MILES FROM NOWHERE

In this new project, Jonas Lindgren has taken more responsibility for the vocal duties and played more instruments because of the pandemic. The album opens with a catchy rock song with lush keyboard lines. We can enjoy the vocal lines. "Little Men" starts with a short folk intro and again shows some good work from the three vocalists. "Summer Queen" is an epic song with a long keyboard intro based on the 4 seasons. The acoustic guitar takes over with a female vocalist keeping the song at a slow pace before the intensity improves with some male vocals. There are some crunchy guitar riffs bringing another change with a cool break and some impressive keyboard lines that put this song to another level. The delicate female vocal in the Renaissance style brings back the calm in the song that will end in a Spock's Beard style. "Oceans of Time" is a cross between rock, and symphonic with some jazz parts. The music is accessible with some strong vocals melodies lines and another cool break in the middle. The next 2 songs are more made to calm things down and give us a little breather before the big 20 minutes epic of "Miles from Nowhere". In this song divided into 5 parts, you can hear again the Spock's Beard influence with some breathtaking guitar playing and majestic instrumental parts. The Roine Stolt guitar solo in the final part will give you gooses bump and is the perfect ending to this great album.

An artist and band from Sweden that I'd not heard of before this album, I am very happy to have been given this opportunity. Quite the collection of diverse and polished songs.

1. "Secret Motive Man" (7:26) simple, straightforward prog rock with STYX-like vocal harmonies and occasional switch between classic rock 70s melody lines and those of Celtic traditions. The lead vocalist is laid back and confident, delivering a smooth if slightly lackluster PETER CETERA-like performance. Nice rock guitar solo in the final minute but, otherwise, no real surprises or deviations from the drive to the horizon--despite the admirably tight, polished performances. Sounds just a bit too "classic rock" for my interests. (13/15)

2. "Little Man" (5:49) acoustic guitars and 1970s sound with different vocalist giving this a bit of a STEPHEN STILLS/Southern Rock (early EAGLES or early DOOBIE BROTHERS) feel. Very catchy melodic earworms and soothing background vocals in the chorus. The hard-rockin' electric guitar solo feels a little out of place or excessive, otherwise, this is a nice, laid back, and utterly beautiful song. I especially love the prominence of the mandolin. A top three song for me. (9.25/10)

3. "Summer Queen" (15:52) a long (2:15), spacey electronic intro precedes a folky start to the main body with female vocalist in the lead (Jenny Storm). Rhythm tracks give this again a more country acoustic rock feel over which Ms. Storm's excellent voice flits and flies with avian ease. In the sixth minutes guitar power chords and more concise riffs announce a harder, proggier passage--which is soon confirmed with the arrival of more aggressive male vocalist. Ms. Storm rejoins for the choruses of this section--as does searing guitar solo in the eighth minute. Something quite 1980s about this section (Wall-era Pink Floyd). The ninth minute sees a TFK-like power coda bring this section to a close, to be replaced by tuned percussion arpeggi, fretless bass, and soloing acoustic guitar for a bit before all congeals to return us to the third section of driving country-rock over which multiple guitars take turns soloing with great flair and efficiency. At 11:35 we find ourselves back in the second section with the crystalline voice of Ms. Storm again regaling our ears. At the thirteen-minute mark we transition back into the more-TFK-like prog palette in which an awesome synth-and-guitar duet pair up to deliver the final melody line in a slowed down passage ending with some solo piano arpeggio play. Awesome finish to a great song. A top three song. (28/30)

4. "Oceans of Time" (11:37) opens with a solo keyboard phrasing the foundational folk melody over which the rest of the band takes its turns announcing their presence and styles. When things settle down into a sparsely decorated standard swing beat a male singer with an AMBROSIA/PETER CETERA-like voice joins in to get things moving. Pleasant 1970s-sounding classic rock follows with the folk-lines reappearing every once in a while just to remind us of the underlying ocean theme. In the fifth minute, everybody steps back, clears the floor, settling into support roles so that various instruments can show off. Hammond organ, synth, pitch-bending lead guitar, it's so TFK/YES like! So well executed! Female vocalist takes us out of the section despite the continued bombast of the guitars' power chords, she singing with a force, and then the band surprises with a transition into a BANCO-like theme over which multiple auto-tuned male vocals alternate with Ms. Storm in developing this more-folk oriented section. Sounds a lot like GLASS HAMMER. Very well-developed composition with some great melodic and instrumental hooks. (18/20)

5. "Astral Journey" (5:50) acoustic guitars picking and strumming for the first 45 seconds while other instruments introduce their sound and stylistic choices. Again, there is a very pleasant pastoral folk feel to much of this--though with a Scandinavian bent (percussion). At the end of the second minute the full rock palette is presented followed by a twangy lead guitar taking the fore, driving the melody along in kind of ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION way. Nice instrumental. (8.75/10)

6. "Why I'm Here" (4:26) even more Southern Rock oriented than any of the previous themes! With definite pop sensibilities in the vocal delivery (reminding me of both FREDDEGREDDE, OWLS, and AMBROSIA). Pleasant, memorable, but perhaps a little more simplistic and poppy than I was expecting. Very cool percussive passage in the middle of the third and fourth minutes (especially the organ) as vocal samples are played within the weave. (8.5/10)

7. "Miles from Nowhere" (25:33) (44/50): - i. Overture (6:54) - theatric opening allowing for slow, isolated presentation of several themes--from organ, synth, and twinned guitars. Develops as if taking us on a road trip through the country. Very symphonic and proggy throughout though, surprisingly, all instrumental. Very complete and sophisticated. (13/15) - ii. Don't Walk Away (4:17) - fully vocal-centric, built over strumming acoustic guitars and standard piano-rock structure. Pleasant but nothing exceptional; melodies and instrumental performances are all pretty standard 1970s rock. (8.25/10) - iii. I Don't Know Where You Are (4:39) - jumping off from the previous section into a full-speed Southern Rock jam before Oceans of Time male vocal surprises us. Nice full chorus of vocalists in support role for the chorus. Dynamic synth and guitar soli in the third minute. Definitely engaging and impressive. Nice drumming. (8.75/10) - iv. Memories (3:00) - acoustic guitar supporting the poppier OWLS-like male voice with appearances of synth- flutes for embellishment. Nice vocal ramp up for the chorus at 1:30--where the fretless bass and delicate b vox of Jenny Storm are most noticeable/effective. (4.5/5) - v. Miles from Nowhere (6:42) - a masterful conclusion/wrap up of a symphonic piece of music, incorporating and augmenting all of the many main themes with powerful chord progressions and the strongest male vocal performance of the album. Quite JOURNEY-like in its power and directness. My final top three "song." (9.5/10)

Total Time 76:33

I have to admit to my surprise at two particular elements of this band's music: 1) the compositional maturity herein, and 2) the frequent underlying predominance of what we in America call a country or Southern Rock sound. Also, the competency of not one, not two, but three lead vocalists is quite impressive. Jonas has certainly mastered the ROINE STOLT/The Flower Kings School of Symphonic Prog Rock.

A-/4.5 stars; rated up for sonic clarity, compositional mastery, and consistently high performance standards. My guts tell me that this may very well deserve "masterpiece" status, but repeated listens have failed to elevated it to that place in my heart. There are many prog lovers, however, who I believe, justifiably so, will consider this as a masterpiece. More power to you!