LIQUID SCARLET

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Watch out, this is the clinking debut of a young band from north sweden who names King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Zappa and Björk as musical paragons. Sounds promising? Indeed! As a fan of skandinavian prog I was very excited about this album. And now, after the release and some rotations in my Hifi I can say that it doesn't fall short of my expectations, far from it, it exceed all of them by far. Liquid Scarlet creates music in the vein of Anglagard and Anekdoten with a slight impact of alternative rock. I know that alternative rock is not the kind of genre wich normally seems to accord with prog but Liquid Scarlet manage's it to take advantage of such impacts. The self titled debut is bubbling over with ideas and sounds modern, exceedingly diversified and despite of the audible influences very independent. You can find Robert Fripp like guitars, swedish melancholy and a lot of melotron, all packaged in a seasonable garment.

The album starts out with frantic melotron fusillades flanked with heavy riffing. Short mellow parts arrange for some breathers. "Greyroom" really is a perfect opener. In the beginning "Hesitating in the Foyer" seems to be quite straight but mutates to a more wilder kind of song. Here you will probably hear best what I meant with alternative impact. In the end I thought I even heard some Beatles influenced seconds but I may be wrong because I'm no real expert concerning the Beatles. "Citta nuova" is a calm and fluent tune, at least in the first half. Here and there the prevailing mood is teared up by some shrill sounds. A nice drifty bass solo leads back to the primordial theme. A very nice guitar solo followed by a teriffic keyboard solo top the song off, a true highlight. But the next highlight follows. The instrumental "Molok" begins with tramping chords, wild drumming and a flashy guitar. But the song calms down to a sublime middle section with monotonous bass and a beautiful guitar. The other instruments raise and the tune ends similarly wild as the beginning. "Talking in ashes" is a beautiful ballad featuring a nice clarinet and flute (melotron) playing. However, in the end the song turns to a bombastic and more heavy tune with lots of hammond organ. "Comes near, lingers far" is another highlight. In the beginning it seems to be as frantic as the beginning of "Molok" but promtly offers a cool jazzy groove with nice relaxed vocals. The part breaks open due to some Anglagard like obliqueness but commences in the relaxed, jazzy way. The song ends with a great guitar solo. "The red stairs" again features a lot of great melotron besides a jazzy flair. "One last masquerade" is a great closure and with it's mixture of bombastic melotron, crazy Anglagard like parts and the nice church organ at the very end just another highlight of this great album.

Liquid Scarlet's debut really impressed me. It shows that prog is alive and that there are still young people out there willing to create this great music. I don't think, or better, I'm sure that the slight alternative approach wasn't made just to sell more copies. It really fits the general sound of the album wich is by all means very progressive. A good deal more I think that the alternative impact is the modern sounding component of their music. Again, I think it fits quite good. Liquid Scarlet adresses everybody liking Anglagard, Anekdoten, King Crimson and early Genesis. It also adresses all melotron and hammond lovers out there. I have to say that I have some difficulties with my rating. I wanted to give 5 stars but I think I will leave it at 4.5 stars before it stands the test of time... I really recommend to check out this delightful debut of this very young, telented band. I hope we will hear a lot more of this great band.

Hey, hello fellow ProgArchives readers! Yeah, it's me again! I'm back with another review. Thank you for emails from some of you that I received during the period when I rarely wrote any review for this wonderful prog site. Big apology if I could not reply in due time because I was totally swamped with work. But don't worry mates .. I always keep myself proggin' every time, wherever I breathe! You know what? About a month ago I started to roll-out a series of corporate culture workshops for my major client down here in "rest of the world" country (where some people call my country as a land of terrorist because of some bombs - oh pity me . but it's ok I still can prog my life and smile!) where I used prog music as background of the workshops that I designed and led! Oh .. what great enjoyment I got during the workshops because I played Genesis' "Firth of Fifth", "After The Ordeal", "Hairless Heart", Marillion's "Incommunicado", ABWH "The Meeting" and many more prog music. I didn't really care whether or not my participants knew the music but they enjoyed the workshop in its entirety. Prog music must be forced to others to listen to through prog education! Don't you think so? - Oh sorry for long intro but I always enjoy very much talking about prog music.

So, why I pick LIQUID SCARLET? Simple reason: Last October this year, our Indonesian prog band, Discus, did a successful European tour and shared the stage with Liquid Scarlet and The Watch in Swiss and Germany. According to Discus' bass player, Kiki Caloh, Sweden's Liquid Scarlet and Italian The Watch were both excellent bands. Yeah, no wonder with The Watch which I have been familiar with their Genesis-esque style . But Liquid Scarlet? Oh .. for heaven's sake I have no idea at all. So, I was so curious about the band until finally I got this CD through a friend. I fell in love with this album at first spin! Ghuzzz ...!!

So, how do I describe the music of Liquid Scarlet? It's a perfect marriage of early Crimson, early Genesis, and a bit of Van der Graff Generator. Well, to make a perfect match, their music is pretty similar with Anekdoten full stop. But, it's not a perfect description as well because there is song with Pink Floyd style like track 3 "Città Nuova". The album opener "Greyroom" (5:23) blasts off with mellotron sound in high volume followed with sudden silent which brings in voice line with nice "Is this just the beginning, will this be the end?" lyrical part. Oh man . I really love when this vocal line enters! It's so melodic and so 70s to the bone! Tell me, how can't I love this music? Of course I cannot afford to let this kind of music go. I even embrace the music and put it as part of me. Really great opener. I also love the Hackettian / Frippian guitar work which enters during right time.

"Hesitating in the Foyer" (4:39) is dominated with guitar as rhythm section and the music flows like Anekdoten's "From Within" album; excellently composed especially when it's combined with singing style of Markus Fagervall. The third track "Città Nuova" (8:32) is a nice ballad with a heavy influence from Pink Floyd with nice percussion work played softly. I recommend this tune being played during midnight - you would then find the joy of late night because it helps create excellent nuances.

"Molok" (5:16) combines the early Genesis with early Crimson music with dynamic drumming and Frippian guitar work. The music turns a bit complex with dynamic drumwork, guitar solo and soft mellotron sounds. "Talking in Ashes" (6:42) is an acoustic outfit exploring guitar, soft keyboard and vocals. The later part is a full music in the vein of Anekdoten - and it's very nice, especially with the soaring mellotron sound combined with organ!

"Comes Near, Linger Far" (8:25) is relatively a complex composition as well as structure featuring improvisation of guitar, mellotron and drum. In some segments the combined sound of guitar, bass, organ and drums provide good harmony. "The Red Stairs" (5:52) explores acoustic / electric guitar, xylophone, good vocal line in melodic opening. The high volume sounds of mellotron that follow, augmented with dynamic bass line and guitar, make the music more dynamic. The album concludes with "One Last Mascarade" (8:13) which start mellow and silent using simple guitar fills and vocal. What follows is a melodic music in the vein of Genesis-Crimson. I like the ending part of this track where organ solo give its way to conclude the album Excellent.

Well, I'm impressed with the band and as far as music concern it's tightly composed with strong songwriting and excellent musicianship. I'm inclined to give a full four star rating for this album: an excellent addition to any prog music collection. If you are into the kind of Crimson, Genesis or Anekdoten, I'm sure you would enjoy this album. I look forward to buying their next albums. Recommended. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

It's OK,but it's getting predictable and less interesting.Another Scandinavian prog band shows it's respect to ANEKDOTEN,GENESIS,KC,ANGLAGARD etc.The sound is dark and mellow - I like this kind of it!Nice short tracks,good longer ones,but it feels not unique anymore.On the other hand,when you get a Scandinavin Symphonic Album,you'll never get a BAD ONE - even if it's not so original,it's bloody good anyway.Scandinavian prog has become a synonym of flawless music for me.And for you?..

Highly recommended to all Dark Symph Prog lovers - an excellent addition you'll never regret of!!!

The positives of this release are the guitar melodies and the KING CRIMSON moments, although this certainly is modern sounding in a sort of LANDBERK style.The mellotron is a nice touch, even if it is sampled throughout. The singer reminds me a little of Joe Jackson and I should mention that this is a much better release than the second one.

I really like "The Red Stairs" with the ANEKDOTEN-like mellotron that is so majestic. My other two favourites are "Hesitating In The Foyer" with the wondrous guitar melody throughout, and the instrumental "Molok" with the great combination of guitar, drums and mellotron drawing me in. In most of the other songs there are many shifting sands-like tempo changes and the music is quite complex.

This is modern music with a retro feel and is easily a four star essential record.

Following the steps of ANEKDOTEN and LANDBERK,LIQUID SCARLET are a new Swedish act,formed in mid-90's in the small city of Kalix in northern Sweden.Covering songs of famous artists,the band initially featured a female vocalist and a smooth sound,before getting more progressive on the way to the new millenium.2000 finally finds the band with a stable new line-up and after a great number of shows in their country and a few demo tapes,LIQUID SCARLET signed with Progress Records.2004 sees them releasing their eponymous debut after several delays.

STYLE: Contemporary progressive rock with strong roots in the 70's is the exact description for LIQUID SCARLET.I think an experienced ear could bet that they come from Sweden due to this strong Scandinavian flavor and sometimes dark atmosphere of the music.On the other side,the vocal lines are excellent,quite melodic yet very soft.The musicianship actually alternates between guitar-driven intricate instrumental parts,calmer electric passages with a symphonic taste and vocal-based acoustic stuff with Swedish Folk touches.All this material is supported by heavy mellotron waves,which are the band's biggest ace along with the alternating guitars.

INFLUENCES/SOUNDS LIKE: The tracks differ so much,but every one of them has a recognizable approach.So from the dominating ANEKDOTEN/KING CRIMSON adventure and the harmonic symphonicism of GENESIS/YES,the band jumps to the modern face of RADIOHEAD,the psychedelic nature of PINK FLOYD and the Scandinavian Folk tradition.

PLUS: Fantastic vintage use of mellotron with nostalgic undertones.Carefully arranged vocals with beautiful harmonies.Varied musicianship where the band succeeds to play well every style.Fine changing moods between more intricate/less melodic material and more relaxed arrangements with folk and jazzy touches.

MINUS: Not an obvious one actually.Only that all tracks are really great but I can't find a real stunner to make my day.

WILL APPEAL TO: Fans of contemporary progressive rock as well as old-fashioned lovers of KING CRIMSON (mainly),YES,GENESIS,PINK FLOYD.

CONCLUSION/RATING: When I listen to the term ''modern sounding prog'',I usually turn my back.But this time LIQUID SCARLET made me of thinking of it again.Despite the definite modern echoes,the band filtrated amazingly the old sound to toay's standards and came up with one of the best releases of 2004.4 solid stars and highly recommended!