REMEDIES

Great atmospheric rock from Norway with a lot of the mellower PINK FLOYD and PINEAPPLE THIEF feel to it. Comparisons to MIDLAKE and AUTUMN CHORUS are also warranted.

1. "Going Somewhere" (8:13) strummed folk-rock acoustic guitar opens before vocal and second electric guitar join in. Synths and other keys join in at 1:20 as singing stops. Nice effect. The next verse opens up feeling quite light and indie-pop bouncy--not unlike MEW. When the chorus finally hits at the three minute mark the keys rejoin in full force giving the aural palette a bit of a muddy feel. Luckily, the lyric and other instruments remain clear and distinctive so it must just be the keys. The long instrumental mid-section is interesting for the fact that it's really the whole band exploring an extended variation of chord progressions. The effected piano ending is a cool effect. A nice extended indie-pop song. (8.5/10)

2. "The Boy And The Snow" (11:32) gorgeous and relaxing, dreamy, maybe even trance-inducing like a spacey PINK FLOYD song ("Us and Them" comes to mind--though this song is nothing like it). A wonderful aural-induced experience. Even the Post Rock-like build up in the tenth minute is magical. (9/10)

3. "Audion" (2:07) solo church organ practice. (4/5)

4. "Sleepers" (13:35) repeating solo guitar arpeggio is sung over in a high, gentle voice before electric piano joins in. This opne reminds me a lot of the title song from MIDLAKE's last release, Antiphon. "Flute" and bass enter in the third minute's interlude between verses. Cool Richard Wright-like synth solo in the fifth minute. A shift in the music at the end of the fifth minute lets bass and drums take the fore in a kind of OMD "Julia's Song" way as gentle, spacious chords and arpeggi from electric piano and guitar, respectively, play behind. Cool solo in the seventh minute--either from keyboard or heavily treated guitar (I'm betting on the latter). This gets extended while band jams and spacey keyboard sounds enter and "solo" as well. By the end of the ninth minute it's really thick--just as everything cuts out for a few seconds. Bass and lite drums re-establish their groove while APP-like guitars and synths gently fill the spacious foreground until 9:50 when everything cuts out again. Emerging from the back a heavier, more insistent Post Rock-like weave re-enters with the drums and lead guitars playing much more aggressively that before. Then there is yet another cut out at 11:07, which is eventually filled by some industrial sounding synth loop. Slight electronic variations and plays with volume are explored in subtle ways from here to the song's end. Easily the best song on the album. (9.5/10)

5. "Nothing Like Home" (6:43) plays out as a kind of quiet straightforward prog folk song with gentle, reverbed ROBBIE LLOYD-WILSON (AUTUMN CHORUS) or MIDLAKE-like vocal with little flash though plenty of subtleties along the way. Nice JAMES-BLAKE-like effects used on the vocals. Solid. (8.5/10)

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of beautiful Folk- and Post Rock-tinged progressive rock music.

Since my Bad Moon Rising review, I have kinda started to look back on albums that I have some form of nostalgia, or very fond memories with. To me, nostalgia isn't necessarily a long ago kind of thing, like most people. For me, nostalgia can also happen relatively close to the present, and if anything, I believe music is a good way of recapturing a moment, even if that song, album, EP, etc, isn't particularly related to that moment. I said as much in my Tôtbringære review. So, imagine my surprise when a Norwegian post rock/prog rock band's album became synonymous with the town of Salem, Massachusetts.

To give some context, in late October 2022, I believe, me and my family went on a vacation to the east coast, from New York to Salem. This time period was also when I decided to make more Gryphon reviews. That aside, my favorite part of the trip was Salem itself. During this time, I was also getting into more contemporary prog artists, like Lunatic Soul, some Riverside, I also decided to check out some Motorpsycho EPs, and lo and behold, decided to listen to some Soup. My discovery of this band is something I don't quite recall, but if there is anything to go off of, I managed to find them one way or the other, and became enveloped with love the moment I heard Going Somewhere. I decided to listen to the full album when I got into Salem, and something about the powerful combination of the music Soup shows here with this album, and the old Salem sights, managed to create an experience that is distilled directly into this record.

The music here is nothing to sleep on. This music is for fans of Crippled Black Phoenix, as, like that band, they combine slow and artistic post rock melodies similar to Sigur Ros and Mogwai, with a flavorful and artistic progressive rock that shows inspiration from groups like Gazpacho and H era Marillion. Personally, I am stunned there aren't more prog bands that take a more post rock approach to their music, because what Soup shows on Remedies is nothing but amazing.

The qualities on this album are just immaculate, with songs that have these boundless, and spatial textures that make me feel both an uplifting amazement, whilst also an immense somber of tranquility. I believe the best post rock, and simultaneously prog rock bands can at least give me both in some regards, and Soup manages to be one of those bands. Seriously, listen to Going Somewhere or Nothing Like Home and you'll be wrapped in a blanket of warm music that both will make you melt, as well as make you feel comfort in life.

The best part of the music, for me, is Ørjan's guitar work. He manages to straddle the line between the tranquility of guitarists like Kjartan Sveinsson, with the eccentricity of someone like Steve Howe in such a way that feels just right, like a very nice and warm meal that isn't too hot or too cold, though on occasion he does crank things up in a particular direction, whether the time calls for it. Like, in some songs he is adding a bit more spice into the dish, creating a blend of flavors that doesn't dampen, nor overwhelm. Best example of that is with Sleepers.

If I could give one single critique on this album, it is the fact that I do not like the track of Audion, however I will actually revoke my critique here as, while I do not like the track, from an artistic and musical standpoint, I believe it is essential, to not only segway into the second half of the album from The Boy And The Snow to Sleepers, but also gives a bit of breathing room to prepare for more music. While I dislike the track, I believe it is needed, and makes for a better listening experience.

I can say with zero regrets that this album is a masterpiece, a very underrated one at that too. I say, if you love bands like Dredg or Crippled Black Phoenix, particularly their albums like El Cielo and White Light Generator, you'll really like this album. I also recommend listening to this album while on an evening walk around your town, as I find this record to have a particular quality when in motion. An atmospheric nostalgia bomb of an album, one that I hope gains more love through the years.