SEA REFLECTIONS

In 1985 Isildurs Bane made an impressive turn.They introduced a 3-part wind section with Bengt Johansson becoming a full-time member and Christian Jerhov with Jan-Ove Nilsson participating in the third album ''Sea reflections'', performing on trumpet, trombone and flugehorn.Bassist Ingvar Johansson was also replaced by newcomer Stigge Ljungloef.Another release on their own private label, ''Sea reflections'' was recorded and mixed at Studio 38 during the summer of 85' and appears to be a tribute by the band to the sea and the people close to it.

The concept around the album comes only through rumors, because this is an all instrumental effort, which the band characterized as an attempt on Symphonic Jazz and a further development over the previous albums.Half true, half false.To my ears ''Sea reflections'' sounds an attempt by the band to limit their melodious lines and increase the more furious intercations (which propably sounds fine), linked with Jazz Music, but the time of the release did not help at all, because even if the album contains some nice instrumental cuts, the slick production and the weak keyboards along with the uninteresting sax lines fail to strengthen the group's profile.Plenty of the included pieces, especially those with the wind instruments in evidence, sounds like hillarious, commercial Fusion with uninspired melodies and standard 80's values.No surprise, the moments linked with Isildurs Bane's previous style are the most interesting ones: Great guitar work along the lines of FOCUS and KAIPA with supporting, dreamy keyboard textures offer fortunately some beautiful moments of sensitive, semi-symphonic music, showered by a deep sense of melody.That is the good part, because the bad one says that these are too few to save the mediocrity of the album.

Isildurs Bane saw this effort a step towards the right direction.I see it as the most commercial-oriented effort of the group regarding its first three works, often with an unacceptable sound due to the 80's-styled acoustics.For fans of the band...2.5 stars.