WHITE WILLOW

The best album that White Willow have produced. I was a bit disappointed with 'Storm Season', and only got this album as one of the cds in an order I made was unavailable, and I had put down 'Signal to Noise' as a reserve on my order form! I'm so glad I received it! Excellent folk-tinged prog with great songs, instrumentals and superb guitar and keyboard work. The centrepiece of the album, literally and musically, is the superb 'The Lingering' which is worth getting the cd for alone. It is one of the most emotionally charged pieces of prog I've ever heard. The vocals are exquisitely and passionately delivered by Trude, and the piece moves to a glorious climax of a melodic guitar solo accompanied by abrasively haunting keyboards. It has easily surpassed 'Paper Moon' as my favourite White Willow track. The other pieaces on the album are consistently good also, with a variety of moods and atmospheres, and an excellent vocal performance throughout.

The first time I heard this band, was live at NearFest 2001. I was blown away. Along with Banco (who I liked better), they were the best band at that festival. For some reason, this was the only album I bought of theirs at the time (my friend had bought the other two available at the time, so I figured I would listen to his before buying them myself). Now that I own them all, including the latest at time of writing, Signal To Noise, I have to say this is still my favorite. It is the most interesting and varied, for my taste. Also, it has the most "pastoral" material out of all their albums.

There is a delicacy and honestly to this album that I think is missing from all the rest (though I do like them all). The presence of 3 different female singers and 2 male singers adds to the variety to be found. Granted, the variety I speak of is not THAT dramatic. There is a definite style that goes through all the material, that being the somewhat dark, brooding and heavy Scandinavian feel. But compared to their other albums, it has more variety in song writing and arrangement, probably due to the songs not being wholly the work of Holm-Lupo (though he certainly is involved in most of the compositions and lyrics). But I guess I just like the beautiful, melancholy atmosphere of most of the songs. This is something that they will always retain, but never as strongly and beautifully as on this album.

In fact, the two long tracks near the end, while I've come to really like them for their heavy 72-74 Crimson type approach, seem out of place and a bit too jarring after the softer music that precedes them. In any case, I'm not sure if this is a good place to start with White Willow, as it is not really characteristic of the rest of their output, even though it certainly is not drastically different either. But for me, it was a great introduction to their studio work and is still my favorite of theirs. Hence the 4 star rating.

For my money this is the strongest of White Willow's albums, and is one of my very favorite folk prog albums. I think the unevenness in style, owing to the fact that the album was recorded in pieces over two years, actually works to the album's advantage, and explores a lot of interesting nooks and crannies that got smoothed out of later releases.

There's quite a bit of medieval influence on this album, from the two songs with lovely countertenor vocals, "Song" and "John Dee's Lament," to the literal quotation of the Scandinavian chant "Nobilis Humilis" that closes out the track "Lord of Night." There's also plenty of fantasy and folklore references to dig into all over the album--the lyrics are evocative and elegant, if a bit on the RenFaire side of things. These give this otherwise contemporary album a particularly antiquated and introspective character that I find compelling--Anúna fans ought to find plenty to like on this album, to cross-reference an entirely different genre of music. White Willow is no Gryphon, however: soft vocals, acoustic guitar, light rhythm section, organ, mellotron, butter-smooth synth leads that wind sinuously and effortlessly over the fresh and inventive accompaniment. And a variety of other acoustic and electric instruments for judicious seasoning. Well, OK, they also throw a krummhorn in at the end of "Song," if you're really jonesing for it.

Highlights for me are the opening track, "Snowfall," where a subtly tweaked synth patch perfectly echoes the sorrow of the poetic lyrics, "Lord of Night" for a lovely flute melody over some interesting Scandinavian harmonies, "Cryptonemesis" for a more straight-up and interesting goth instrumental, and "John Dee's Lament" for a great piano line that builds into a satisfying and mellotron-washed conclusion.

Overall, I'd say this is a much more introspective, varied, and fragile album than its successors. Ignis Fatuus is a rare gem.

Of the many modern prog band that around without a question White Willow are amongst my personal favs. This band never cease to amaze me from album to album and "Signal To Noise" is another step in a different direction for this band. Dont worry no the progressive roots have not left but this time out they stretch into a bit of a dark goth zone and pull a bit out of the progressive rock vein. The end result is some pretty interesting and dark chamber rock music with a real bite! As you would expect there are tons of vintage keyboards and heavy duty mellotron work with the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Trude Eidtang. Other band members include Lars Fredrik Frøislie (keyboards, electronics), Jacob Holm-Lupo (guitars), Ketil Vestrum Einarsen (woodwinds), Marthe Berger Walthinsen (bass guitar) and Aage Moltke Schou (drums, percussion). I love this album and another great White Willow album for me !!!

I was very glad to see that White Willow had changed from vocalist. I could never really appreciate the childish voice from Sylvia Erichsen. So welcome on board Mrs. Eidtang!

Now, in terms of music let's confess that this is not the best album from the band: Sacrament is my fave. This one is all well crafted and polished but not as fascinating as its illustrious predecessor.

Instrumental passages are still full of beauty, the mellotron although scarce, is still there and Trude (the new female vocalist) is a good add-on. So, where is the problem? The best moments of this CD are the pleasant opening number Night Surf and the Crimsonesque Ghosts which features some intricate and scary mood. Percussions are very effective.

The pop-rock Joyride is effectively a very joyful song: light, simple and effective. It is maybe not the proggiest one but a positive and enjoyable number. And this feeling can be extended to almost all of this work.

Some tracks sounds heavier as well like The Lingering which calms down towards the ends and closes on a superb and so emotional guitar solo. Thank you very much Jacob.

The icy Chrome Dawn has a lot to share with their fellow Scandinavian suspects. Fine mellotron to introduce this song which is a pleasure for synths fans. Extremely moving and poignant I have to say. I like quite a bit how these bands have almost resurrected the great mellotron. I know I make this comment on a regular base, but it is so true to me.Another highlight.

Three stars for this good album.

"White Willow" goes on with their fine and dark prog music from the North.

This album is in-line with its predecessor Sacrament which is still their best effort to date IMO. The same qualities and the same default are all present on this "Strom Season". The weakness being taken care of by Sylvia Erichsen whose voice could never attract nor please me at all. She still sounds as a early teenager (she already sounded as such on "Ex Tenebris" released six years prior to this album).

The instrumental parts are awesome for the majority. The opening song is another of their great tracks that should convert any proghead to their cause. It is full of splendid and cold beauty. "Chemical Sunset" is one of my fave from this work.

"Sally Left" features an icy atmosphere. Cello, mellotron combined with a harder edge are quite extraordinary. It is almost heavy during the second half; but not a noisy one: just enough to offer a great contrast with the overall mood. It is an excellent song as well.

The heavier style is confirmed during "Soulburn". The cello is still on the forefront, but strong guitar is also of high value. Vocals are shared which is not too bad an idea. "Soulburn" is not the best number of this album, but it offers another and new angle of their music.

Sylvia's laments are difficult to bear for me during "Insomnia". It is again a pity since some of the best mellotron passages are featured on this track.

This album is a clear move to a heavier sound, almost doom metal at times ("Nightside Of Eden"). It is still pleasant though and I would rate "Storm Season" with three stars.

This third album form White Willow is definitely better than their previous Ex Tenebris but there is still one thing that annoys me quite a lot here: the vocals from Sylvia Erichsen. Closer to laments and very childish IMO (but I already outlined this for Ex Tenebris . And it draws this album in the downwards direction.

It is sad because the instrumental parts are dark, rich and very well performed. The cold beauty of Anamnesis has an enormous emotional power: it is really a moving track. I wish it could have been an all instrumental piece of music. It is almost a highlight.

I am comforted into my feeling while I listen to The Crucible: a wonderful and poignant track. It is a true gem of symphonic music and holds a superb and magnificent fluting. It is my favourite numbers from this album; no wonder that it is an instrumental one. The closing electric guitar part is just sumptuous but the whole is a marvel of song and deserves the title of masterpiece.

Gnostalgia is a pastoral song that will remind you of the great Trespass. Emotive acoustic guitar combined with sweet fluting. Did I say Trespass? The band could have called this Nostalgia, right? This song holds a lot of the excellent wave of Swedish bands from the nineties. It is another highlight.

The dark mood, the sobriety and the beauty of the closing number is another fine moment from this album. At this point, there is no hesitation: this is a very good album. The Reach is a perfect summary of this album. It has it all: tranquil coldness, immaculate beauty, emotional parts. In all, it is another highlight from Sacrament.

This album is fortunately mostly instrumental and therefore I wouldn't take off a star from my rating because of the weak vocals. Four stars. My favourite White Willow album so far.

Although their debut album was promising (but not great to be honest) this one starts on a weak mood.

I am always expecting a very good opening track which is definitely not the case here. Song writing is deeply uninspired and it is quite a disillusion to listen to Leaving the House of Thanatos even if there are some very short and fine instrumental passages. But you'd better Press Next T while reaching The Book of Love.

I'm really not passionate with this album. The most irritating parts are the vocal ones: it sounds as if we have nothing to deal with but young teenagers on duty. The first good moment I could feel was the gorgeous guitar break on Helen.. It takes place almost half on the album and lasts for about a minute.

Instead of taking off brilliantly, White Willow released a rather thin follow-up album. There are very few interesting songs featured. Hardly symphonic as a whole, I would say. Highlights are scarce (if any) and the overall feeling is the one of boredom (A Strange Procession is the best way to illustrate this feeling). Press Next T.

The best song from this Ex Tenebris is indeed the dark and closing number A Dance of Shadows. At last it is a number which could compete with their debut. Some genuine Crimson sounds are a real highlights of tis average album.

Two stars.

At least, the Swedish are not alone!

They got the hand of their fellow Norwegian comrades in the form of White Willow. The music played is not as complex as most of their Sweden counterparts (the usual suspects): they have incorporated some fine and folkish influences which gives a special character to this album.

The first two songs are particularly interesting. Snowfall for instance is a sweet complaint full of acoustic glory, but whose sung parts are too mellow to my taste. But this might well be a general remark. Fortunately, some mellotron, guitar and good fluting are putting these vocals in the back of my head. Same applies to Lord Of Night. To be concise, I would just say that one has the impression to listen to some sort of Trespass counterpart. But I like this album very much, so.

But from then on, the quality is decreasing seriously with the short Song (the weakest of all) as well as with the peaceful and tranquil Ingenting.

The band catches up again with better inspiration, good fluting and fine symphonic passages (The Withering of the Boughs or Lines On An Automnal Evening). Still, I am not convinced with the female vocals during the fully Trespass-esque again Now in these Fairy Lands. The work on the synthesizer is very pleasant and compensates the relative weakness of the vocals again.

For a change, Cryptomenysis has a definite Crimson edge. But this track remains symphonic, and the darker and repetitive mood adds some new angle to the music proposed on this album. Fine violin is an add-on here as well. It is one of the best track from Ignis Fatuus although the closing part is longish. The closing number John Dees Lament which clocks at eleven minutes is almost a carbon copy of Cryptomenysis.

In all, this is a pleasant and mostly pastoral album which would have gained being a bit shorter (the small pieces could have been dropped IMO). It also lacks of variety and is too much focused on the Trespass atmospheres with some KC input towards the end. Somewhat derivative at the end of the day.

I am quite late to know the band as this 5th album is my first experience with the band's music. From what I have searched on the net, this album brings a new singer Trude Eidtang on board whom I have no comparison whether or not it's getting better, stay the same or worse than the previous one. I hope the leader of the band, Jacob Holm, reformed the line-up for getting better and not the other way round. My first impression about the music was something that relies heavily on sound production engineering through music that's basically simple and ambient in nature.

Good blend of vintage (mellotron) and modern sound .

The opening track "Night Surf" (4:12) uses musical grooves as its main colour of the music which flows in relatively slow to medium tempo. Trude Eidtang voice shows dragging style which reminds me to the kind of Kate Bush and Maggie Reily (Mike Oldfield album). As groove seems like the soul of the music, bass guitar plays vital roles. The next track "Splinters" (8:36) flows in similar vein like the opening track but the intro uses a bit of Floydian guitar style in simpler way. I believe this track is quite accessible to wider audience. The interlude part with guitar solo is nice. "Ghosts" (5:48) elevates the music through inspiring guitar and keyboard at the opening part in relatively mellow style. The combined melody of guitar and keyboard is quite catchy for most ears, I believe, especially when it's combined with a kind like vibraphone voice and continued with woodwind work. It's a pleasure enjoying this track.

"Joyride" (4:18) starts with accentuated vocal line followed with upbeat music. It's still in the similar vein of previous tracks but when I reach this track I can conclude the kind of music this Norway band plays. It's a mix of Sally Oldfield plus RPWL or Porcupine Tree (minus metal part) or Carp Tree or Sylvan plus Kate Bush. The longest track "The Lingering" (9:25) starts mellow in ambient mood using soft guitar fills and keyboard work followed with powerful low register notes of vocal with accentuation. The combined piano solo and guitar work in the middle of the track is stunning. The interlude part is nice, combining Floydian guitar solo and vintage mellotron sound in the vein of King Crimson.

"The Dark Road" (4:17) is a mellow track with acoustic guitar-based arrangements. The mellotron work still characterizes this song. "Chrome Dawn" (7:12) is a mellow track with mellotron sounds and good guitar fills. "Dusk City" (6:05) brings the music into medium tempo. The album concludes nicely with good instrumental "Ararat" (1:35) using electric guitar as lead. Not quite sure what it means with this title, may be something related to Palestine leader.

Overall, it's a good album from White Willow. There is basically no weak track as each song moves smoothly right from the opening until the end. The key characteristic of the music is basically on good sound production. That means, to achieve maximum satisfaction, you should play it loud using decent sound system. Keep on proggin' ..!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW (i-Rock! Music Community)