CHAPTERS I & II

The really beautiful album cover art with interesting winter day's light aroused my curiosity to this record, which I knew nothing about. It contains music arranged to two long sets from Finnish Juhani Nisula, who has played the guitars, bass and keyboards on the record and written the stuff in it. It's actually recorded in my neighbor town.

After listening the music I have to admit that Juhani appears to be really talented musician, providing ace guitar playing and comprehensive palette of vintage keyboard sounds to his compositions. Album has fine clear sounds (no fuzzy underground analog stuff here), and here are nice ambiences and effects are arranged between the main parts containing much to listen. "Part One" starts with nice rhythm which sounds first quite easy but isn't it after all. An excitement arose in me quite quickly; So very, very, very well played... These people playing here have not been tripping in the record studio with chemicals, but really focused to this thing. The music is also quite alive though most instruments are played by one person in studio. It sounds alive, containing much impulsive playing. Keyboard flavored and positive mild heavy rock sound with unconventional rhythms fit's quite well to the description Rush, which whole career sound could be an influence to this music, though there isn't similar pauses in rhythms and so much arranged elements than in the music of the group compared (neither is any melody or riff totally similar to theirs). Also little less psychedelic incarnation of Kingston Wall could be an association. First Chapter ends to mellower and slower part for guitar solo runs, sounding like studies of themes of Jimi Hendrix's "Third Stone from The Sun" licks. Second Chapter starts running headlong towards the paths familiar of style from earlier songs, "long waited" Mellotrons are presented, and also many wonderful composed melodies among the more impulsive sounding details. The music changes to quiet lingering medley, starting to grow tension which is released nicely like the song name suggests, featuring some traditional folk sounds with violin as a nice spice in the soup. In the end music suddenly changes to a Mongolian monastery soundscape, ending the trip maybe little weirdly but not to total disappointment.

So, I think this is a great instrumental record for all fellow travelers in time interested of art rock which roots are in classic 1960's and 1970's prog recordings, presented here with modern, clean sounds and excellent performance and composition abilities. If you like screaming electric guitars, vintage keyboard sound textures and carefully created progressive rock records, do not hesitate checking this record out. The music is not too eccentric to drive listeners away, but not too conventional not to bring something interesting for listening. Hopefully we hear more from Juhani Nisula trough this project or otherwise. Also as favorable bonus due Keltainen Jäänsärkijä record store, this album is available as neat gatefold cover vinyl.