BLOMLJUD

Blomljud is the 2nd studio album released by Swedish progressive rockers Moon Safari and even though it lists 11 different tracks (2 cds) the album feels like a whole with flowers being lyrically speaking common ground throughout the almost 2hrs of "happy" Symphonic prog. I'm using the prefix happy because this album sounds just like that, happy - bright - positive, and I know that for the band's fans the vocal harmonies are a highlight and definitely signature for their sound, but sometimes it is a little too sweet and sticky, almost like listening to Christmas carols? to put it this way? this is the album that I play when I'm with my twin boys (6 years old) in the car heading to Karate or soccer, and they love it, it has that infant-like feeling and I blame the vocals for that. If the listener can get over that fact, then the musical experience here is simply phenomenal in every single aspect, all of it, really amazing!

CD 1 opens with the first vocal harmonies in Constant Bloom, setting the theme and melodies for what's to come and what the listener can expect from the start and up until the very end. Methuselah's Children is the first epic of the album, clocking almost 16 minutes, full of synth layers (Moog, Hammond, Mellotron) and regular piano, a constant in the band's music, very tight and accurate rhythmic section and beautiful guitar work, both electric by Sandström and acoustic by Åkesson, the musical blend is really catchy and they accomplish to create ear worm melodies for every song. Five musicians that sing and sing well, that's why the vocals are sometimes even more important than the music itself, you can sometimes hear how the instruments are placed in the back while the vocal harmonies take over, like if the vocals were doing a guitar or piano solo, this is the best way I've found to describe how this band works, at least to my unprofessional ears. A couple of rhythm changes, nothing too complex but enough to be embraced by prog fans. In the Countryside is a folky tune very inspired in the late 60's early 70's scene, sounding more like a time-evolved Beatles or Beach Boys tune, lots of textures and instruments involved, again flawlessly played and put together. The vocals reach a high pitch here, sometimes being a little overwhelming but, again, if the listener enjoys that aspect or either can separate those vocals from the music, then it is a very enjoyable song. Moonwalk blends in bringing some darker and harder feeling, resembling sometimes that intense hammond sound proper of early Purple and Heep portraying the various influences that impacts this band's song crafting. Little more space-psychedelic rock than the previous tracks without abandoning the positive vibe of the concept and relying once more on the beauty and peacefulness of the melodies. An instrumental track with great guitar licks and piano marriage, giving birth to one of my favorite segments of the record. Bluebells was the song that made me listen to this album again and again, the vocal harmonies are the highlight, but less sweet and much more memorable. Opposite to what happens in the rest of the album this track is solely composed and written by bass player Johan Westerlund, and sometimes it does sound like something taken out from Sargent Pepper's, smartly twisted and more grandiose than the aforementioned. The Ghost of Flowers Past closes the first CD resuming all textures and melodies experienced and heard in the previous 40 minutes, delivering probably one of the best moments of both cds, both musical and lyrically speaking, the guitars are spectacular, again. CD 2 opens with one of the more eclectic passages in the record, the song Yasgur's Farm, more up tempo and playful preserving the same brightness and melodic approach, guitars sound louder in the mix than before or at least that's the overall sensation when listening to the structured shredding, really really good. The "Christmas carol-like" vocals arrive towards the end of the tune, short and precise and nevertheless beautiful. Lady of the Woodlands is the first of the two shorter tracks in record, and to be honest I'm glad is only 3 plus minutes? please don't interpret my comment as something negative, the track is as good as the rest of the album, it is just too sweet to do some unnecessary prolonging. Drumming is a highlight here, precise and with perfect volume. SKIP The enormous epic Other Half of the Sky consists of almost 32 minutes of cotton candy symphonic prog divided in four parts: I - Written in the stars. Acoustic arpeggio, hopeful vocals and melancholic piano prepare the listener for take off, no seatbelts needed. The designed track does exactly what it is supposed to do to grab the listener for that amount of time without letting him get overly sugar coated. Yes, some mid-hard classic symphonic prog with nice guitars, amazing bass lines and even some dark synths to guarantee the grip. Colorful Floyd-style break near half of the trip and back to dreamy arpeggios. Mainstream pop music with hints of folk, Canterbury and symphonic?I like to call it wife-friendly prog. I really like the guitars here, they make their way without too much announcement but leave their print all over the place, in one way or the other, same as the synths, never too complex never too simple. Unquestionably the best half hour of music I've heard so far from the band. There is some sourness under all that sugar, it is there and they let you taste it here and I appreciate that, and embrace it. To Sail beyond the Sunset is the chosen track to their first double album? SKIP

I like my symphonic dirtier, I would rather recommend this album as an outstanding pop album, with phenomenal musicianship, tons of catchy and memorable melodies, and spectacular vocals, but not as a symphonic prog album, not there for me. Still recommend it for curious music nerds like me. THE END