SPACE REVOLVER

'Space Revolver' is the fifth studio album by The Flower Kings. The band were entering the 21st century on this record with a new bass player, the one and only Jonas Reingold, who is one of my favorite bass players of all time. 'Space Revolver' is the album I would point to if someone wanted me to recommend them a starting point to get into The Flower Kings. It's merely a single-disc album, which for the band was unorthodox at the time. Despite its relatively short duration, 'Space Revolver' ranks among The Flower Kings' best albums. The structure and flow of this album is excellent.

"I Am the Sun - Part One" opens the album and "I Am the Sun - Part Two" closes the album. The structure of the album is similar to 'Wish You Were Here.' Though these two tracks are nonconsecutive, I think of them as one piece when isolated from the album. "I Am the Sun" is one of the best epics from The Flower Kings. The first part has an atmospheric intro which leads into the song, containing organ and mellotron galore from Tomas Bodin. The melodies that The Flower Kings create are superb. "I Am the Sun" ebbs and flows from section to section seamlessly. Towards the midpoint of the first part, the band enter into jazz fusion territory with great saxophone from Ulf Wallander. The jazzy elements of "I Am the Sun" foreshadows the band's seventh studio album, 'Unfold the Future.' The first part of the epic ends with mellow nylon string guitar and vocals from Roine Stolt. The second part of the piece starts with a pastoral sound. As it progresses, themes heard from the first part are reprised, culminating in the end section which contain atmospheric synths. The piece, and album as a whole, ends beautifully.

"Dream on Dreamer" is a jazzy keyboard and vocal piece that I enjoy quite a bit. This piece also features Ulf Wallander on the saxophone, which adds color to the atmosphere of the song. "Rumble Fish Twist" is a song of two halves: the first half being complex and intricate fusion music, the second half being a slow, building concluding section which eventually leads to a great climax. "Monster Within" starts off with a Christmas-like intro that transitions into a heavy guitar riff. Roine Stolt's vocals and the music accompanying it give the song a nightmarish quality. This song goes through many twists and turns. The ending guitar melody is gorgeous and is the perfect coda to this frightening piece. "Chicken Farmer Song" is a happy pop song that I love as it adds lightness to the weight of this album. The next three tracks ("Underdog," "You Don't Know What You've Got," and "Slave to Money") are the weakest songs on the album. "Space Revolver" would've been a stronger record if it didn't include these songs. "A Kings Prayer" is one of my favorite songs from The Flower Kings. It's a ballad which contains one of Roine Stolt's most passionate guitar solos that never fails to give me chills. At the end of the song, the band reprise the "Monster Within" riff, giving the album a sense of cohesion.

In conclusion, 'Space Revolver' by The Flower Kings is excellent and probably their best single-disc album. Outside of a couple weak tracks, this album contains some of the band's best material. Four stars.