TUBE ALLOYS

Wow! This new Swedish heavy prog rock band just totally blew me away. This is a trio consisting of keyboardist/vocalist Fredrik Andersson, bassist Linus Karlsson, and drummer Wiktor Nyden. This group has a "no guitar" policy, so unsurprisingly Quatermass will be one band that will come to mind. ELP, Atomic Rooster, a bit of Bo Hansson and even occasionally Italian prog springs to mind. Hammond organ is by far the most dominant keyboard used, and Fredrik Andersson plays it like there's no tomorrow. Lots of in-your-face intensity certainly to blow your mind. It sounds so much like a lost recording from the early '70s that you can't tell this was actually recorded in 2017 (released the following year). It's funny that while these guys aren't exactly bringing anything new to the table, they still sound like a total breath of fresh air. This is especially when so much modern-day prog really disappointed me big time, usually because they're overlong and way overstay their welcome on a CD full of nearly 80 minutes of music. Not with these guys! It's clear these guys are totally enjoying themselves. That "no guitar" policy only proves, as Quatermass or Rare Bird (their first two albums only) had proved all those years ago, that great music can be had without a guitar. Blå Lotus is simply the new generation of it. Really worth it.