BOOK OF ROSES

I have relistened to this album after a lot of years. By coincidence I was driving on the same road I was used to take to get at work in the 90s when this was one of my fovorite albums at that time. I have to say that it brought me back a lot of memories, not particularily good or bad, just memories. This means that it actually left me something.

This is the first true concept album by Vollenweider. Speaking of concepts when all the tracks are almost instrumentals is unusual, but the tracks seem to really tell a story even if I don't know what it's about.

But most of all, this is the first very progressive album for the swiss harpist. The neagey atmospheres of the previous releases is almost gone here and this may have been the decision maker for his inclusions in the archives.

True progressive then, very well played and with an excellent production. Volenweider is quite a perfectionist and is used to have a number of extremey skilled musicians. The presence of the South Africans Ladysmith Black Mambazo on a track is remarkable. This group had a little moment of notoriety when they performed in Paul Simon's Graceland, then, after the bassist was killed because of racial reasons, they disbanded to reform years later.

Back to Vollenweider, missing the newage soundscapes, even without getting too dark, is what makes this album more progressive than the previous ones. Even if there is separation between the tracks, the album has a sort of unity, so that can be enjoyed from start to end as if it was a suite.

Up to now I think it's still the best studio album released by this unique artist, able to innovate a traditional instrument as a harp.

About to be a masterpiece. Not to be missed by who likes the genre.