KERRS PINK

Replete with gorgeous guitar solos and occasionally assertive keyboards and flutes, this debut by Norwegian legends KERRS PINK reflects the maturity of a band that has held back 8 years worth of material and is done holding back. Sumptuous lead guitar melody follows sumptuous lead guitar melody so closely that the heels of the first often step on the toes of the second. Roughly half the tracks have vocals, but they are, for the most part, no more assertive than the occasional flute or organ passage. Similarities to early CAMEL are unmasked at this point in their career, although, apart from a poorly integrated graft of "Rhayader Goes to Town" on "Sirrus", these influences are unobtrusive.

Where KERRS PINK distinguish themselves to some degree is in their incorporation of Nordic folk melodies into the modern arrangements. Even here, the prettiness is spread a little wide and rarely pierces the surface virtually lacking in tension. Almost any cut could be transferred to a compilation album with minimal spillage and be a highlight, but in each others' company they are like store bought lingon berries, tasty but best partaken in small doses lest one succumb to their less desirable effects.

It is easy to point out a highlight - the brilliant "If I'm still here next year" is an entirely arresting blend of WISHBONE ASH, OUGENWEIDE, early HOELDERLIN and late NOVALIS, with some EDEN (Germany) thrown in. It's a shame they didn't write more "songs" of this nature that establish a groove, for want of a better term, which is a skill long ago mastered by their heroes with humps. The opening two tracks are also noteworthy, the first for its appealing almost Slavic melody, the second for the thrust of lively vocals towards the end, a skill they would hone on mid period releases.

I don't mean to beat a dead camel but this comely disk is far less than the sum of its parts, and for that reason I round down from 3.5 stars