PÅ RADIO 1978

It's surprising to see how "AUTUMN BREEZE", an excellent but obscure band from the late 70's Swedish scenario who released a sole album in 1979. keep presenting us new material in 2009 despite having split three decades ago.

Now is the turn for "På Radio 1978", an album recorded in "Sverige Radios Studio" in Karlstad. Despite having received the CD from the keyboardist "Jan Warnqvist" there's little information about how was it recorded, apparently for radio sessions because there's something that sounds as an interview (I don't speak Swedish at all and ,my poor German helps very little) in track 2 "Snack", probably interesting for Swedish listeners.

AUTUMN BREEZE strangely doesn't perform any track from their first release "Höstbris", instead they bring mostly previously unreleased material (including the interview), and three tracks from the "Demo Tapes" in their final versions.

I was very impressed with the strength of the rough style of "Demo Tapes", but the more elaborate versions from "På Radio 1978" also surprised me, the sound is much more delicate and the arrangements very elaborate, they loose a bit of that naive charm, but gain in complexity and maturity. The only problem is the production, which is weak, but I care much more for the music itself, if not, I wouldn't listen "Nursery Cryme" which I consider a perfect masterpiece despite the horrendous production.

The album starts with "Ouverture" a new track not to be mistaken with "Falsk Ouverture", because it's far more Progressive with strong elements from early JETHRO TULL and FOCUS (In & Out Focus), this time the changes are much more radical with a delightful flute performance by "Gert Magnusson", but that's not all, around the 1:44 minute "Jan Warnqvist" dramatic piano blends perfectly with "Gert Nilsson's guitar" and Magnusson's flute to create an extremely dramatic section, this is the kind of material I was expecting from AUTUMN BREEZE.

As I said before, "Snack" is probably an interview, so we pass directly to "Dimman Från Have", a frenetic track sung by "Brigita Nilsson" and her unique voice, starts as a JETHRO TULL influenced song that turns into some sort of Psychedelic FOCUS with strong drums and bass with a constant flute that turns more aggressive as the song advances...But when I expected no more surprises, near the end a strong drum solo leads to the grand finale. Progressive Rock at it's best.

"Evil Light" marks a dramatic change in style, the keyboards recover their leading role that in previous tracks was left to the flute, this time the interplay between "Brigita's" voice and "Gert Nilsson" in the guitar is impeccable........Another highlight, this time closer to Proto Prog.

"Dialog" comes from "Demo Tapes", but this time much more complex and elaborate, with the piano and the flute making a more complex work, but without loosing the strength present in the other version. Again "Gert Magnusson" does an extraordinary flute performance, but this time allowing all the band members their moment of glory.

"Ta Mig Met" really freaks me, I didn't expected such a dramatic and atmospheric song from a band that has their roots in Heavy Symphonic, dark and misty with PINK FLOYD overtones, loved it from start to end, specially because of "Warnqvist's" work with the organ, this album keep getting better.

"Secret Space Agency" is basically similar to the "Demo Tapes" version, even when a bit more elaborate and better recording, almost the same can be said about "Nr 646", even when in this case the difference in the arrangements is stronger specially in the guitar work, so must say that after listening them, my impression of the band is higher.

I won't comment the 4 seconds "Epilog", because I don't understand why it was added, but this doesn't change my opinion, less than 4 stars would be unfair.