MAGNIFIED AS GIANTS

With bands like Wobbler and All Traps On Earth generating a revived surge in quality retro prog that carries on the traditions of the more melodic side of progressive rock from the 1970s heyday, many new artists are jumping on the bandwagon and crafting their own 21st century interpretations of the stylistic majesty of the past and giving it all a welcome modernization upgrade for modern prog appetites. The Norwegian CALIGONAUT is the alter ego of Ole Michael Bjørndal who has become a seasoned prog veteran with bands such as Oak, Airbag and the Bjørn Riis Band.

Regarding the moniker, the word "caligo" in English refers to a speck on the cornea causing poor vision and the "naut" suffix refers to refers to navigation so all i can think about is how one would navigate on a cornea like a speck of dust! LOL but i digress. Back to our regularly scheduled review, hehe. MAGNIFIED AS GIANTS is the first release by CALIGONAUT and although this is technically a solo project, it is performed in a band format with Bjørndal on guitar and vocals and eight guest musicians adding the bass, drums, more guitars and the plethora of keyboards, mellotron, synthesizers and church organs.

This is a highly melodic slice of progressive rock that deploys aspects of symphonic prog, neo-prog and Pink Floydian space rock which tease out simple melodic constructs into sprawling progressive compositions. References to early Genesis, King Crimson and even Led Zeppelin have been cited but perhaps the most striking similarity is with fellow Norwegians Wobbler made all the more tangible with contributions by Wobbler members Andreas W. S. Prestmo and Lars Fredrik Frøislie who perform mellotron, moog and also offer backing vocals. In addition, the album features contributions from members of Meer, Airbag, Oak and Pylmico.

MAGNIFIED AS GIANTS clocks in at nearly 51 minutes but features only four tracks, three of which exceed the ten minute mark with the highlight coming in the form of the closing 19 1/2 behemoth "Lighter Than Air." While the Wobbler comparisons are warranted to some degree, CALIGONAUT is a much mellower beast with slow sombre tones and timbres that rarely burst out into more uptempo rock heft. In fact with Bjørndal's mopey vocal style, the album is quite melancholy with themes right out of the Steven Wilson playbook about the nebulous nature of transcending painful memories regarding relationships that just didn't quite work out. Also from the Wilson arena is the stellar production that nurtures every tone and timbre and milks it for its full effect without interference from forced or trivial elements.

The title track is perhaps the most touching with a strong melody that pierces the soul with its status as shortest track of the album a mere near six minute run. The grande finale, the near 20 minute magnum opus "Lighter Than Air" is indeed a chilled out procession of space rock with a fully functional symphonic backdrop. Nice chord changes and pleasant transitions in stylistic development makes this my top pick of a consistently enchanting album. This is the track that also features some of the most energetic rock outbursts of the entire album as well however for the most part this light and fluffy affair provides a cascade of crafty cadences augmented with subtle textures and sensual pastural placidity.

While not quite up to the standards of Wobbler's latest classics, CALIGONAUT does indeed score points for conjuring up a beautifully delicate array of four stellar prog tracks that capture the essence of symphonic prog hybridized with the softer dynamics of psychedelic space rock. I do wish there were more energetic episodes of faster tempos and guitar driven rock heft, however as it stands there is not a bad minute of listening time on this one despite the overall package not quite reaching the lofty heights of what others have done before. In short, CALIGONAUT may not have launched its magnum opus onto the world quite yet, but it's evident that such a masterwork is latent and itching to come. A true act to keep your eyes gazed upon.