JORDSJØ

Hakon Oftung again plays a variety of instruments and sings. What a talent. It's his guitar work that stood out for me this time. He's taken those intricate melodies to another level here. But his keyboard work including fender rhodes, organ, clavinet and mellotron are all over this one plus he's is fairly dominant with the flute at times. He also recorded, produced and mixed this album. The drummer Kristian Froland keeps getting better if that's possible and we have three guests with two of them playing clarinet and synths and the other offering backing vocals. The clarinet is such a great add on for me and all three of these guests have been on past JORDSJO albums.

I'm not sure what took me so long to crack this one because it's usually pretty immediate with this band, I love retro music but this one just seemed different and it was harder to figure out at times. I think it was my fourth spin when I decided to really listen to the music and that was the key. I can't pick a top three because I'm right into all of the seven tunes and this has a uniform sound to it thankfully.

I will mention the guitar after 5 1/2 minutes on the closer bringing to mind GILA and POPOL VUH's Conny Veit. Also the distorted organ bringing Canterbury to mind again around 5 1/2 minutes on "Salighet I". And lastly the way the album ends over those 4 minutes or so as it drifts along beautifully. So many highlights though and no hesitation with the 5 stars. I'm excited about this one and yes a top ten for 2023. This one will have staying power.

1.Invokasjon intro or not vintage sounds which smell like the sounds of yesteryear, yes you see you still have to be hooked, hooked, in short with teeth, otherwise the shift will act 2.Sankeren shows the extent of their sound field; folk rock borders on psyche with this Nordic voice; a time to get used to it, a break time with a variation ranging from ZAPPA to ÄNGLAGÅRD, from CAMEL to KING CRIMSON and GENESIS for the warm and languorous keyboards, a jazzy touch sprinkled on top and Kristian's characteristic pad which dates back; yes, a good retro prog like I thought I wouldn't listen to anymore; the air calms down before returning to the initial rhythm, complex and hilarious 3.Salighet I acoustic guitar on a Håkon flute that does almost everything; a wandering of sounds from the 70's, vocals from the 60's, the regression goes far, very far; it's beautiful without a doubt, the choirs are warm, the Karisma sound like my favorite group GENESIS did on 'Trespass'; yes, 50 years ago, but now why regress so far and so wildly? The sounds from before are not enough? The guitar solo is cute, invites you to daydream; be careful not to undress and dance naked to the very special folk rhythm 4.Salighet II sequel I don't know but the atmosphere goes on the same muddy paths of dark lands; the voice gives way to the flute for a bucolic break, more psyche than symphonic except for this too short organ finale which is quickly replaced by sound effects and this sax, not baritone, no, in short this traditional instrument

5.Ura continues, a rock guitar with a flute showing the direction of the path; rock takes over folk before the oboe, sampled or not, makes the air vibrate; jazzy-rock in the distance before returning to a round, delicate symphonic 6.Danseritualer fra Jordsjø - Prosesjon & Ekstase for the acoustic interlude given the 3 mins; otherwise the tune invites you even more to travel with this crystalline guitar, surfing on the great old ones who simply made music that they loved; the best title so far 7.Stjernestigen solemn piano and instrumentation eyeing a confusing, OLDFIELD; the voice must be practiced so as not to be thrown off track; the guitar solo halfway through is a stunning, symphonic bombast; it leads to a melodic decrescendo giving way to the captivating piano

Scandinavian symphonic, combining several genres and recreating a new breed of 'symphonism'; ÄNGLAGÅRD was to be their bedside band, today it would be TUSMØRKE; during the 90s I found it beautiful and used!

When "Jord" came out I became an instant fan of this band, they reminded me probably more of SINKADUS than anyone else and I love that band. And while it blew me away I always felt there was this amateurish quality about it, a naivety if you will about it. Well this new re-mix has changed that completely. This sounds so much richer with a bounce to the sound you could say. It was originally released on cassette then cd the following year. Lets just say my original "Jord" copy is going in a box somewhere and "Jord Sessions" is my new "Jord".

I'm just so glad I picked this up, it made my week last week spinning these familiar tunes that sound so much better. That over 13 minute bonus track of course fits right in and is one of the better songs on here. I just think if your like me and value this band highly you need to get your "Jord" replaced with this one. I've discussed the actual music in my "Jord" review so I won't rehash that.

1. "Invokasjon" (2:52) impressive but lacking anything really engaging to the soul. (8.75/10)

2. "Sankeren" (7:22) sounding very much like WOBBLER. I like the mediæval folk third minute best. Besides the solid instrumental performances throughout, this is not anything so very exciting or innovative here. (13.25/15)

3. "Salighet I" (6:17) the opening 75 seconds of folk play is exceptional, followed by a nice passage of psychedelia. My favorite song on the album. (8.875/10)

4. "Salighet II" (6:10) more electrified and Krautrock grooving than its predecessor. Nice folk melodies. Another top three song. (8.875/10)

5. "Ura" (6:39) psychedelia that starts out either a little too sad and down or lacking melodies to hook the listener depite its change into a more 1970s happy-go-lucky JETHRO TULL-like tune. (8.875/10)

6." Danseritualer fra Jordsjø - Prosesjon & Ekstase" (2:55) opens like a true folk rock tune of the circa 1970 era with Hammond organ and blues rock foundation. Guitars and flutes are busy until lead electric guitar takes the lead in the second minute. Nice solo over a MOTORPSYCHO-like foundation. Some great performances of a nice composition. (8.875/10)

7. "Stjernestigen" (10:21) opens like the unfolding of a folk story being told through ballet movement. As the music develops, slowly and in spurts, it continues to retain this storytelling --in a WOBBLER or CICCADA kind of way. (I keep expecting to hear the dulcet tones of Evangelina Kozoni's crystalline voice.)At 3:20 we get the introduction of Håkon Oftung's vocal, voice doubled up, over supportive organ, bass, and drums with synth soloing in between vocal verses. Nice. Gentle and perpetuating the storytelling feel despite losing the ballet quality. I very much like the chorus buildup and double-guitar-duel of the instrumental passage to follow. In the seventh minute heavily treated vocal precedes an instrumental passage over which piano solos--a melody that is later duplicated and mirrored by the untreated electric guitar. Nice work. It's practically a classical piece the way the two instruments are attuned to one another--even into a tenth minute as the other background support instruments gradually fade into nothingness. By the time the final 30 seconds arrives we are left with only the piano to carry forward the melody line--once again sounding like something that might support a ballet dance. (18/20)

Total Time 42:36

An album of very nicely performed, admirably intricate compositions that somehow fail to reach the heights of masterpiece status.

B+/four stars; an excellent addition of variable prog folk music to any prog lover's music collection--all composed and performed by two artists without any other collaborators.

Jordsjø, a Norwegian duo, follows in the path of their spiritual predecessors, Änglagård. Both acts draw heavily from acts like Yes and King Crimson, but distinctly Norse melodies are woven into anAnglo-prog-inspired backdrop. They've been consistently stellar over their career, and 2019's Nattfiolen was one of my personal favorites from that year.

After a brief, scene-setting intro, "Skumring i Karesuando" is the first proper song on Pastorialia. It's replete with lush Mellotron and synthesizer, lilting flute, idyllic acoustic guitar, and murky, creepy electric passages. There's a fantastic little funky clav break before a guitar solo near the end of the song that I wish they would have expanded upon a little more, but even with its brevity, this is a wonderful song.

The next track, "Mellom Mjødurt, Marisko og Søstermarihånd", follows in a similar vein, if a bit slower. Nordic folk and the gentler side of prog are effortlessly married into something that is both soothing, yet creepy and sinister. In this song's final minute, the intensity is cranked up for an impactful conclusion.

Pastoralia's title track is next, and this piece is the first song to fumble, in my opinion. It doesn't stand out in comparison to the two tracks which preceded it, and the structure feels jumbled and unfocused. There are some very strong ideas in here, but the band ping-pongs between musical themes too rapidly to build any significant tension or momentum. It feels like if you took a bunch of 15-second snippets out of a Gentle Giant record and played them all in a row. "Fuglehviskeren", meanwhile, is a brief interlude led by acoustic guitar and some sort of bassy reed instrument, but it does a great job of developing its central theme.

"Beitemark" opens in some rather jazzy territory. That same bass clarinet(?) helps establish a rhythm over which clean guitar and twinkling keys forge a melody. This song suffers from a milder version of the kitchen sink syndrome which plagued "Pastoralia", but it holds together reasonably well by comparison. The individual ideas are strong, and it's not rapidfire hopping. "Vettedans" is another brief folk interlude, but this one sounds like it's straight off Gryphon's debut record. 

The 10-minute "Jord III" closes Pastoralia. It begins with a typically-Jordsjø-y passage: Flute and lush keys form a distinctive texture as folk-and-jazz inflected guitars carve out a lead line. After around five minutes of instrumental interplay of varying quality, some quiet narration enters and does serious harm to the song's momentum. This experience felt similar to "Pastoralia" with its cycling of musical ideas, but the spoken word section brought "Jord III" to a screeching halt. Even after the narration ends, this song languishes, barely moving forward at all.

Despite my grousing, this is still a decent album. It's definitely Jordsjø's weakest album to date, but with the reputation and catalog that Jordsjø have cultivated, that's still better than a lot of what you're going to find in the contemporary prog scene. Amid the overlong, unfocused songs, there are some very successful integrations of progressive rock with the folk music of Norway.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2021/06/21/album-review-jordsjo-pastoralia/

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2019/06/20/odds-ends-june-20-2019/

The opener "Ouverture" along with "Septemberbal" are the two short instrumental tracks, the former is pastoral with flute and piano while the latter is acoustic guitar melodies throughout. The other five tracks range from under 6 minutes to just over 9 minutes and man this is good. "Stifinner" opens and closes with these powerful outburts but in between we get some beautiful music led by the flute and vocals. I like the long instrumental breaks and that mellotron 5 minutes in.

"Solens Sirkulaere Sang" reminds me of SINKADUS the way it opens with flute and organ before it turns more powerful. It settles back and vocals and drums arrive just before a minute. Love that guitar, so Swedish. The calm before 5 minutes with vocals is almost haunting. That SINKADUS vibe is back and then it builds to the end. Great track. "Mine Templer II" has that guest double bass, vocals, flute, light beats and piano. Mellotron before 3 minutes as vocals soar. Picked guitar and piano only follow then a change after 3 minutes. Check out the guitar, I just like how clean it sounds and that tone.

"Til Vargen" is the longest at over 9 minutes and it's mellow to start with flute and keys before speeding up some around 1 1/2 minutes. This one is a ride people from pulsating keys, flute and drums bringing ANGLAGARD to mind to the fragile vocals and a calm before 3 minutes. Check out the mellotron that follows sounding amazing. Love that picked guitar then it all picks up. A dark calm at 6 1/2 minutes and I love when it starts to pick back up. "Ulvenatt" is the closer and it's a laid back, feel good piece of music with floating organ, light beats and picked guitar.

The album cover is a thing to behold, just gorgeous like that last track. The band thanks TUSMORKE and WOBBLER in the liner notes. This was mastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo. A top five for 2019.

I think it's so cool that they close this album with "Jord III" because "Jord I" and "Jord II" were on the "Jord" album from 2017. "Jord III" is my favourite track on here and at 10 1/2 minutes it is the longest tune. There's such a majesty to this song at times and I like the repeated themes. "Beitmark" reminds me that my sister was a biter but I digress. Love the electric piano early on with the bass clarinet. That guitar style is so Swedish 90's sounding. Some complain about the vocals but I wouldn't change them. They are in the realm of the singing from ANGLAGARD, SINKADUS, ANEKDOTEN etc. and fit the woodsy music like a glove. Sounds so much like ANGLAGARD after 4 minutes with that flute. The atmosphere builds and dominates to the end. "Fuglehviskeren" is kind of cool with the upright bass and acoustic guitar. Some percussion and more follows but very folky. "Vettedans" is similar but more electric and plenty of flute. After the short intro track we get three very, very good tracks making this a very solid 4 star album overall.

I don't find it as consistent as the previous record but man so much to love here. My music!

Jordsjo is a progressive rock band from Norway based in Oslo that was founded in 2014. Jordsjo is a duo featuring Hakon Oftung on vocals, guitars, flute and keyboards, and Kristian Froland on drums and percussion, with some additional musicians. Jordsjo is quite an unusual band. It's one of those bands that fly the flag of the classic traditional prog, the prog that is commonly called symphonic. Their apparent prog influences include Genesis, King Crimson and Porcupine Tree. However, they have also expressed admiration for classic horror films, soundtracks and Scandinavian folk music. Their music is earthy, ethereal, and dramatic. Flutes, piano, Hammond organ, and analogue synths blend in with acoustic and electric guitars, bass and drums providing an immersive experience that will bring joy to fans of the 70's prog, but also to more modern bands like Anglagard and Wobbler who have embraced this classic soundscapes.

The debut album of Jordsjo saw the light of the day in 2015. It connected the symphonic prog to some sort of prog folk. On their next album, "Jordsjo II", they took the folk parts back a little and instead turned up the rock parts. After an experience with the Norwegian synth project Breidablik, "Songs From The Northern Wasteland" released in 2016 that was oriented towards electronic prog, they released their album "Jord" in 2017, a typically Scandinavian retro-prog album with reminiscences of Anglagard and Sinkadus. Their next release was this album "Nattfiolen" released in 2019.

"Nattfiolen" sounds more cohesive and focused compared to its predecessor "Jord" and where there are truly some captivating moments to be discovered. On the top of that, the warm and organic vibe that resonated throughout "Jord" is also very much present on "Nattfiolen", but the latter boasts more refined and memorable compositions. With "Nattfiolen" the Norwegians basically continue exactly there, in "Jord", with the difference they may have withdrawn a little further into the forest. It comes to my mind the amazing album of Jethro Tull "Songs From The Wood", but darker, more atmospheric and clearly very Scandinavian. The rockier passages of "Jord" have been reduced a bit, so that "Nattfiolen" can claim an even more organic character that its predecessor. For Jordsjo, nature exemplifies their stage set. On "Nattfiolen", the association between nature and music is first and foremost apocalyptic and mystical, which to some extent applies to its predecessor. On "Nattfiolen" there's a perfect balance between folk and symphonic music.

The opening "Ouverture" fulfill adequately its role. It's a very short track, an extremely delicate beginning that greets the listener with gentle flute sounds that are carried along on piano swabs. These temptingly invite us to follow them into the forest. "Stifinner" waits for the listener to a warmly welcome with a pompous introduction to go on a journey of discovery. The song then undertakes a real wandering through some different moods and covers not only classic, atmospheric folk but also sometimes mystical, sometimes ominous soundscapes. "Solens Sirkulaere Sang" is a dark ominous piece reminiscent of the early King Crimson's works in its moody almost medieval atmosphere with its fluid woodwinds and a bit jazzy style, a reminiscent at the time of "Larks' Tongues In Aspic", where the native vocals sound very pleasant. "Septemberbal" is a nice successful interlude based on the acoustic guitar with a brief but rewarding classical guitar solo. This kind of interlude is followed by "Mine Templer II" that begins with some mysterious chords where the rhythm section takes care of the progressive momentum with its great fretless bass line. It features a gradual, piano driven buildup to a fluid, emotional guitar solo. This is a straightforward and playful track at the same time. "Til Varen" is the magnum opus of the album. It's a nine minute mini-epic that starts with its strange atmospheric melody played on piano and flute. After an organ driven jam section, we can hear an acoustic verse. It then shifts into a warm, gradually building instrumental section. Gradually, it closes with a chaotic, flute led jam, an impressive final, indeed. "Ulvenatt" is a slower piece, almost a ballad, with eerie, hovering organs and smooth infectious guitar melodies. It's subdued and minimalist in the means, free and dignified, using the same thread for five minutes. This is a wonderful goodbye, pretty different from the other six tracks, in order to calm emotions and prepare us for the inevitable goodbye.

Conclusion: Scandinavian countries have climbed several positions on my list of the best prog releases, consistently. In all of them I noticed excellent compositions, neat instrumentation and analogue sound. Here's the formula for any work that wants to please me. And Jordsjo isn't an exception. Their album "Nattfiolen" caught the attention of the entire progressive community in the world. The climate immediately takes us to the icy landscapes of northern Europe and has a lot of local folk with its mysterious air. It has a wonderful blend of folk and symphonic rock, with an omnipresent Mellotron sound and obvious hints from Anglagard, worth to discover. However, the basis of folk is brought out in a dynamic arranging mechanism and rich variations. It's a work to be tasted and its beauty is fully appreciated, really.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)