ABOUT THE BLACK EYED GIRL

A group from Uppsala, Sweden with an attractive, personal album.Indisciplined Lucy were Pelle Lindroth on vocals/guitar, Mikael Eriksson on guitar, Jakob Luttinger on bass, Arvid Nerdal on keyboards, Elías Unge on drums/percussion, Gunnar Oestman on violin and Lisa Fagius on cello.They recorded an EP entitled ''The clown'' for the Swedish label Step One Records, but due to its failure their plans for their already prepared debut album were cancelled.The group moved to Stockholm, reputedly exploring new musical directions, but a couple of years later they decided this work was too good to remain closed in a drawer.As Angular Records was interested in their work since 1997, the release of ''About the black eyed girl'' became true in 1999 through their branch-label RectAngular Records.

This was a concept album about a girl named Lucy, who was convinced that she had the power to change the world and the group dressed the story with narrations and singing parts following the concept.Soundwise Indisciplined Lucy were a rather strange albeit a pretty original group.Their vocalist Pelle Lindroth sings all the way in a very theatrical style akin to the more respectable Neo Prog acts of this singing style, while some delicate melodies contained follow also the same mood.But the style of the band went far beyond this approach.The presence of a cellist and a violinist introduced plenty of Sympho elements, but not in the typical prog way, rather in a very Chamber Music style with extended string arrangements and lush orchestrations set over Lindroth's voice.Eventually the album obtains a very fairy-tale atmosphere, which passes between smooth Classical-drenched themes, guitar-led Progressive Rock and more melodic textures, basically headed by Lindroth's ability to offer dreamy and expressive vocals.However they seem to fall often into their own personal identity with the album rarely getting out of the matrix of Chamber-like orchestrations with theatrical aspects and this work sounds pretty similar till' the last minute.The quality of the music though is always in a high level with some beautiful passages, full of ethereal colors.

Unfortunately the band's traces have been lost after the album, documented as Indisciplined Lucy's first and last full-length release.Singer Pelle Lindroth moved on to a personal career under the name of Parken and also played in the Indie Pop act The Chrysler.He also played with his bandmate Jakob Luttinger in the huge Electronic project Moder Jords Massiva.Cellist Lisa Fagius appeared also on A.C.T second album ''Imaginary Friends''.

Not close to perfection, but anyone after some unique and theatrical Progressive Rock should give this a hunt.Recommended.