AGUSA

I like this sound of these songs and their slightly more sophisticated, dynamic music than that of their previous release, 2015's Två, which was more like two long, continuous, side-long jams.

1. "Landet Längesen" (10:29) pretty instrumental jam prog using vintage instrumental sounds and based upon stolen folk melody. But it works! (8.5/10)

2. "Sorgenfri" (5:00) this one sounds like a 1960s folk rock song (electric guitar chords are lifted straight out of some blues-rock jam) over which flute, organ, and electric guitar take turns soloing. (7.5/10)

3. "Den Förtrollade Skogen" (8:33) opens with a lot of spacey spaciousness: distorted guitar squealing over organ and tuned percussives. After about a minute a plodding tom-and-kick drum supports another familiar folk melody coming from the flute. After a round or two, drums, bass, and strummed electric guitar join in to create a slow blues-folk song. A break at the halfway mark allows bass, hand percussion, and wah-ed electric guitar strums and simple organ to establish a kind of Rasta/Afro-pop variation. Okay song. (7.5/10)

4. "Sagor Från Saaris" (9:20) uses a raunchy 1960s West Coast sound from the opening, over which flute enters to plays its folky melodies. Foundation sound and structure sound almost like classic rock song "House of the Rising Sun." When second section crashes in with fuzzy bass and swirling organ soloing over drums and hand percussion, it becomes a little more blues-rock and even grungy. The return to the flute-based melodies always bring it back to a proggier folk sound, though. A spacious clear out in the fifth minute is different--allowing for some more whole-band experimentation with their individual sounds. Cool! Even the way it amps up into a crescendo of sound is cool and unexpected. (8/10)

5. "Bortom Hemom" (10:19) quiet organ and gentle, breathy flute open this one up before guitar strums and arpeggi from organ and cymbal play begin a slow build to the point in second minute when everybody steps up and settles into a nice, engaging foundation over which organ is the first to take its turn soloing. Nice melody set up by the strummed acoustic guitar chord progression. My favorite song on the album. (9/10)

Four stars; a nice contribution of folk-blues Kosmische jams.

4.5 stars. I have to say that AGUSA's new album is their best in my opinion. This is a 5 piece band(flute, organ, drums, guitar and bass) out of Sweden. While I do feel this is their best yet that traditional Swedish Folk vibe remains fairly strong and I'm not big on that vibe. Still this was an absolute joy to listen to pre-Christmas.

"Landet Langesen" opens with some solemn flute as the bass arrives and the organ seems to echo before a fuller sound arrives with drums. There's a brief calm with guitar and drums before that full sound returns. A calm 3 1/2 minutes in as flute comes to the fore. Some nice organ before 5 minutes as the guitar echoes in this laid back section. The tempo picks up at 5 1/2 minutes. Organ and wah- wah guitar after 8 minutes. The guitar starts to cry out after 9 minutes, then the organ comes in playing over top to the end. A great start!

"Sorgenfri" opens with some beautiful guitar melodies but soon the flute takes over with picked guitar then it turns fuller. The organ kicks in after 2 1/2 minutes in this uptempo section. It's the guitar's turn to lead after 4 minutes as he lights it up. Nice.

"Den ortrollade Skogen" has an experimental intro with atmosphere and various sounds that come and go. A beat after 1 1/2 minutes then the flute joins in around 2 minutes. Soon we have a full sound with flute over top. The organ will replace the flute then we get a calm 4 minutes in. I like the organ before 5 1/2 minutes. The flute is back then a full sound kicks back in at 7 minutes.

"Sager Fran Saaris" is my favourite on here. I like the rhythm here with guitar over top before the organ takes the guitar's place. A traditional sounding section here but it changes before 2 minutes as we get a calm with flute that sounds so much like the flute on KING CRIMSONs "I Talks To The Wind". That sound returns again just before 4 minutes. In between we get a guitar solo that starts before 3 1/2 minutes. It settles right down 5 minutes in. This is so good with that beat, bass, guitar and flute that all come and go. Such a cool section. It's building 6 1/2 minutes in. Guitar before 7 minutes and it's becoming more powerful sounding. So good!

"Bortom Hemom" opens with relaxed organ as the flute joins in. Pastoral is the word. Cymbals follow then what sounds like violin. It kicks in with drums and organ after 1 1/2 minutes. I like when the guitar joins in. Great sound 5 1/2 minutes in as the flute joins in as well. Organ only before 6 1/2 minutes as it seems to start over. The rest of the band joins in. Love the guitar before 8 1/2 minutes.

This was a very pleasant surprise. I liked these guys before and their retro sound but they've upped the ante here with this self titled release. This is feel good music and who isn't into some great sounding flute and organ with lots of wah-wah guitar. Come on!