WALKING UP THAT VALLEY

January 2021, under such a terrible pandemic situation, might not be so bad as expected, let me say. A Norwegian combo NEEDLEPOINT have released their fifth album "Walking Up That Valley" finally. Their previous work "The Diary Of Robert Reverie" has completely rung the bells of art rock fans, and let them look forward to the following creation. Guess this album should drive every single art rock fan crazy. Also in this opus, they play soft and smooth music while relaxing and easing themselves, but at the same time they squeeze incredible energy and power into every song's formation, especially melody lines and rhythmic basis. Their launching complicated phrases swimmingly like pop sounds reminds us of the similarity to one of Proto-Prog giants Iron Butterfly. Melodic construction via their creation is not simple but unexpected (in a good sense). It's exactly beautiful for them to introduce a variety of instruments boldly, to consider diversity as important, and to play as if everyone could do.

The very beginning of the first track "Rules Of A Mad Man" knocks me out. Exaggerated electric guitar choppings like late 60s / early 70s blues or psychedelic rock are very comfortable. Such a well-calculated instrumental departure illustrates their musical outline illusionarily, I guess. Old-fashioned keyboard performances in the latter part too. "I Offered You The Moon" is another colourful outer space, featuring swingy jazzy fascination and uptempo heavy appearance. Also good is a kinetically melodic interlude sandwiched with psychedelic keyboard works and oriental percussion kicks, in spite of pop texture. "Web Of Worthy" consists of their charming essence from the start until the end, where lots of instruments like acoustic guitar, flute, or authentic rock weapons, are unified and matured together for completing an art rock stuff. "So Far Away" is filled with flute-based delight and acoustic guitar-attributed brilliance. Pretty cool is also dry-fruity violin exposure in the last part. "Where The Ocean Meets The Sky" is flooded with psychedelic, jazz, improvisation, or pop ... various elements are precisely synchronized and developed to the opus. Bjørn's soft voices are cute and pleasant in "Carry Me Away", which has complex but splendid melody lines and vibes produced by wonderful keyboard plays in the latter scene. The chorus is especially excellent. Another catchy one "Another Day" reminds us of the similar vein to Paul McCartney or so. The last titled song has beautiful romanticism and poetic trip of pleasure. In the middle stage psychic keyboard agents and flavourful flute compote could evoke kinda dreamy fantasy from our memory and give us mystic aftertaste via the sudden finish. We should get tempted to such a dramatic epilogue.

In conclusion, we have again been immersed in their soundscape. Their complication should not be complicated for the audience, and their eccentricity should not be eccentric too. What a fantastic mystery.

Refreshing psychedelic folk from Norway that brings back nostalgic feelings from 1967's Summer of Love--when love and optimism were still at the center of the Hippie/Flower Power movement--before the tragic death of cult icon John Griggs in 1969.

1. "Rules of a Mad Man" (5:11) reminds me of The BYRDS, The ASSOCIATION, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band, and Sweden's The AMAZING. (8.75/10)

2. "I Offered You the Moon" (7:51) an intricately woven Summer of Love like pop psychedelic song that has an unexpected jazzy feel. Amazing Pat Metheny Group/RTF/Chick Corea-like instrumental passage in the fifth and sixth minutes. Love Erik Nylander's congas! And then the bass, Fender Rhodes, and drums really get to shine over the final 90 seconds. Wow! (14/15)

3. "Web of Worry" (3:34) As if Paul Simon wrote and sang a Stevie Wonder song. At the two minute mark, during the instrumental passage, it turns full Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. So cool! (9.25/10)

4. "So Far Away" (3:11) could be acoustic LED ZEPPELIN, BREAD, CELESTE, or PAUL SIMON. And then it goes Massive Attack unplugged at 2:20! Just brilliant. (9/10)

5. "Where the Ocean Meets the Sky" (4:25) more complex, sophisticated jazz-tinged pop psychedelia that sounds like it comes straight out of a California Pop Festival of 1968 or 69. Again, strongly reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young from this era--especially the front-and-center bass play and perfect vocal harmonies. Brilliant and beautiful. Again, great hand percussion play to go with the gorgeous drumming and richly nuanced instrumental tapestry. (9.25/10)

6. "Carry Me Away" (3:56) has a very Brian Auger's Oblivion Express and, less, Santana feel to it. The guitar solo over the is so straight out of Eumir Deodato's 1973 world-wide jazz funk version of Ricard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra" as inspired from the 1968 classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey. (9/10)

7. "Another Day" (4:45) despite its interesting instrumental palette (including harpsichord), this one drags a little too much. (8.25/10)

8. "Walking Up That Valley" (10:44) opes like it's going to break into "Hair" by The Cowsills. But with the appearance of the vocal we can see that it is a true folk song--a gorgeous one at that. Simple guitar with solo voce, gradually joined by other guitars and Hammond. At 4:30 we transition into a uptempo, more jazz-rock instrumental passage. The sound palette of guitars, bass, and snare drums and cymbals is very cool thought the flanged lead guitar is nothing too exciting. I'm quite reminded of Gadi Caplan's masterful jazzy Prog Folk album from 2016, Morning Sun. As a matter of fact, this entire album has a similarity to that wonderful album. The guitar solo over the zoom-along AMAZING-like passage in the ninth minute is astonishing! What an amazing passage! Some of Al Stewart and Donovan in the gorgeous next session. The way we're cut off from the continued jam at the end feels like robbery! One of the best prog epics of the year--maybe the best. (19.75/20)

Total Time 43:37

A collection of sophisticated, deeply layered folk psychedelia that issues new and pleasant discoveries with each and every listen. Wonderful. Each and every song seems so lovingly created--from composition, lyrics, and performance to recording and mix. An absolute treasure. One of my favorite albums of 2021.

A-/five stars; clearly a masterpiece of retro-psych Prog Folk; an album that any prog lover will surely appreciate and love--especially the old-timers who were alive in the 1960s.

This is a very talented four piece band out of Norway and "Walking Up That Valley" sits only behind SHAMBLEMATH's second record when it comes to my favourite albums from 2021. Norway is taking over! The bass player plays in MOSTER! and ELEPHANT9. We get a guest Swedish drummer and guest choir. The singer has this whimsical, Canterbury-like voice and he plays guitar, violin, cello and flute. The keyboardist adds clavinet, organ, harpsichord, fender rhodes and synths. And I have to mention the drummer who is a very much in demand session guy but also plays on a lot of tours for bands. Anyway he really stood out to the point of me looking him up. Very active. This album is all about the details. The overall mood is light and sunny but man there are some fiery passages along with distortion and dissonance. This album has it all and I actually right now have it tied with "Aimless Mary" as my favourites from them. Two absolutely incredible 5 star albums.

I was surprised at how moved I was at times, the lyrics really resonate with me, especially the ones about nature. While I do have a top three here I have checked every song but one and that's "So far Away" a relaxed 3 minute folky piece but the rest are outstanding and the reason this gets 5 stars. Top three songs for me include the second track "I Offered You The Moon" along with the final two tracks "Another Day" which is so moving and the title track that ends this record. Check out the lyrics on that title track. Just takes me to another place. I have fallen hard for this one, it's just perfect.