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The Flower Kings - Love CD (album) cover

LOVE

The Flower Kings

 

Symphonic Prog

3.69 | 82 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

kev rowland like
Special Collaborator
Prog Reviewer / Special Collaborator
4 stars The Flower Kings are back with their 17th studio album, following on from 2023's 'Look At You Now' with Roine Stolt (vocals, electric, acoustic, 6- & 12-string guitars, ukulele), Hans Fröberg (vocals), Michael Stolt (bass, moogbass, vocals) and Mirko DeMaio (drums, percussion) now welcoming Lalle Larsson (grand piano, Rhodes piano, Hammond B3, synthesizers) as a full member after guesting on one track on the last one. Roine and Hans have been with the band since it was formed by Roine in 1994 as a way of performing his solo album of the same name, while Michael came back to the fold in 2021 after more than 20 years away, so they certainly have strong ideas on what they want to achieve, with 10 of the 12 numbers composed by Roine.

I will always have a soft spot for this band, as they were the first group my youngest daughter ever saw play, sat on the stage in awe of Roine. But we all know that they can have an annoying tendency not to edit where they should, and their albums are at times over-long. Here they have managed to keep it down to 75 minutes and a single disc, but even so I did find there were instances where I felt it could have been tightened up. Yes, there are wonderful arrangements with great guitars while the keyboard playing has also improved on the last release, and there are some wonderful retro sounds, while the fretless bass on the introduction of "How Can You Leave" is delicious, and Hans is singing as well as ever, but for me there is something missing, I am just not sure what it is. There is a feeling almost of this being worked through as an exercise as opposed to something that is dramatic and exciting, with less of the dynamics and contrasts which are needed to stop the listener from being smothered.

It is incredibly dated, pulling us back some 50 years, but that has never been an issue for me, it is just that the emotions are muted and dampened, which is somewhat strange given the album title. Putting all that negativity to one side, this is still an album I have enjoyed listening to, it is just that it is not as essential as some of their others although I am sure there are many out who will be giving this very high praise indeed. It's just that I am not one of them.

kev rowland | 4/5 |

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