LIVE IN THE US

Aye, over there in Gettysburg, KARMAKANIC have sent a message from the heart indeed. Due to a quite appealing first impression, I already had this album on my checklist for a while ... and fortunately came back to it in time. Considered with enough care and concentration now, this one finally appears to be a flabbergasting affair. I'm thinking of the instrumental finesse first of all, the top-notch compositions, this paired with playfullness par excellence. And it is superb how they are blending different rock music styles with ease.

Recorded in 2012 during the Rites Of Spring Festival here we have a set of songs taken into account from their previously produced albums, except the debut however. 'Live In The US' is quasi embraced by the composition When The World Is Caving In, presented in two incarnations, the reprise initiated by a Genesis cover. Reprise and surprise. For example you will be faced with rather odd impressions on this album. Just take Do U Tango where they are freaking out a lot, a drum solo inclusively. Appears to be close to avant respectively zeuhl somehow, yes!

Partially there's a rather strong jazzy attitude to state. By way of example I want to emphasize Where Earth Meets The Sky, which makes my day especially. The song bears an intriguing instrumental part of about six minutes, decorated with a fine piano solo by Lalle Larsson and Krister Jonsson's soaring space guitar later on. Grandezza! I love this! Turn It Up is a MUST to sing along with, in the same way 1969 which shows reminiscences to Yes. When listening to Eternally sooner or later you'll know what dramaturgy in music means.

This is all directed by Jonas Reingold's bass, fretless for the most part, charming and virtuoso at once. Fans of bands like Syzygy, The Flower Kings, and surprisingly Karmakanic, are welcome here! Swedish prog rock live on stage in Gettysburg, a complex setting, rich on styles. They are leaving nothing to be desired. And this applies to Göran Edman's vocal presence as well. In German I would use the adjective 'Herrlich!'. An almost perfect performance - 4.5 stars!