MYRORNAS KRIG

Here's a RIO oriented album that isn't a chore to enjoy. Myrornas Krig is a fusion of rock grooves in quirky metres, jazziness, traditional folk and dance forms and plenty of humour. Most of the songs are short - making the album feel like a sketchbook of exceptional musical themes - but fleshed-out and varied throughout their duration. A harder degree of rock is in evidence here than on the relevant and passingly similar Stormy Six releases.

Three stars because the album doesn't really have a centerpiece and suffers slightly from stop-start RIO syndrome - no long notes and the occasional 7/8 time signature that doesn't enhance the song - but don't let my personal reservations put you off.