AFTERGLOW

Wobbler's 2009 release "Afterglow" is short but full of rich sonorities; orthodox progressive in a retro framework, this is the best description for the musical input that Wobbler aims at. The album's starting point is a surprising mediaeval intro that lasts less than 1 minute ? the marriage of recorder and hand drums that sustains 'The Haywain' sets a lovely pastoral feel right before the arrival of the pompous progressive tour-de-force 'Imperial Winter White' that fills one quarter of an hour. Its initial passages, which include church organ-synthesizer washes and a stylish Hammond organ solo, are certainly quite frantic throughout the solid retro display. Later on, the mood softens a little with the use of gentle keyboards and flute on a semi-slow tempo. In this way, a new sequence of varied motifs linked into each other, with the contrast between harder and kinder passages being elegantly handled. It is only when the band is about to reach the 7 ½ minute mark that the sung part begins, but lyrics don't take too long to be sung. The most notable thing in this track's second half is the groovy jam dominated by the clavinet cadences and the agile rhythm duo ? the Gentle Giant thing is somewhat evident. The sung section is reprised on a more explicit note, in this way building up the catapult for the powerful motif that sets a sense of grayish darkness in the air before the exulting climax. This track is really a retro- prog lover's paradise, especially the sort of autumnal retro-prog that is so common among Scandinavian names. 'Interlude' is exactly what the title alludes to: an interlude, and again, a mediaeval one, only this time it is delivered by a duet of acoustic guitar and string bass. There is some Anthony Phillips going on here, but mostly it reminds me of their veteran fellow band Ragnarök. The circle flows on with the album's second epic, 'In Taberna'. If the previous album and the preceding epic had left one ounce of doubt about it, there is no hesitation concerning the Anglagard archetype in Wobbler's sound and creativity when you listen to 'In Taberna'. Of course, it is also clear that Wobbler has a more pronounced tendency to elaborate pomposity and bombast than Anglagard or Sinkadus, who used t rely more prominently on eerie moods and spectral density. Wobbler is related to a harsher- sounding band, White Willow, and it shows. The inclusion of string ensemble arrangements in some passages adds a source of melancholy and distinction to the overall instrumentation. There is a moment of special magic when the violin is approaching the beautiful end of its solo while the mellotron rushes in with colorful power, yet not getting overwhelming or anything. The track's last minutes are focused on a majestic escalade properly led by the keyboard work and nurtured by the other instruments. 'Armoury' is the third and last mediaeval brief piece, a beautiful epilogue that brings back memories of Gryphon. Although it is not for the last minute, which is devoted to a psychedelic exploration on pipe organ and synth (something like the spacey side of Wakeman in his "No Earthly Connection" album).