TRIPPY HAPPY

WHEN is the solo project of Lars Pedersen from Norway. A multi-instrumentalist and vocalist he usually does it all but we do get some guests adding piano, vocals and accordion. This is such a change from his "Gynt" album from 10 years earlier, experimental soundscape music. This like the title implies is trippy and happy music with lots of vocals tracks and commercial sounding stuff but this is Lars so it's like he sabotages these songs at will. And while I appreciate this(haha) I just can't get into this one. As I've said before WHEN's first two albums are my favourites but after that it's hit and miss for me.

"Bye Puppy Bye" is a good example of a song changing completely half way through as it does here before 2 minutes. "Life Is Shit, Sometimes it's Beautiful" is surprisingly uplifting and sounds like it could have been a single. "Sin The Sailor" is a top two. It's the depth of sounds and beats along with the atmosphere. Check out the mellotron after 2 minutes. "The King" is silly while the second track of the "Two Distant Calls" suite is my other top two called "Serpent Rain". Opening with strings but it's when the xylophone arrives around 1 1/2 minutes in that I'm smiling as drums and more support followed by vocals. Mellotron too. "Filthy John" is like a 90's pop song, vocal led with strummed guitar. More silliness on "Toy Party" but I do like not love the two part title track.

3 stars is all I got.