" era) and the lyricism and melody
of Eloy, they present us their own fascinating study on the works of the masters
of the genre. Despite their obvious resemblance to the bands mentioned before,
they are not just some guys whose only ambition is to play like their favourite
bands did. They are accepting the legacy of the bands of old in order to
preserve it, not by re-producing it, but with creating something totally new
from that, something of their own, something personal and unique.
The music of Gargamel is a rich collage of sounds, moods, emotions and different
tensions. Inspiration is flowing freely on every melody they spawn from their
instruments, their ideas are adventurous and exciting, and while they are almost
countless, they are combined in a rare harmony, which clearly shows how much the
band worked on its music. Recording many different layers of keyboards they
produce some multidimensional plains of purely transcending music capable of
expanding your mind and making you take a glimpse of the visions described with
the words and sounds of the album. Shifting from powerful prog deliriums to calm
improvisation moments, for example in the second song of the album, where the
cello and the flute are madly drawing threatening images on the canvas built by
a monotonous drum rhythm, they write some nearly surreal musical themes that
emphasize on the theatrical element of their music, with the help of Tom
Uglebakken's captivating voice, which becomes extraordinary in specific moments,
like in "Below The Water" where it follows with precise a sweet guitar melody. I
could go on and describing every single second of the album, but there are so
many beautiful things to be discovered by you, that you will want to listen to
it over and over again, and still you will be faced with even more ideas that
want to break your head and enter your soul.
"My mind is filled with storms from the past, as they try to push me over again".
This Gargamel lyric is probably what best describes my own state of mind, after
many listening sessions of the album. I simply don’t put the highest rate,
because I expect even greater albums from them in the future. Until then, "Watch
For The Umbles" will be definitely treasured. 12/13.
Review found on
Monolith
MR
BROWN - Mellan tre ögon (Trans 015)
Record Heaven/Transubstans Records is pulling all sorts of
neat progressive rock rarities out of the vaults these days, and the 1977 album
Mellan Tre Ögon by Sweden's Mr. Brown is another wonderful little gem
they have unearthed for us, and the first appearance of this album on CD. This
happened to be the only release from Mr. Brown, and that's a sad thing, because
the album is filled with plenty of elements that most fans of the genre love,
and it would have been interesting to see if they could have built upon this
foundation further.
The opening song "Suicide" recalls many of the giants in prog rock history,
namely Pink Floyd, Eloy, Yes, Genesis, and PFM. Dreamy, melodic guitar passages
permeate the thick wall of keyboards (ARP Synthesizer, Logan string machine,
Hammond organ, and piano), while a lazy sax meanders its way through the mix
underneath some thickly accented but effective English vocals. I'm again
reminded of early PFM or even Nektar on "Recall the Future", a song that
features some stinging guitar, majestic piano, melodic flute lines, and
wonderful Moog and Mellotron sounds. "Resan till Ixtlan" is a short showcase for
keyboard player Anders Nilsson, and "Universe" is like a charming mix of Genesis
and ELO, with plenty of string machine washes and piano, plus some nice melodic
vocals. The band kicks it up a notch on the Jethro Tull & Focus inspired flute/piano
romp "Kharma 74", a more upbeat piece but still very majestic sounding and quite
melodic. I'm again hearing some Genesis influence on "Liv i stad utan liv", a
song that has some really rich sounding synth waves as well as pastoral guitar.
"Mellan Tre Ögon" is one of those long lost classics that you listen to
today and wonder why it has been kept locked away for so many years. Fans of
lush and symphonic 70's progressive rock are going to simply love this album,
now available on CD for the first time. Don't be fooled by the fact that the
band was Swedish, as their music was more iinfluenced by the great British and
Italian bands, although you can also hear some similarities to vintage Kaipa
here as well. Either way, this is highly recommended stuff!
Reviewed by Pete Bardo /
Sea of Tranquility
Although the genre was winding down by this time, 1977 was still a great year
for Progressive Rock. Unfortunately, we are discovering most of it almost 30+
years later. With the advent of the internet, many of these long lost gems of
70's Progressive Rock are resurfacing and although some would have been better
served to remain undiscovered, this is not the case with Mr Brown's Mellan tre
ögon album. Formed in Sweden in 1977, Mr Brown probably released this album as a
local release and it quietly slipped through the cracks soon after. This album
is definitely rooted in the 70's, with influences from It's A Beautiful Day,
Eloy, Pink Floyd, Caress of Steel era Rush, Greenslade and to a point, even a
dash of Bob Dylan can be found lurking in this album.
The album starts off with a nice spacey groove reminiscent to Floyd's "Any
Colour You Like," or even an earlier influence, "Cymballine." The vocals are a
very intriguing cross section of Justin Hayward, Roger Waters and Bob Dylan ( a
certain nasal quality) and are sung in both Swedish and English. As the album
progresses with beautifully floating melody lines and mellotrons, one has to
wonder why, of all the albums
of lesser quality that were available worldwide in 1977, why this one
never got noticed. If one had to place the album into today's internet
prog category, it would be best suited in the Symphonic bin. Having
said that, there is nothing so limiting about the album or band to
pigeon-hole this music. They have their influences, and yes, they wear
them on their sleeves. But there is an originality found on this album
that begs to be heard. The album ranges from subtle mellotron drenched
melodies to an almost folk styling, to Santana packed jam sessions. If
I had owned this album in 1977, it would have been played to all of my
friends and they would have gone out and bought it as well. It is such
a tragedy this album, and many albums like it didn't make it out of the
starting gate upon it's original release. Hopefully, Mr Brown will come
calling on our door again, and we will listen this time.
Summary: Mellan tre ögon is a fine album and is a pleasure to listen
to. There is nothing groundbreaking or particularly complex about this
album, even for 1977. This is pretty much a typical affair of 70's
Progressive Rock that features great musicianship, excellent execution
and a very satisfying listen. Highly recommended.
By lew Fisher for the Progressive Music Society,
Originally released back in 1977, this album, until now only
available in vinyl format, has since then became a rarity and pretty
sought-after by the real connoisseurs of the 70’s Scandinavian Prog. Well, it is
finally about to be released in cd format by Swedish Label Record Heaven,
and in good time it will!
While it is difficult to find info on this band, and for the fact that the promo
package I received is also missing on information, I can only really focus
myself on the music that is present on this album…and so I will.
In Mellan Tre Ögon Med we find a band that clearly had the potential and
the ability to provide the prog community with very interesting works, have they
choosen to continue after releasing this sole album. While that did not happened,
Mr Brown left us a legacy of just one record in which the prime
substances of the 70’s symphonic prog are to be found. If not at all
concentrated on making things complex or mind-blowing, this Swedish band chose
to focus their musicality on the melodic side of things, carefully constructing
long instrumental passages where they keep it quite simple while betting all in
creating beautiful keyboard(especially Piano and Hammond)/flute dichotomies that
can drive the listener to experience a visualization of vast landscapes with a
calm atmosphere.
While the vocals are not the best asset here, they are sufficiently sparse to
not become an attention grabber, so that the instrumental parts are what really
this bands music is all about.
Connections to such apart bands as country mates Kaipa, Dutch legends
Focus and Anglo-Saxon bands like Jethro Tull, Caravan and
Camel are sometimes pretty obvious, though again Mr Brown was not
striving to copy any of the bands most compelling and complex stuff, but only
borrowed some of the melodic textures of each of the aforementioned bands in
order to create uncompromising harmonies in a calmer basis.
Anyway, I have found this an extremely nice surprise, for it is indeed an
absolutely enjoyable album from start to finish. It has really great melodies
that are developed through long instrumentals.
Ok, so it is not something that will blow you apart with
virtuoso musicianship, but that is not the goal at all here. This is simple 70’s
symphonic prog with tons of emotional and melancholic playing, and that simply
gives you space to comfortably appreciate the music and get in a good mood
status. If you like the most melodic side of 70’s sympho, then this album comes
most highly recommended by this reviewer.
Reviewed by Nuno at
Prognosis
ÖRESUND
SPACE COLLECTIVE - S/T (Trans 017)
The Øresund Space Collective is a fairly new band who have only been around
since 2004. Made up of musicians from Denmark, Sweden amd the US (and who are
also currently in other groups), these guys play an improvised form of space
rock and jazz that also hints at funk, prog, and reggae. Think Tangerine Dream
or Ozric Tentacles via the way of Return to Forever and Weather Report, and you
have somewhat of an idea what to expect here. Even though these are improvised
jams, the music never meanders, and for the most part sounds pretty structured.
60's styled Fender Rhodes and organ sounds mix with fluttering and chirping
synths, while guitars explore into deep dark space and the drums & bass rumble
and groove. Most of the tracks are fairly lengthy and allow for ample time for
the band to breathe, solo, and groove. "Consumed By the Goblin" is one of my
favorite pieces, with its 70's fusion feel and space rock explorations. What's
great about the music of Øresund Space Collective as opposed to the Ozric's is
that their music is not repetitive at all, and the jazz & fusion elements allow
their songs to branch off in many different directions, which makes for an
exciting listen. A song like "OSC Bolero" for instance, features tight rhythmic
frunk grooves, but then the song branches off into a light jazz fusion piece
highlighted by a melodic extended synth solo. If you like your space rock
futuristic and haunting, these's plenty of that as well, especially the chilling
"Falling Stardrops" and the eerie 1-2 punch of "Moonhead" and "Sundown", both
featuring a wide assortment of 70's styled synth and Fender Rhodes passages.
The band offers many of their jam sessions on their website in MP3 format for
listeners to check out for free, which is a pretty nice gesture in this day and
age. You really can't beat this studio recording however, which is thoroughly
enjoyable improvised music that pleases on all levels.
Reviewed by pete Bardo for
Sea of Tranquility
Öresund Space Collective is a
multi-national band, incorporating members from Norway, Denmark and the USA.
They play, in their own words, a “Free Form Improvised Space Rock Music”, this
meaning that they get together and just jam freely, within the frames of Space
Rock, recording their achievements. Well, if this album is representative of
that, then I’ll just have to consider that this band has developed an immense
tightness between its members, a total understanding of each other musicality
speaking. Only this way would it be possible to release such an album as this
one, where the tracks are well constructed and seem like results of much trained
rehearsals.
This is totally Space Rock, as all the instruments transport the listener to
those musical fields. From the guitars to the keyboards and the paraphernalia of
bizarre audio “noises” that are thrown in the mix, many of them of a percussive
nature.
Being a totally instrumental album, there are strong connections to some of the
more spacey parts of Ozric Tentacles (mainly the guitar and some
inorganic sound effects) and Ship of Fools, but also to Hidria
Spacefolk or even some Hawkwind tendencies, while the keyboards
strangely (yet only occasionally) draw close tangents to the The Doors
keys sound (just listen to some keys parts in the track Consumed by the
Goblin). The drumming is competent and a bit more “direct” than the rest of
the band, helping to keep the resulting sound balanced and focused.
The band takes its time to develop the tracks, and in 3 of those it really
expands that time to a mark above the 14 minutes, which allows the listener to
levitate through a star-filled void that the music helps create…like good space
rock is supposed to, well…at least this specific style of Space Rock.
Like First Band From Outer Space or Ship of Fools, Öresund
Space Collective keeps things completely and uniquely on the Space Rock side
of things, with the correct and usual use of slightly psychedelic sounds that
come in the form of sonic effects oddities, which makes the album not as much
diversified as the majority of progheads want to (like myself, for instance).
But for the fringe of progsters that have a thing for the purest form of Space
Rock, and especially that which was able to transport this sounding to
contemporary grounds, this album will be a swell discovery, that I am sure of.
Reviewed byNuno for
Prognosis
RÅG
I RYGGEN - S/T (Trans 013)
A nice reissue by Record Heaven/Transubstans. From 1975, Råg I
Ryggen play some hard prog in the vein of Uriah Heep. At times their
music becomes more symphonic, and Italian bands like PFM and Le Orme
come to mind.
The remastered version is very good, but Råg I Ryggen were a low budget
band from thirty years ago, so you have to expect that the sound is somewhat
dated. As a bonus, three live tracks were added. One is not from the studio
tracks so it is very nice to have it.
If you are into seventies hard prog, Råg I Ryggen should interest you. If
you consider that nineties Spock's Beard sounds a little dated, you
should perhaps stay away from this
Reviewed by Marc for
Prognosis
Another otherwise unknown band to cross my desk has become a bit of a nice surprise as this band encapsulates my preferred styles with plenty of keyboards, flutes, pounding drums and bass work right down to the blazing style guitar leads that so many try to emulate. Rag I Ryggen’s only release provides an interesting dose of heavy prog rock from the mid-seventies. Being one of the few bands in the genre with two lead guitarplayers, their sound is a little more original and distinctive than your average band. Several songs are in the six minute plus range such as “Det kan väl inte vara farligt”, “Naked man”, “Sanningsserum” and the celtic instrumental “Spängaforsens brus” which feature formidable twin lead guitar attacks and some beautiful harmonies. Not that most tracks here would be radically more than just minor variations of the theme, but you can easily sense the enthusiastic and highly positive spirit involved in the making of this recording. Although the Swedish sextet were not a definite pioneer in the scene, one must admit that their brand of seventies prog rock was extremely well done. Without a doubt, “Rag I Ryggen” (“To have guts”) deserves a place in rock history.
So I have to thank Record Heaven for releasing this treasure. It's sad that this killer band has only released one album. My only criticism of this album is that the 3 live tracks at the end, two of which are already present in their studio versions, are not really necessary. The production quality kind of sucks, as it often does with live recordings.
Cosmicmasseur
Transubstance dives deep into the depths of Swedish underground rock with this
re-release of Råg I Ryggan’s only album originally from 1975. The band’s
progressive hared rock or heavy prog, how ever you want to take it, still kicks
seriously ass after thirty years. The two guitar players can get quite a wall of
fuzz together from time to time, there’s Hammond, analogue synthesisers and
Rickenbacker bass (looks like the same model as mine!). The drummer tries to
beat himself at times, which is achievement in itself. Some of the vocals are in
Swedish, some in English. Uriah Heep is obviously a strong influence on many
tracks, which is not a bad thing here. At times the bass player seems to think
he’s Chris Squire, and there are other Yes influences to be heard, too. The
harmonic vocals sound great. Occasionally they apt to the more traditional blues
beat, and there’s even some folk spirit in there, at least on the instrumental
”Spångaforsens Brun”. The energetic “Jan Banan” is a nice vitamin injection.
There is also some flute on the album. It seems that the sound of the album
hasn’t even been tried to get better, since it’s pure 70’s. This is very nice
heavy prog album, it’s just too bad that the bonus live cuts are pretty low
quality, but they clearly prove that this band was also killer live.
Reviewed by DJ Astro for http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/
At last this much sought after treasure from the archives
of Swedish heavy rock history gets a reissue. Originally released in ’75 this is
one of the best hardrock albums ever to emerge from Scandinavia. Impressive
fuzz-guitars and superb keyboard-arrangements go hand in hand with strong
compositions, more or less comparable to the finest moments of Uriah Heep.
Excellent !
Taken from Clear Spot
newletter Spotlight # 19
Wow, where the hell did Record Heaven find this long lost
gem? From the Swedish archives comes Rag I Ryggen, who released this lone album
back in 1975. The band did a fair amount of touring in their native country
before ultimately calling it quits in 1977. While you can say the band was sure
enough influenced by Uriah Heep (the high pitched vocals, raging Hammond organ,
and blistering guitar work are very Heep like), you can also hear some Deep
Purple, Kaipa, as well as Italian prog influences like PFM, Alphataurus, and Il
Balletto Di Bronzo in their sound. The dual guitars of Bjorn Nystrom and Jan
Aggemyr contain plenty of fuzz, and Christer Sjoborg's keyboard arsenal
(Hammond, Moog, Mellotron) delivers plenty of vintage sounds. Vocals on a few
tunes are in English, but most are sung in Swedish by vocalist Jonas
Warnerbring, who sounds remarkably like David Byron. Where to start? Well, the
intricate instrumental "Spangaforsens brus" allows for the two guitar players to
weave complex lines with Sjoborg's organ & synth, while drummer Peter Sandberg
lays down some acrobatic rhythms. "You Know It Ain't Easy" is a Heep influenced
heavy rocker, right down to the "Gypsy" sounding power chords, and the opening
number "Det kan val inte vara farligt" is a great mix of Swedish and Italian
styled prog with heavy rock. On "Naked Man" the band really gets into a groove
and churns out some crunchy riffs, wah-wah guitars, strutting vocals, and
stabbing flute, while "Jan Banan" is a psychedelic heavy rocker with great organ
& synth work, as well as dual harmony guitar leads. Sjorborg's Hammond is the
star of "Queen of Darkness", a somber and moody number that sees the keyboard
player digging deep and doing his best Ken Hensley impression. The closing track
"Sanningsserum" is a mind-numbing hard rocker again reminiscent of Uriah Heep,
punctuated by powerhouse guitar work, kick ass Hammond, and speedy Moog. The
bonus live cuts are of pretty poor quality, but are included here so you can
check out what a powerful live unit Rag I Ryggen were. While the overall sound
quality on the entire CD is not great (there's even some dropout in spots,
especially on the last few tracks), there's no denying what a find this is. Fans
of Uriah Heep, Tyburn Tall, Zarathustra, or the many other Hammond/guitar bands
that were around in the 70's should eat this up.
Peter Bardo / Sea of
Tranquility
RAG I RYGGEN – RAG I RYGGEN (reissue CD/TRANSUBSTANS-RECORD HEAVEN) reviewed by Christos Ampatzis for D.P.R.P. (excerpt) This is indeed a lost gem, an absolute must for all fans of 70’s rock and hardrock. Makes you wonder a bit why you never heard of this band before. (9/10 rating) reviewed by Mark Hughes for D.P.R.P. (excerpt) For fans of seventies rock with progressive overtones, Rag I Rygen have a lot to offer. (7/10 rating)
ABRAMIS BRAMA - Dansa tokjävlens vals / När
tystnaden lagt sig (Trans 011 / 012)
Originally released in 1999 and
2001 on the Record Heaven label,
the two first full length albums
" Dansa tokjävelns vals"
(Dance the mad-devils waltz) and
"När tystnaden lagt sig..."
(When silence is here/has come) have been reprinted and are
now available again. This Swedish quartet is yet another in a seemingly endless
stream of bands that come from Scandinavia that can play to a very high
standard.
Abramis Brama relies upon a good sense of riffology placed with simple, but
fitting lead guitar lines for their main songwriting approach. The albums sound
a lot like they were recorded in the early 70's. There are some similarities
with the heavy 70’s Swedish band November and US/UK hardrock bands of that era
such as Sabbath, Bloodrock, Leafhound, Iron Butterfly, Mountain, Jodo, Orang
Utang,… A great deal of the credit for that fact is owed to the amazing warmth
of Uffe’s vocals and a sense that this band, as a whole, truly grasps the roots
of groove blues rock. Material-wise, Abramis Bramawasdelivering top-shelf stuff
right from the start. They compare favorably in style and quality to Lowrider,
both bands clearly influenced by the best Swedish band ever November and best
band in all heavy categories Kyuss, but adding their own unique twists to their
style. Interestingly, the band alternate between albums sung entirely in Swedish
(first and second and fourth “Rubicon”
released last year) and English (third album
“Nothing changes”). None of these
records here are bad, with their debut possibly being their best yet.
Stoner fans have the opportunity to see the band live on the 22d of April in
013, Tilburg on the Roadburn festival together with legends Bevis Frond,
Hawkwind, Leafhound, Solace and Ozric Tentacles amongst others! It’s the first
time Abramis Bramawill play outside of Scandinavia.
Concrete Web
GRAND TRICK - The decadent session (Trans 010)
The Grand Trick are a new Swedish hard rock band that propels the
listener back to the days when hard rock was still adventurous yet accessible.
Their first album for Transubstans, The Decadent Session sounds straight out of
the 70's. Had they released this album say in 1973, they’d be right up there
with such giants as Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Thin Lizzy to name a few. They
are not a novelty act, they’re the real deal! They picked up basically where the
70's left off. This is a welcomed thing especially with the direction most of
modern rock is going with it’s stale lifeless cookie-cutter songs.. The Grand
Trick brings back the power and soul of rock n roll with a timeless feel.
So if you wish for those days and want something new to hear, then pick up a
copy of The Grand Trick’s The Decadent Sessions and crank it up! The spirit of
the 70's are back thanks to Transubstans Records and The Grand Trick This is a
great release for those that lived the those time and for those who want to
experience it for the first time. Highly recommended! Band and album!
Ron Fuchs for Prognaut.com
Heavy musical
passages (with f.i. delicious heavy keyboard work) and guitar solo’s that go on
forever without a single moment of boredom.
Reviewed by Guy de Vos for MindView (translated
excerpt)
A five piece band from Sweden who are Johan Dahnburg on
vocals, Michael Karlsson and Stefan Johansson on guitars, Jonas Malmquist on
bass and Daniel Larsson on drums. If you like the rock of the 70s you'll like
this, pumping rock with great guitar riffs and solos that reminded me of a JUDAS
PRIEST "Sad wings of destiny" sound. The production gives it a great live sound
with the vocals not hampered with any effects. Track five, "The Grand Trick", is
an instrumental with bass and drums combining together well, altogether a really
good debut rock album.
Reviewed by Aistair
Flynn / Classic Rock Soceity # 150
Last year I received the debut mini CD from The Grand Trick, a band that
comes from Sweden. Before some days I gladly received the debut album from them
with the title "The Decadent Session" which was released through Transubstans
Records. On this album you will find nine tracks from the band. The Grand Trick
has a lot of influences and basically their music is inspired by the 70s rock in
the vein of DEEP PURPLE, URIAH HEEP and LED ZEPPELIN. Of course they have put
their personal sound inside their songs and with a fresh air The Grand Trick
released a very good album. Their compositions are well worked with interesting
ideas and they have done an excellent work in the production and sound section
which are almost perfect. Some of their songs are really catchy and easy to
remember or just ideal for radio airplay. For sure the fans of 70s rock and the
older rock fans will adore the stuff from The Grand Trick, the rest of you
should at least make a try to hear their music, you will adore it. Well done
guys!
Reviwed by Antonis Maglaras
This
first class album mostly reminds of hard rock bands from the 70’s, s.a. Led
Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Uriah Heep in their early days. These guys from Sweden
don’t sound decadent at all, they simply sound great!
Reviewed by Sven Eckert for Moonhead
(translated excerpt)
When nothing other than crunchy 70's hard rock will do, The Grand Trick is here
to deliver it, as good as it gets. With the classic guitar riffs and wailing
solos twisted around by bally vocals, not to mention those keyboards in the
stratosphere, 'The Decadent Session" piles on nine tracks of glorious
rock'n'roll, not too distant from the glory of Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, and
Rainbow. Open wide, this one is a big bite.
Comment found on CD Baby
Most of this music is guitar-dominated and sounds like
it’s from the late 60’s. The 9 tracks, lasting almost 51 minutes in total, have
clear structures without too many freakouts or long varied instrumental
passages.
Reviewed
by Menno von Brucken Fock (translated excerpt)
CARPET KNIGHTS - Lost and so strange is my mind (Trans 009)
I must admit upon receiving a copy of The Carpet Knights’s
debut, Lost And So Strange Is My Mind, I almost dreaded listening. But I was so
wrong. And shouldn’t have judged them by their name or cover. The Carpet Knights
is a five-piece band from Malmö, Sweden, that formed in 1998. Although at times
the line-up has fluctuated, it’s been stable since 2002. The band consists of
Mattias Ankarbranth on drums and percussion; Tobias Wulff on guitars; Magnus
Nilsson on vocals and flute; Joakim Jönsson on guitars and vocals; and Nils
Andersson on bass guitar.
The band seems to draw it’s inspiration from the 70's but with a new millennium
vibe that would put them up with the more melancholy bands of the day. In many
ways they bridge a gap between old and new progressive rock. In fact more so
than many of the modern retro bands. The Carpet Knights don’t clone or copy the
sound, to me they emerge themselves in the whole culture surrounding the music
of the 70's.
The songs on the album are mainly range between 3 to 6 minutes with the
exception of the last song, Last of Many. The music is on the heavy side of the
progressive rock spectrum without becoming too metallic. For those that care,
the album is under 50 minutes and contains no “filler” songs. After several
listens, I can’t say there’s a highlight for me because simply this is one of
the few albums I can return to and listen from beginning to end. Fans of the
Scandinavian progressive scene will rejoice with The Carpet Knights since they
fit so perfectly within that faction. I would, without a doubt, recommend this
album. The band’s strength can be noticed both by the vocals and the way the
songs are arranged and composed. I think The Carpet Knights will one day be a
household name, at least within the progressive and classic rock communities.
By Ron Fuchs for Prognaut.
The Carpet Knights are an excellent
band from Sweden. The music they play is quite unique, incorporating many
different styles including postrock, folk, grunge, indie and progrock elements.
One thing that really impresses me is the dynamic nature of the music.
Conclusion: a CD that I can recommend without second thoughts. For
progressive-fans with an ear for the unexpected, where the highly wilful
combination of 70’s progrock elements and relaxing waves of feedback form a
grand creation.
reviewed by Cosmicmasseur for Concrete Web
(excerpt)
The Carpet Knights are an excellent band from Malmö in
Sweden . The group consists of Mattias Ankarbranth: drums, percussion,
Tobias Wulff: guitars, Magnus Nilsson: vocals, flute, Joakim
Jönsson: guitars, vocals and Nils Andersson: bass. The music they
play is quite unique, incorporating many different styles including post, folk,
grunge, indië and progrock elements. One thing that really impresses me is the
dynamic nature of the music; it can go from quite soft and somber to psych and
rocking in the blink of an eye. I was intrigued on the first play but each time
I listen to it I find new things to appreciate. Beautiful intros, many lengthy
instrumental passages and a vocalist, who scores his intricate melodylines with
sweet yet powerful vocals and manages to enthral the listener in their world of
sound. The use of flutes sounds Jethro Tull-familiar and perfectly
harmonises with the King Crimson/Lucifer’s Friend-creations dominated by
percussion and guitars… Though they use heavier passages, the mostly quite calm
songs create an almost hypnotising effect/
Conclusion: A cd that I can recommend without second thought - for
progressive-fans with an ear for the unexpected, where the highly wilful
combination of 70’s progrock elements and relaxing waves of feedback form a
grand creation.
87/100
Reviewed by Peter at
CONCRETE WEB.
On some songs a flute
is used, which creates something of a folk-atmosphere. Nevertheless, it mostly
is rock that this CD offers, with here and there some slight progressive
influences.
reviewed by Leo Hoekstra for IO Pages
(translated excerpt)
Progressive Swedish band THE CARPET KNIGHTS, were formed
in 1998, and have stablished thei line up since 2002. An innovative and eclectic
approach up their music means this band can truly be described as progressive,
pushing boundaries and crossing genres on whim. This is subtle, intelligent,
complex and melodic rock, drawing the listener in and transporting them on a
symphonic musical journey. A superb prog psyche album.
Reviewed
by James Turner / Classic Rock Soceity # 150
This
is a strong album with a style of its own and interesting song-structures that
easily manage to convince.
Reviewed by Sven Eckert for Moonhead
(translated excerpt)
This is the first album by the Swedish The Carpet Knights, although the band
has been around for years and have previously released a few demos. Based on
this album, their group’s music is guitar-driven 70’s styled, rather progressive
rock with great vocal harmonies and little psychedelic tinges. Magnus, the
singer of the group, also plays some flute, and the opening track “All Be the
Same” does sound rather like Jethro Tull. More often I’m reminded of Wishbone
Ash, since the guitars are quite high-flown, beautiful and melodic. Also the
spirit of King Crimson hovers somewhere above the album, especially what comes
to the vocals, and there’s a bit of Gentle Giant in there, as well. The music
isn’t progressive just for the sake of being progressive, although the time is
usually other than 4/4. What separates this band from the other Swedish prog
bands of the moment is that they don’t have a keyboard player, so for example
the Mellotron layer that now seems to be compulsory to the Swedes is missing.
There are some analogue noises (Moog?) and Fender Rhodes in the last track,
though, which is nice. I think my favourite is still “Fools and Silent Callers”,
the most psychedelic track on the album with a rather hazy middle part, nice
percussions and psychedelic, screaming guitars. All in all, this is pretty nice
album with the sounds of the 70’s.
Reviewed by DJ Astro for
Psychotropic Zone
One strength of this band is its use of the flute. And,
really, I might say that the band’s refusal to overuse the flute is also a
strength. ...Again, I’m impressed by the vocals: the singer has a slightly
nasal but very professional voice. ...I think this is worth the time of prog
fans. If you enjoy Tull or Lucifer Was or any Record Heaven release, you can
safely give ‘Lost And So Strange Is My Mind’ a try.
Reviewed
by John J. Shannon for Dutch Progressive Rock Pages
A rather original band this THE CARPET KNIGHTS from Sweden, because they play
like if it was 1969. Their mix of late 60s Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Folk
and some slight Prog (not much though) sounds very well, although it has not
many links to the usual stuff we review. Nevertheless, I think the open-minded
Progfan might find something of interest in here, because this kind of music was
also the starting point for PINK FLOYD in the late 60s. The fact that they hail
from Sweden is making this band even more interesting I think, because it all
sounds so much like if it was created in the late 60s by a band from the UK, but
no, we are listening to a new band.(Points:
8.0 out of 10)
Angelfire e-zine
FIRST BAND FROM OUTER SPACE - We're only in it for the spacerock (Trans008)
Neither the name nor the album title is misleading. But
what they do not do is adequately prepare you for one of the best debuts in the
genre. “Begin To Float” is a gentle introduction through acoustic guitars,
electronic effects, rolling drums and a trippy narration. Having set that mood,
the Swedish trio lets loose on “Sannrauz” with a heavy dose of melody, driving
guitars, uncannily English vocals and yes, more effects. But all the more
uncanny, is the irresistible urge to sing along before the jam develops into a
trance. Then “Sometimes Going Too Far Is The Only Way To Go” shifts between a
heavy yet simple hook and explosive bursts of speed, thus creating a genuine
sense of journey. The soothing refrain, “Sannrauz II” marks a seamless return to
familiar territory. However, that experience does not last long, as the title
track is a huge instrumental labyrinth of hallucinogenic proportions. Hold on
tight! The final song was recorded at a later date than the preceding material
and it shows through the almost tribal drumming and dominance of the flute. It
is no lesser of a jam although sometimes feels that it may have been better
suited to a single due to its sharper edge. But do not let that personal quibble
dampen the experience because that is exactly what it is. Bliss…
By Danny Argus for Pariah Child
These swedish musicians come directly from a so far
galaxy where pure space-rock is the exclusive music played. This branch of rock
music already landed on earth in the late sixties, but only thanks to the
visionary mind of some bands like Pink Floyd and Hawkwind: from a million miles
distance, they could catch the Space-rock essence and then reproduce the
substance.
The band is called First Band From Outer Space: they chose Sweden to land on
earth and bring us the actual psychedelic Space-Rock or at least that's their
pretension. Of course, I smiled after having read this weird statement, but I
started taking them seriously after the first notes of "Begin To Float" and "Sannraijz".
"We're Only In It For The Spacerock" is not a masterpiece but it's very close to
be: tons of keyboards, several electronic effects and rough hard rock riffs
which throw us back in the seventies. This is the overall atmosphere you can
feel throughout the six tracks featured. In the long title-track, an early Pink
Floyd vein rules a song really quiet, atmospheric, spacy and psichedelic: that a
true musical excitement for my ears.
Six amazing tracks that each Space-prog lover must not miss. Take my advice !!
Review on
Tales of Wonder
Rating 75 / 100 by Luca Alberici
A warm welcome to Earth for the First Band From Outer Space is due to
these musical space travelers. They came to Earth (Sweden) from somewhere, out
there to conquer us musically. The Swedish record label Transubstans has
graciously signed them to help their conquest. The result is a fantastic
off-worldly debut called “We’re Only In It For The Spacerock”. The album
contains 6 songs, two of which are about 10 minutes long and one that is 20
minutes long. On the actual release there's a video, which can be viewed from
your computer. Unfortunately on the promo copy I received, the video was nowhere
to be found.
The songs on the album are various lengths from the 5 minute opener to the epic
title track which clocks in at 20 minutes. Each song contains a blend of modern
production sounds with a 70's vibe. After several listens, the listener suddenly
gets propelled into some space journey. The journey is unlike any that I’ve
taken but I find I need to relive the feeling once the album finishes. That is a
rarity for me. Sometimes I can listen to the whole album, then go back to some
songs Each song segue ways into the next, giving it a constant flow for the
album. The crown jewel of the album is the instrumental title track. You’ll hear
exactly what this band is all about. They combine Space and Progressive Rock
along with bits of Space Metal to give the listener a nice bridge from the past
into the future. They bring back to rock ‘n roll what has been missing since the
70's, the urge to explore musical boundaries within the hard rock genre.
This is one of my favorite 2005's releases and I can’t recommend it enough,
especially to the fans of Hawkwind, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd as well as modern
bands, Bigelf and Queens of the Stone Age.
Ron Fuchs / Prognaut.com
This is the first CD by this group of aliens who landed on
Gothenburg, Sweden, although they have manifested their cosmic message
previously in the form of a few CD-R’s. Most of the tracks on this debut album
I’ve already reviewed, but they too have been polished into even higher quality
form. TFBFOS is basically a trio playing heavy, driving stoner/space rock/metal,
but now they have a new official member MoonbeanJosué on different flutes which
has given the, at times even too hard, stuff some softer and ethnic flavour. My
heavy space rock favourite of the album is the hard rocking “Sannraijz” that
always works. Who Hawkwind fan could resist heavy guitars, tight drumming,
constantly (at least on the background) sweeping space sounds from Moog, strong
vocals and other nice psych elements? Another really tight grinder is the most
stoner rock-like track ”Sometimes Going too Far Is the Only Way to Go” that also
has some slower, gloomier stuff in it. ”Sannraijz II” is a wonderful, acoustic
breather, the over 20 minutes long title track offers cosmic jamming. The
samples are a great addition! The newest track on the CD ”Make Yourself Heard
for the Sake of the World” also features some exquisite, ethnic flutes that give
this really great psych/space rock killer a nice, floating atmosphere. An
instant classic! I’m wonderfully reminded of the free festival spirited bands
from the late 80’s/early 90’s… Tight and mind expanding stuff. The ending of the
track cools down into a really psychedelic bliss. If this wasn’t enough, this
hit song is also presented on this CD as a video, but my promo copy is missing
that, so I can’t comment. One of the best albums this year, in every case. Buy
it.
Reviewed by DJ Astro for http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/
Our alien friends
from outer space strum their guitars like there is no tomorrow! Eat your heart
out Hawkwind! Spacerock fans will simply love these strangers from beyond the
Big Bang. What fantastic music the universe produces
!
reviewed by
André de Waal for IO Pages (translated excerpt)
One even starts to
float... following the trail of Hawkwind.
reviewed by Guy de Vos for MindView
(translated excerpt)
FBFOS landed in Gothenburg in 2002 and are made up of
Starfighter Carl on drums, Johan From Space on vocals and guitar and synthesiser,
Space Ace Frippe on bass and Moonbeam Josue on flute and other various things
with a few guest musicians as well. A really good album with lots of space synth
sounds as you would expect but that's not all, together they have produced a
really good album that resembles the OZRICS at times but with vocals and a
heavier less dance feel. Six tracks of great music, the title tack lasts for
over 20minutes. This is certainly one to get hold of, lets hope this band stays
here on earth.
Reviewed by Aistair Flynn / Classic Rock Soceity # 150
Scott has reviewed a few self-released demos of this Space Rock outfit from
Gothenburg, Sweden, but this CD on this Transubstans label is their official
debut. And what an outstanding set it is! The album opens with a 5 minute
introductory bit that consists of bubbling alien synths, slowly jamming guitars
and trippy sci fi themed voice narratives. The tension builds steadily and a
rocking spaced out stoner groove that you know is going to explode at any moment
reaches toward the peak, until finally launching into the 10 minute "Sannraijz",
a monstrous slab of heavy driving Space Rock. Right off the bat these guys are
blowing me away. "Sannraijz" has got structured song and plenty of stoned,
spaced out, metallic jamming, a great combination in my book. The guitar is
heavy rocking with a dirty stoner rock n roll sound, but the electronics are
always in the forefront to keep things firmly in the cosmic realms. Next up is "Sometimes
Going Too Far is the Only Way to Go", a crushing heap of stoner space metal with
an ass kicking instrumental section.
Each track is leading smoothly into the next, with the laid back "Sannraijz
II", providing a bit of acoustic relief before leading into the 20 minute title
track. "We're Only In It For The Spacerock" is an all instrumental full on jam
epic that begins with a meditative stoned groove, the bass lines rumbling in the
listeners brain while the guitar slowly jams and the synths shoot about wildly.
It's deep in space and does a great job of laying down a steadily grooving
metallic space jam while retaining a drifting atmospheric quality. I can't think
of many bands that bring together Space Rock, Metal and Stoner Rock like these
guys do. The CD closes with the 10 minute "Make Yourself Heard For the Sake of
the World". It's still got that stoned space metal quality that's characterized
the rest of the album, but the spirit of Hawkwind is well in evidence on this
song. The flute is a nice touch too, the flute and rhythms adding a Jethro Tull
like fell to the song.
In summary… Outta this world! Most of the album brings to mind a combination
of Colour Haze and Litmus, but that's just a reference point as these guys have
carved out a sound of their own. File under totally cosmic and absolutely ass
kicking.
Review by Jerry Kraniz / Aural Innovations
New band from Sweden with a debut album consisting of 6 tracks in fifty-seven
minutes, and here we're talking a corking mix of Gong, Hawkwind and Fairies,
this time with a suitably fine production to back up the strong compositions
that the band unleash. The album begins with the sound of swooshing Hawkwind/Gong
style space synths above a distinctly early seventies Krautrock styled backing
as chiming guitars and solid drums come moving in and the whole effect is pure
early seventies Krautrock, gradually building into a steaming electric guitar
riff as the rhythm section thunders, the bass pounds, the space synths soar and
the guitar just flies, straight into the next track without even a pause for
breath, and as sizzling a space-rock brew as you'll find - then on top of that,
the song and guitar riffs add even more of a space-rock/psych flavour - stunning!!
- and a near ten minute slice of steaming space-rock ensues. The seven minute 'Sometimes
Going Too far' accelerates the pace and takes you on a wild space-rock ride
through the heavens as the guitar leads surge, the rhythm section drives forward
and the whole amazing piece is wrapped up in a sa of space synths gliding,
flying and whooshing all around the mix as the mix of Krautrock and space-rock
ignites. Throughout, a classic mix of swooshing space synths, phased, fuzzed and
lead guitars, solid drums and an awesome sounding electric bass, the band
deliver a sizzling set of steaming space-rock/psych songs, with some superb
instrumental work throughout, and when the band suddenly hit overdrive, the
effect is fantastic as the arrangements and playing just soar so high. The four
minute track is a bit more acoustic, almost Tull-ish, but then the twenty minute
'We're Only In It For The Spacerock' takes things even higher by creating a
slowly building canvas of synths flying all around the mix with booming
crunching drums, mind-mincing bass and deliberate, soaring electric guitar work
that builds and builds, the whole band then lurching into a sort of stoner-space
rock jam that is truly thunderous, but always taken at a relatively modest pace,
never actually breaking out into a mad rush. After a few minutes of deep space
synths and atmospherics, the track ends with a fiery lead guitar-driven,
band-played finale that really sets the seal on a truly brilliant piece of
music. But that's not the end - the near eleven minute "Make Yourself Heard For
The World" wraps the album up in a blaze of flute, phased synths and guitars,
pounding upfront bass, crunchy drums, space-synths all around and a sea of dirty
guitar riffs. When the vocals come in, you'd think you were on the good ship
Hawkwind, that's for sure. A steaming, heady song with which to end the album.
As space-rock psych music goes, this is one of the finest of the year to date
with a production that brings out the best in the band, alongside a standard of
playing that is out of this world - essential space-rock/psych listening, for
sure !!!
Review found on Dead Earnest homepage
Heavily influenced by mainly Hawkwind, this Swedish band delivers exactly
what the title promises: this is vintage space rock from the first to the last
minute. Powerful rock, with weird, spacey sounds, and a jammy feel. Most of the
album brings to mind a combination of Colour Haze and Litmus, but that's just a
reference point as these guys have carved out a sound of their own. File under
totally cosmic and absolutely ass kicking.
Review found on Psychedoomelic Homepage
DRAHK VON TRIP - Heart & consequence (Trans 007)
DRAHK VAN TRIP is
one of those CDs I put onto the stack of uninteresting review CDs without paying
any further regard to it. Not surprising, given the shitty cover. Okay, I admit
that this was a bad mistake. Just this album is unique and damn neat!
Psychedelic Rock, clearly inspired by the glorious days in the late sixties
without sounding “retro”? That’s DRAHK VAN TRIP from Malmö, Sweden. Considering
that this entire album was recorded live in studio within 2 days, the sound is
more than warm and balanced.
The opener "One Of A Kind“ already blows me away, with sounds that are
reminiscent of a conjuring mixture between really old PINK FLOYD & JEFFERSON
AIRPLANE. “Autumn” is progressive, “Autumn” is progressive, but it has almost
poppy/folky vocal lines, just like FLEETWOOD MAC in their best days. The song is
appealing due to a highly intelligent structure of free thinking, sophisticated
music that is more and more rare these days. “Anger” is appealing due to
distorted vocals, and it is somewhat more aggro-like and more noisy. “Ode To A
Goddess”, which starts in an entrancing fashion, changes between wah-wah-guitars,
acoustic parts and ecstatic eruptions. Insane! Susann is a true force behind the
mic! “Long Distance Call” once again is a masterpiece in between feeling, manic
ferocity and technical finesse. You are inclined to hold your breath because of
this off-the-wall exceptional music. There are amazing transitions, countless
atmospheric parts here as well…I do not want to write hymns of praise for every
single tune, suffice it to say that the insane standard covers the album’s
entire playing time. They take the biscuit with the drug trip set to music “I
Want To Tell You”, though. Ingenious.
DRAHK VAN TRIP are pretty much the most extraordinary I have heard this year. Of
course I am a Metal head, but I am a lover of music in the first place. And I
want to advise all those who do not go to bed with a sword or worship the goat
to accept other styles as well. This CD could change your life. Do not let the
terribly ugly cover out you off.
(Online January 25, 2006)
Rating : 10/10 - Review
by Ralf of
The Metal Observer
Swedish band, Drahk Von Trip recorded a 4 song demo called “Is Us” back in 2003
that gave a nice glimpse of what was to come. Now in 2005, the band recorded a
full length album called Heart & Consequence for the Transubstans Records label.
The music, like the demo, combines elements of psychedelic rock with a slight
symphonic progressive edge. The band consists of Göran (drums and percussion),
Susann (vocals, violin and flute), Mats (guitars), Ralph (bass), Twodox (vintage
synthesizers and percussion) and Micke (guitars and theremin).
Transubstans Records seems to be responsible for many new Swedish bands to the
scene as well as reissues of lost gems. The music that the bands on this label
tend to be rooted in the revival of a style of music that was predominate in the
late 60's, early 70's. Drahk Von Trip is one of those bands that rather than
becoming yet another retro or reproduction band of that era, they use it as a
springboard or framework to create a new era in psychedelic and progressive rock
sounds.
There’s also a modern vibe to the music which makes the music appealing to both
older and younger audiences alike. On their demo, I compared them sound-wise to
Azigza but after hearing Heart & Consequence, I have to say they sound more like
a more psychedelic version of The Gathering. One of the reasons for that
comparison is that the music has a somewhat gothic darkness to it, especially in
the instrumentations of the each songs.
This is one of the more strong debuts I’ve heard in a long while. The strength
is that the band has the ability to cross boundaries of genres without taking
away from a continuity of the album. That’s a sign of a great album. There’s no
real downside to the band or the music. They’re one of those bands who have a
great deal of talent and promise. I do believe that Drahk Von Trip will be
another name to look out for in the near future. This is going to be one of
those hidden gems of 2005, that hopefully won’t go un noticed by the masses of
true music fans. Heart & Consequence gets a strong recommendation from me, in
fact I would say RUN don't walk to your favorite vendor and order a copy today !
By Ron Fuchs for Prognaut.
It's so hard to categorize a band like Drahk Von Trip, a swedish
six-piece who signed a record deal with Record Heaven/Transubstans record and
then released "Heart & Consequence", their debut recorded live in studio on 2005
March 5th and 6th.
I could get off writing that a so beautiful album like this doesn't need to be
categorized or I could picture it as a fine example of transformism with the
common denominator of the "seventies" sound always in the foreground.
If "Anger" is a rough and bloody track, "Gahn" is a darkish song with a British
New Wave feeling.
"Daddy's Dead" holds inside the DVT love for psychedelia and cosmic themes but
you can find it also in the following "R.A.M.M." even if it's mixed with a touch
of New Wave here. It's not difficult to find several comparisons to The Damned's
masterpiece "Phantasmagoria" in their music and another example is the wonderful
"I Want To Tell You", a psychedelic, hypnotic and mysterious song. Simply
beautiful stuff divinely sung by Susann and mainly led by Ralph's bass guitar.
Is it over ? No, the band changes skin again with "Long Distance Call" where
acoustic guitar and violin play together in the most funny song inside here.
"Heart & Consequence" is overall an enchanting piece of music, plenty of good
feelings and pathos and in the last few months It rarely happened to me. So I
recommend this album to everyone who's fond of genuine and a little
old-fashioned rock. Exciting !!!!!!!
RATING:
85/100 by
Luca Alberici
Review from
Tales of Wonder
Record Heaven is quickly becoming one of my favorite labels. They consistently release exceptionally retro-produced, cutting edge progressive rock discs. Drahk Von Trip’s debut disc is no exception and a fine addition to their roster of great progressive acts. This is one of those discs that grows on you with each successive listen.
The CD starts out with some moody, atmospheric sounds before launching into the slightly heavier guitar oriented ”One of a kind” which quickly betrays the band’s ability to blend melody and tribal complexity. My favorite track from the CD is probably “Long distance call”. A very dynamic piece that starts out very quiet and slowly builds up to a sudden burst of energy and then paces itself for a minute until there's another stunning Amon Duul II-like climax at the end. Of particular note are the female vocals. Most of the Susann-vocals are in the high wailing range lending a slight P.J. Harvey influence. On the scorching instrumentals one with the provoking title, but oh so true, “Daddy’s dead”, and question mark ”R.A.M.M. wow we’re expressing ourself’s”, the flutes and violins are present at times but usually take a backseat to the freewheeling drums and fantastic bass playing. The guitar playing and composition style is just as intense with lots of lovely jazz/fusion melodies as well as engaging soundtrack-like atmospheres. There are quiet, haunting and surreal moments that perfectly compliment the loud and powerful side of the music.
All in all Drakh Von Trip is one of the most satisfying 70’s folk prog rock musical experiences I’ve enjoyed this year. Great songs, lots of good playing, some nice musical surprises; a nice equilibrium of all styles. T
90 / 100
Concrete Webd doesn't seem to have its own website. They should, because
Heart & Consequence” is a very, very strong debut.
Wow, I really like this! This sextet from Malmö, Sweden, plays amazing,
psychedelic acid rock and mostly sound just like themselves. I thought for a
long time what band would be a good comparison, and I think the closest I can
think of is the Brittish, now defunct The Ectomorp, who released their sole,
majestic album The Furious Sleeper on Woronzow. Drahk von Trip has the same kind
of dark but beautiful feel. Also the excellent female singer Susan who also
plays flute is just as skilful as Ectomorph’s, although she’s more like a
cross-breeding between the singers of Jefferson Airplane and Renaissance. As
extras ingredients Heart & Consequence also features some filed recordings,
didgeridoo and other ethnic instruments. The album was mostly recorded live in
the studio, and sounds just the way it should. The sound is very lively and
present, and the band all in all in top-notch form. At times they go into prog
territories with ease, especially on the two instrumental tracks of the album.
The lyrics are very suitable for this kind of music. I totally dig all the ten
tracks on the CD, and it’s impossible to name any favourites. This is a very
strong package, that’s all I can say. Sometimes they rock with a space rock
attitude, sometimes they float in hazy atmospheres, and everywhere in between.
At times the music can get really gloomy and oppressive, but occasionally you’ll
get also more positive vibes like on the track “Long Distance Call” that also
has some acoustic guitar and a sunny electric guitar melody. The music is often
very hypnotic, and just takes you away. The playing is fluent, and the guitar
solos very talented. The instrumental “R.A.M.M.” brings to mind Black Sun
Ensemble a bit. The band is possibly at its best on the heavy, dark and
beautiful, and a bit slower songs like “Autumn”. Wonderful stuff. I can
recommend this to those into deep, beautiful and dark but melodic music with
great vocals.
Reviewed by DJ Astro for http://www.unimeri.com/PsychotropicZone/
This is a totally amazing six piece from
Malmö, Sweden. Part of the band’s compositions are
–
also thanks to the great
voice of vocalist Susann- rooted in powerful US late-sixties psych-rock (in the
vein of Ultimate Spinach and Jefferson Airplane), but there also are strong
influences from 70’s prog and spacerock. A disk full of excitement, thrill,
multitude and mystery and most of all in a highly original style.
Taken from Clear Spot
newletter Spotlight # 19
Wow, I really like this! This sextet from Malmö, Sweden, plays amazing,
psychedelic acid rock and mostly sound just like themselves. Sometimes they rock
with a space rock attitude, sometimes they float in hazy atmospheres, and
everywhere in between. The music is often very hypnotic, and just takes you away.
Wonderful stuff. I can recommend this to those into deep, beautiful and dark
music with great vocals.
Review found Psychedoomelic homepage.
RADIOMÖBEL – Gudang
garam (Trans 003)
The band plays a relaxed, but laden
kind of psych in which the melodies and synths play a strong role and build up
the right kind of energy. As a means of making this album available to the psych
audience, this certainly is a worthy reissue.
reviewed by Juriaan Hage for Axiom of Choice
(excerpt)
I had never before
heard of Radiomöbel, but oh boy, what a delicious psychedelic record this is!
Here the emphasis is on long songs full of symphonic layers in both the fore and
background and ethereal female voices. I’d love to discover more of these old
fashioned gems.
reviewed by André de Waal for IO Pages
(translated excerpt)
...
First released as a private press in 1978, this is the first CD release of this
classic slice of Swedish, keyboard driven prog. Almost ymphonic in its execution
and performance, and with great swathes of classic synth and guitar work, the
overall sound is reminiscent of bands like CAMEL, or VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR in
their more contemplative moments. An excellent hidden slice of undiscovered
prog.
Reviewed by James Turner /
Classic Rock Soceity # 150
From Sweden comes a new band whose largely instrumental music inhabits a world
between psychedelic and progressive that comes across as a mix of Samla Mammas
Manna, Grobschnitt & Amon Duul II. With much of the lead work from electric
guitar, occasional normal, phased and string synth leads also coming to the
forefront, the effect is more like mid-seventies Grobschnitt in terms of
dynamics and construction - witness some of the winding guitar work and dynamics
of the fifteen minute epic track - while the production is of a more "psychecdelic
seventies" nature. Occasional female vocal puts you in mind of a cross between
Duul II's Renate & Slapp Happy's lady whose name completely escapes me, while
the arrangement of the song portions is certainly nearer early, languid Duul II.
Overall, if you like this sort of thing on the tasty side rather than the
attacking side, then this album of primarily guitar-led, jamming-style tracks,
should really hit the spot.
Review found on Dead Earnest
DOCTOR DUNBAR’S MEDICINE BAND –
S/T
(Anrcd
005
Yet another fantastic gem brought to us by Record Heaven,
this time a release through Ant Nest Records. The band, Doctor Dunbar’s Medicine
Band, which sounds like something out of the late 60's or early 70's, is a new
band. Their self titled debut combines addictive, melodic power-pop (The Kinks,
The Who, and Cheap Trick) with some Hammond and guitar driven rock Uriah Heep,
Deep Purple and Blue Oyster Cult, to name a few). Record Heaven seems to be
tapping into the era of rock’n’roll when the music was still “pure”,
adventuresome and done as an art form rather than a money machine like most
bands today.
Doctor Dunbar’s Medicine Band was formed in 1999 by Gustav (vocals, guitars),
David J-L (keyboards, vocals), David L (bass) and drummer Lars. This completed
line-up enabled the band to record demos, gig and eventually give the music
world their eponymous debut.
Every time I hear this album, one of the appealing things about it is the
infectious, eclectic music of each track. Unlike modern rock and roll, you never
know what will happen next. Usually the listener can figure out what the next
note etc will be but DDMB, does the opposite in a way, thus giving the listener
an uncharted aural adventure. As a music fan, this is very important and makes
the music more interesting to play over and over.
I think Doctor Dunbar’s Medicine Band has that timeless feel to their music,
which is mostly absent in today’s market. Thus can be put side by side with some
of the all time greatest albums of rock and roll music. This is recommended for
music fans that want something more than what’s being offered while still
remaining in a comfort zone. This is one of 2005's better releases and gets a
recommendation from me. I can't wait for future recordings from this band!
Reviewed by Ron Fuchs for Prognaut
I
only know that, excluding The Unseen Guest’s
Out There, Doctor Dunbar’s Medicine
Band’s self-titled debut is the best thing I’ve reviewed to date for this Web
site. It’s got melodic power-pop, it’s got sometimes-B3-laden guitar rock, and
it’s fun. And that, for me, is review nirvana. Om mani padme hum.
(9/10 rating)
Reviewed by John J. Shannon for DPRP (translated excerpt)
Swedish rock outfit DOCTOR DUNBAR'S MEDICINE BAND have
been around for a long time before coalescing around members Gustav (guitar /
vox), David J-L (keus / vox) and David L. (bass) adding Lars onto drums was the
final ingredient the potion needed, and the band have become a Hammond drenched,
harmony driven rock outfit, with strong good rock material, and a sound that
could have drifted straight out Radio Caroline in the late 60s. This is a lesson
in the fine art of timeless songwriting. From the great opener "Good bye" song
to the wonderful "Peak performance" song, this is a slab of good old fashioned
rock music. A brilliant album froma talented retro band who will go far.
Reviewed by James
Turner / Classic Rock Soceity # 150
The recordings indeed have a warm sound, which fits the
soulful sound. Their music in the best of 60’s-70’s style has the charisma of a
youthful Who. It’s time for Dutch audiences to get introduced to this band’s
show.
reviewed by Mattijs Warbroek for Ratatoskonline
(translated excerpt)
LUCIFER WAS interview on Grande Rock
http://www.grande-rock.com/lucifer_was.htm