LOVE

This week has an album that I have been looking forward to for a couple of months, since Hasse Fröberg put up a video of the pre-release single "How Can You Leave Us Now". The full album was released 5 days ago (as I type this? it'll be 10 days when I publish it). The album is called "Love". Please see my Spotlight on the band's long and complex history (Scott Rich on Facebook). The line-up for this album is mostly consistent with the previous album "Look at You Now" from 2023. (That album has one of my earliest, much more informal reviews on Facebook.) The only exception being that keyboardist Lalle Larson is now listed as a full member. The full line up is as follows:

- Roine Stolt / vocals, electric, acoustic, 6- & 12-string guitars, ukulele - Hasse Fröberg / vocals - Lalle Larsson / grand piano, Rhodes piano, Hammond B3, synthesizers - Michael Stolt / bass, moogbass, vocals - Mirko DeMaio / drums & percussion

With: - Hasse Bruniusson / percussion - Jannica Lund / vocals - Aliaksandr Yasinski / accordion - Jacob Collier / "world choirs"

There are two tracks over 10 minutes in length, while the rest range between 2 and 8 minutes in length. This is a mostly cold listen, having only heard "We Claim the Moon" and "How Can You Leave Us Now" previously. Without further ado, let's listen!

Track 1- We Claim the Moon

This begins with some sound effects fading in, then some marimba (I think), before a cut time beat and a cool riff with a 60's vibe kicks in. Great organ sound at around 40 seconds. The vocals from Hasse Fröberg begin at around 1 minute, before the riff takes back over. Beautiful arranging as we get ready for the first verse. There is more marimba or whichever similar percussion instrument that is prior to the vocals coming in fully. This is a high energy track! Nice harmonies around 2:30. The dynamic level comes down around the 3 minute mark, and Hasse sings with a jazzy backdrop. I love all of the dynamic shifts. The rhythm goes to a halftime beat before 4 minutes. Lots of full, lush chords there. It comes way down at around 5:15 and there is a very cool keyboard feature from Lalle Larson. There is a big finish at around 6:10, but then some sequenced synth sounds keep going that take us to the fade-out. Great, high-energy opening track!

Track 2 - The Elder

This is the longest one at 11:10. The title reminds me of 1981's "(Music From) The Elder" by KISS, the closest they ever got to prog, but I digress?

A glockenspiel melody starts us off here, establishing the melody that is soon repeated by vocals in harmony. I believe Hasse & Roine are alternating on vocals here. This one has an inspirational ballad vibe to it. After a verse/chorus, there is a pause then a drum fill leads us to a melodic guitar solo. There is a new melody following, starting with Roine's voice, then Hasse's. Things begin to build up at around the 4 minute mark. But then mellow out with a keyboard feature. The next verse is slightly more up-tempo. Another guitar solo follows. A sustained power chord takes us to ethereal keyboards, then a variation of the chorus, before an instrumental section begins in true FK's style. The instrumental brings us to a quieter vocal section sung by Roine. Then there is another keyboard feature. The music gets "big" at 10 minutes. This is a quintessential Flower Kings track. After a few guitar flourishes, the track fades out on sustained synth chords. A good solid FK track; I enjoyed it, even if it didn't blow me away.

Track 3 - How Can You Leave Us Now!?

Piano chords start us off, and Michal Stolt joins on fretless bass. Roine's vocals begin at around 40 seconds in. After a verse, there are classically influenced flourishes, joined by guitar, then synth. A harmony vocal section joins next. The drums have been limited to cymbal rolls and occasional accents so far. The drums become steady around 3:30 or so. Lead guitar joins in at just before the 5 minute point. A quieter section resolves the song. Good ballad. I can see why that was the lead off single.

Track 4 - World Spinning

This is one of the two tracks that are sub-3-minutes, and the shortest overall at 2:10. A nice amalgam of keyboard tones starts this off. Lalle Larson's presence is really felt on this album. There is a neat "hopping" tone before one minute. This seems to be a keyboard solo. I like it. I get some Wakeman influences. I wouldn't have minded a bit more of that.

Track 5- Burning Both Edges

This is the third longest track at 7:50. Foreboding sounds start this off, but they are softened by the keyboard sounds. Hasse is singing in a dreamy high-register tone. Nice key change at 1:45! I like the arrangement at around 2:15 with the layers of sound there. There are occasional panned synth flourishes over the vocals. This is a mid- tempo so far. The instrumental break around 3:40 is quite nice. Vocals return by 4:10. A guitar solo begins at around 4:35, that gives me Carlos Santana vibes. Synth takes back over around 5:15. Great run at 5:38. Excellent FK's BIG moment around 6:15! I think this one is my favorite so far! The ending has a nice crescendo. Great track!

Track 6 - The Rubble

This one has a bluesy vibe. I like the contrasting vocal and instrumental sections. Cool groove at 1:50. I like the conga drums. The chorus has a catchy hook "walking in the rubble, getting into trouble". At about 2:40 we have a guitar solo, followed by keyboard/guitar harmonies. We begin leading up to the finish at around the 4 minute mark, but it kind of just fizzles out. Pretty good, but I would have liked a more defined ending.

Track 7- Kaiser Razor

This is the other one that clocks in below 3 minutes at 2:32. An organ chord fades in and we get a big dramatic FK intro. Following that the piano takes the lead, with a nice drum pattern from Mirko. I like the rhythms in this. Excellent guitar run just before 1:30. This seems to be a nice little instrumental. It would make a good intro to an epic. Roine's guitar playing is on fire here. Great track, but I want more of it! I'm wondering if Kaiser Razor is the guy on the album cover?

Track 8 - The Phoenix

A slow fade in leads to a big strummed acoustic chord, then a slow tempo is established with bass & keys joining in. The vocals begin for a verse, then the drums join in. This seems to be a bit of a duet between Roine & Hasse. Roine takes a nice melodic guitar solo at around the 2 minute mark. Awesome harmonies around 3:10. The instruments fade out to bring us to a close. Beautiful ballad.

Track 9 - The Promise

A slow organ melody starts us off, then Roine begins singing with acoustic guitar and organ. There are some wonderful harmonies as we progress. There is accordion at around 1:20, then the band kicks in with a faster tempo. The sound is very charming. The drums drop out and the others play some call & response type melodies. Another verse follows. As we approach the ending there is a moment where they sing the word "celebrations" over and over in harmony. The instruments bring us to the conclusion of the song.

Track 10 - Love Is

Clean electric and unique vocals begin the song. The synths and other instruments play a few figures, then we get another BIG FKs moment, before the first full verse begins. Roine and Hasse are sharing vocal duties on this. Nice drum fill from Mirko at 2 minutes. That leads us into a transitional part, followed by what I can best describe as a "circus band march". Vocals join that beat. By 3 minutes we have returned to a more rock tone. Great accents at around 3:15. Lots of various melodies and tempo changes are happening here. Mirko gets a moment of unaccompanied drumming at around 5 minutes. This one has a very classic FKs sound. Great track!

Track 11 - Walls of Shame

This begins softly with some free time sound effects and guitar licks. The verse begins to give us some rhythm. The beat gets stronger as we proceed. Hasse seems to be taking the lead in the vocals on this one but Roine's voice is present too. This one is more mid-tempo. Nice wah-wah guitar solo around the 3 minute mark. This song is also signature FKs in sound. Roine and Hasse may be the only constants for the FK career, and Roine's brother Michael (an early member of the line-up) returned a couple of albums back, but Lalle and Mirko are doing a great job at creating the classic FKs tone. Hasse is giving a top-notch vocal performance as the song reaches its climax. Fantastic track!

Track 12 - Considerations

The final track is the second longest at 10:15. A drum fill leads us in, with what sounds like a mellotron in the prominent role. Roine's lead guitar takes over and by 1 minute he is using a slide. I love the piano and guitar flourishes during the transition from the intro to the next section. Things get quiet and dreamy keys and glockenspiel make a bed for the vocals, which are in a low register. I believe that this is Michal Stolt on lead vocals here; he sounds like a lower range version of his brother. There are some question and answer vocal harmonies as we proceed. Nice tempo change after 3 minutes. The instrumental sound is pure FKs, but Michael's vocal sound brings a new color to the palette. Roine takes a guitar solo around 5:30. Lalle follows with a fantastic synth solo. The music pauses briefly at 7 minutes, and there is a flute sound and harpsichord in a very classical sounding section, with Michael's vocals resuming. Then we get a big FKs guitar-led melodic instrumental section. Things seem to be building to a climax as the mellotron returns. There was a nice sweep picking arpeggio from Roine right around 9 minutes. Things quiet down before a crescendo brings us to the closing. Harmony vocals sort of float by in the final seconds. Amazing track!!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

This is a solid album overall, even though some of the songs along the way do seem a bit mellow and not as energetic as I might have preferred. That said, the songs are all well-written, arranged, and produced. It kicks off energetically on track 1, then eases off for a bit on tracks 2 and 3, before picking up again on tracks 4-7. It eases off again on tracks 8 and 9 then finishes strong on the final three tracks. 2, 3, 8, and 9 aren't bad, just not as strong as the others to me. I'll give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Roine and company are still a force to be reckoned with in the prog world!

Clicked 4 but really 4.5!

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