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The Flower Kings - Adam & Eve CD (album) cover

ADAM & EVE

The Flower Kings

 

Symphonic Prog

3.48 | 564 ratings

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Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars This might be an album with controversy. Last week, I got messages in my mobile phone from my prog friends Rizal (visiting Hong Kong) and Koni. Rizal had a great complaints of this album as it has lost the "soul" of TFK while Koni is the other way round: love the album at first spin. So I got confused and curious to know more. I got Rizal's cd with me and I spin it . oh boy .. I love the album at first spin! Then I spin it four times in its entirety, and this is my view in details:

What a fantastic track "Love Supreme" is! Yeah . it has all ingredients of prog music: dynamic, complex, shifting tempos. I love this track at first spin of the CD. Couple of reasons on why I love it: first, the accompanying music - dynamic, ambient, atmospheric with tight bass guitar - is unique the Flower Kings music. Second, the drumming is dominant and varies widely across musical segments with multi-beats. Third, the use of instruments to lead some segments are dominant but balance between guitars and keyboards. All of the above factors have summed up to en excellent musical composition of this track. As I walk through my journey into this epic track of approx 20 minutes I don't feel any sense of inconsistency in this composition as I finally aware that I'm in the 16th minute of this track and I don't feel bored to wait another 4 minutes to conclude the track. Is it the kind of Yes' "Close to The Edge"? Dunno exactly .. but that's what I feel, this track is really excellent and very enjoyable. This track has the climax enjoyment as well, which happens at minutes 17 onwards. Fabulous! Amazing! Great work, Mr. Stolt!

"Cosmic Circus" is a relatively short track with its music flows naturally, great drumming and keyboard. I enjoy the drumming and voice singing of this track. It continues to the next short instrumental track "Babylon" which is keyboard based with tight bass line, soft lead guitar play during interlude.

"A Vampire View", as the title implies, starts with a night conditioning of the music followed by a monologue in vampire's style (?). When the music enters, it's so nice and flows as usual TFK music and then goes back to opening style. This kind of style is like an opera act - but may make you bored as the music sometime goes silent. I don't have any problem with it. Even, I enjoy it as I watch "Van Helsing" movie. Again, I find the drumming, piano and lead guitar are excellent. I like the last 2 minutes part of this track where electric guitar and keyboard take the lead. Wonderful composition!

"Adam and Eve" really rocks!! I love it very much! It's prog, it's complex, and ... it's fantastic. It has a punchy keyboard playing and dazzling bass guitar (WOW! Excellent bass guitarring, Jonas! Thank you for creating this nice piece of music). For me this track still has the soul of TFK music. Again the last part of this song is a climax that gives ultimate enjoyment for rockers. "Timeliness" is another rocking track!

I don't wanna go track by track of this album as the rest of the tracks are all excellent tracks! It has another epic track "Drivers Seat" and excellent concluding track "The Blade of Cain". "Driver's Seat" is a track that you may need to put attention to. It's uplifting, powerful, complex and wonderful. Again, I have noticed the drumming is so dynamic in this track, great bass line. This is the kind of prog music that I really love and you may too, I guess. You have no reason for not loving this album, really!

My recommendation is: BUY this CD! Even, you won't regret by having "Love Supreme" and "Driver's Seat" alone that you like listening to. But, don't worry .. at least I can guarantee there are 5 other tracks that are worth enjoying. For me, all tracks are excellent and I enjoy listening to it in its entirety. This album is a masterpiece and it will be with the passage of time. Rating 4.75 / 5 - Gatot Widayanto, Indonesia.

Gatot | 5/5 |

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