GAMLE MESTER

I wasn't expecting a second solo album from Lars Fredrik Frøislie so fast, given the tediously long waits between Wobbler albums (look at the wait between Rites at Dawn and From Silence to Somewhere, literally six years, so the big shock of the three years for Dwellers of the Deep). COVID hits, so slowing down the already slow process for a new Wobbler release (better than being overran by releases like Ayreon or the Flower Kings), so Lars records a solo album in the form of Fire Fortellinger. That one took me by surprise because I was wondering what a solo effort might be like from him. Wonder no more. I was expecting maybe he'd get Martin Nordrum Kneppen of Wobber to do the drum parts, but instead Lars did it, and he even did the vocals. In fact, he did it all aside from the bass parts. I was amazed with Fire Fortellinger, but looking back I felt there was room for improvement but improved he did. I felt on Fire Fortellinger maybe he wasn't completely confident going on a solo venture, but with Gamle Mester he certain has. Once again it doesn't take any rocket scientist to figure out how important Lars is to the Wobbler sound, it's obvious. To me, it sounds like if Tusmørke made full-on symphonic prog in the vein of Wobber with a bit of Jordsjø thrown in. Lars's vocals sound like Benediktator of Tusmørke. Instead of four cuts, here it's six, and it's full of everything you want, lots of authentic vintage keyboards, including Mellotron and even the Chamberlin M1 (I remembered back in 2009 seeing him purchase that Chamberlin from an American seller on YouTube and Wobbler was starting to record Rites at Dawn then, to be released in 2011) and lots of great arrangements. To me the highlights are "Jakten På Det Kalydonske Villsvin", the title track, and "De Tre Gratier". To me, this is some of the finest prog to have come out in recent years, and if you love Fire Fortellinger, get Gamle Mester right away, it's deserving a classic!

Norway's all-star virtuoso keyboard player is back with his second solo album.

1. "Demring" (5:01) an instrumental with a keyboard-centric YES-like sound palette used to construct a piece that could pass for a Wakeman-like piece that is informed by pre-20th Century classical music traditions as well as, I'm sure, some Norse folk melodies (and cheerful spirit). (I have to admit that the song's opening had me expecting a lead into something more like BOSTON's "Foreplay.") The delicate parts are my favorite despite the use of "dated" 90s electric "acoustic" piano sounds--I like the infusion of the John Tout-like Russian feel here. (9/10)

2. "Jakten På Det Kalydonske Villsvin" (10:09) a cool "little" epic that seems to bridge some of the sound produced by SEVEN IMPALE, IVAR BJØRNSON & EINAR SELVIK's Viking Prog Folk (2018's Hugsjá), and WOBBLER while presenting something that feels as if it was some relic from the 1970s that was just discovered in an old trunk hidden in a Norwegian country farmhouse. Unfortunately, this song does little to draw me in, hold my attention, or wow me: Lars' vocals and melody lines chosen for his vocals are a bit too foreign (or just plain drab and monotonous) to the way my little American brain has been conditioned. (17.5/20)

3. "Gamle Mester" (7:17) in terms of the flow of this album, this song feels immediately as if it is a more dynamic continuation of the previous song. As one lets oneself get immersed, it begins to feel and sounds like a song that was inspired by FOCUS' "Hamburger Concerto"; as masterful--and, I don't doubt, original--as this piece is I never stop hearing the Focus song at any time in Lars' song (okay, maybe for a bit during that seventh minute)--which, I have to admit, does, unfortunately, distract me. (13.375/15)

4. "Medusas Flåte" (9:08) injecting a little more guitar rock (and BLUE ÖYSTER CULT/FALCO/ SIMPLE MINDS sounds and melodies) into his mixes (despite still being generated by keyboards) sounds like it might be a good idea, but it is the more "natural" (or, perhaps more accurately, "familiar") keyboard sounds and tracks that attract my attention (despite their being "familiar" due to their presence/prevalence in the "classic" symphonic prog music created back in the 1970s). I like the prominent organ work in the song's third quarter. (17.75/20)

5. "De Tre Gratier" (12:27) harpsichord opening certainly propels one back a few centuries. But then full prog palette bursts forth at 1:00 to present a conglomeration of multifarious layers for the next three dynamic minutes before devolving back into a harpsichord piece over which Lars lends his gentle vocalese before a synth enters to solo like a wood nymph. At the end of the eighth minute the more bombastic motif returns with Ketil Einarsen adding his wonderful woodland flute prominently to the mix, becoming the lead and co-lead during the tenth and eleventh minutes, respectively (as I hear in my head the high-reaching voice of Andreas Wettergreen singing like he did on Wobbler's wonderful Rites at Dawn LP from 2011--which is still my favorite album from that band). At 9:20 Ketil and Lars transition into a slower pastoral motif as a bridge to the song's final motifs: first pounding militaristic rhythm then the more JETHRO TULL-like Bluesy Prog Folk stop-and-go motif--both of which Ketil continues to lead over the rest of the layers--until the final 90 seconds when Lars merges several of the previous motifs into a multi-layer weave until the delicate little dénouement of the final 10 seconds. It's empirically quite a nice composition--perfect as an example of the "prog epic" format--with lots of twists, turns, stops, rocket launches, layers and well-harmonized weaves; it just fails to win me over--fails to get my adrenaline pumping or heartstrings pulled. (22.125/25)

6. "Skumring" (3:13) solo voce of that "dated" 90s electric "acoustic" piano. Maybe Mussorgsky would've used the same equipment if he were a product of the 21st Century! The the piano is the star, I really do like the way Lars uses the timpani, cymbals and Mellotron. (9/10)

Total Time 47:15

I feel as if I'm sitting on a fence with regards to how I feel about this album. Despite well-conceived broad-scale keyboard-oriented compositions, I have to admit that retro/"classic era" imitative music like this finds itself falling on numb ears: I just don't enjoy it (anymore); it rarely feels fresh to me. While I respect Lars' careful and insightful homage to the pillars of the Ancients, it's just not where my interests or preferences lie. At the same time, I do find myself quite entertained by Lars' keyboard work--especially his performances on the various organs--and especially in the thinner, more folk/pastoral passages.

As I stated in my review of Lars' previous solo album, 2023's Fire Fortellinger: despite Lars' obvious overflow of talent, I do think he would benefit from more inputs from other collaborators (besides the wonderful Ketil Einarsen and bass wizard Nikolai Hængsle)--(especially a drummer)--if only for a broadening spectrum of ideas (and sounds). (Perhaps he's been publishing these solo albums due to his former band [Wobbler]'s sluggish output since 2020. Perhaps they've even disbanded?)

B/four stars; a masterful conveyance of expertly-conceived "retro prog" that, for whatever reason, fails to draw me in emotionally. While I applaud the music from an intellectual perspective, that isn't always enough for me.

Wobbler's keyboardist extraordinaire has returned with a stellar follow up to his 2023 ' Fire Fortellinger' opening solo salvo, a sparkling offering with the title 'Gamle Mester', named after a legendary oak tree, that provides wisdom, endurance, and timeless reflection. Needless to reiterate that if one enjoys symphonic keyboard displays, this certainly is among 'the Six Wives of Henry VIII' of the 21st century. Similarly to the Caped Yes man, Lars Fredrik whips out a stunning arsenal of assorted ivoried instruments, such as the Mellotron M400, Mini-Moog Model D, Chamberlin M1, Hammond C3, Rhodes Mk II, Hohner Clavinet D6, ARP Axxe & Pro Soloist, Solina String Ensemble, Roland Vp-330, Sequential Circuits Prophet-3, KORG VC-10 , Wurlitzer 200, Yamaha CP70B, Spinet , upright Piano and whatever a Marxophone and Tremoloa are (fretless zithers) ! Vintage instrumental progressive rock at its finest. Nikolai Haengsle mans the bass guitar parts , Ketil Einarsen does his flute and recorder magic, while Froislie takes care of the percussive side.

From the initial Rickenbacker 4003-led whirlwind 'Demring' onto the final hurrah on Skumring', the master takes the listener on a retro journey that maintains a strong classical pace, thrilling sequences that span a vast cross-section of what prog has the finest to offer. Within the mixture, there are symphonic elements blending with Norse folk tendencies, at times baroque and medieval, as well as a hint of gothic, with a wide variety of solo spots to show off his impressive technical chops, though it must be said that each note has a purpose and never comes across as flaunting any ego. The man is just a plain wizard.

Every second ticking by is pure joy, exultation, passion, as well as restraint and even defiance, a creative musician who senses all the infinite possibilities of sound and space, just like the grand masters of the past. His piano work is exemplary throughout the album, a sure sign of musical quality, in my book. 'Jakten Pa det Kalydonske Villsin' even dares to incorporate his echo-laden Norwegian voice, amid an endless forest of stop and start contrasts, icy mellotron gales, synthesizers pellets of snow and diving into deep fjords of mesmerizing intensity. The raging Hammond is, as per norm, a fabulous adornment that takes no prisoners. Contrast that with pools of ambient imagery, before plunging back into the Wotan funeral pyre, as the distant Drakkar burns in abject respect. A fascinating expos' of retro prog.

The title track serves to keep the bar not only high but even owning it up by rising to the challenge. It's immediately catchy and addictive, plowing head down into battle like a Viking rampage, an almost early ELP instrumental feel that exudes an 'organic' charm. The entire mid-section comes across as a keyboard buffet, each spotlight shining on a specific mood, the bellicose bass huffing and puffing like a muskox gone berserk. Yes, it's definitely sounds like an outright classic piece of music, both challenging and diverse.

A rest period , perhaps? Definitely not, as 'Medusas Flate' launches into another extensive showcase of compositional adventure, the focus now on the mighty Mellotron to direct the mood into another vocalized piece with that low-key voice dancing along with the clavinet , a tingling procession of sound that shows no deference to easy listening. Highly detailed, constantly effervescing, swooning, veering and pausing, there is nothing predictable here. I heard moments of the style expressed by the late Rick van der Linden of Ekseption and Trace fame, as there is a virtuous tone to the arrangement.

The epic 12 minutes and change on 'De Tre Gratier' is surely my highlight track, as the spinet and the fretless zithers now play an active Middle Ages role in setting off ancient images of torch-lit procession in the taciturn darkness of an Arctic winter. The paralleling of voice and organ is spellbinding, the spectral quality of the atmosphere beguiling and you just want to close your eyes and follow blindly the sonic adventure, wherever it may lead. The synthesized mid- section is a prime example of tactile restraint, a weaving of sound that can only intoxicate even the most hardened prog veteran. Froislie builds up the majestic melody that was there all along, in the shadows of it, just waiting for the moment to appear. I am a total sucker for this style; I could wrap myself in this headspace for days on end. One of the finest 2025 epics, a certain consideration for podium space. 'Skumring' is the fitting symphonic finale, all pomp and circumstance.

While Wobbler certainly has well deserved merits and is one of the vanguards of modern prog, I have a much stronger affinity for this kind of expertise, as it checks all the boxes, every single one of many. 'Lang levetid' (long life) Lars Erik! The easiest 5 acorns ever.

Well, a new Lars Fredrik Frøislie record. Fire fortellinger from 2023 was really good, so to have a new record from this proggy keyboardist is certainly a treat.

To catch up on speed, Lars Fredrik Frøislie is a Norwegian prog rock keyboardist most known for his work with Wobbler, and Tusmørke. He had started his solo career in 2023 with his debut of Fire fortellinger, a record I very much enjoyed.

In a way, like a lot of sophomore albums, this one keeps up with the styles that its former had. Very organ heavy retro prog is not quite new for Lars' sound profile, but even if it is not new, he does do a good job at making each song good in their own right. Tracks like Demring, and De Tre Gratier carry on the kinds of sounds you'd expect from the Hinterland side of Wobbler's sound, mixed with a sound that draws from acts like Anglagard and Phideaux.

The Anglagard influence surprisingly feels a lot more prevalent here I think. It's very clear from Wobbler's earlier records that they were inspired by their older Swedish cousins in the retro prog sphere, but I think Lars bumps that influence greatly on this record. And I gotta say, I dig it. I am already an Anglagard sucker, so Gamle Mester having a much more 'gothic prog' influence does make me very happy.

I can also tell that Lars' playing has improved. Probably not greatly, after all he has been top of the line since, like, From Silence to Somewhere, but sometimes on this record I could say he might put even Rick Wakeman to shame, and I think that alone is pretty impressive.

However, I do agree with some people that say that the album's bigger shortcomings is that it's kind of just the same ol' stuff that Lars has been making for like the past 20 years.

I am sort of in the boat with people who are getting a bit tired of retro prog. I love retro prog as much as the next guy, in fact a lot of records I love are retro prog, but I do agree that it's certainly not as redefining as it once was. I am not 100% in the boat mind you. My toes are in the water, and I am ready to slide off the edge back into the seas below if I so choose. But at the same time, I do wish this album did a bit more for the retro prog formula.

A lot of retro prog groups and artists like Lars usually, if not, always go for the organ heavy symphonic prog style. Makes sense, because that was the most prevalent style of prog rock in the 70s. But it's ALWAYS symphonic prog, so after a while the wow factor just kind of disappears and things become predictable..

I think the only band that has stood the test of time in the retro prog format, at least in the long run, is Beardfish, and that is mostly because they try to do more than just symphonic prog. In a way, now, I want more acts to be like Beardfish in the regards of making music that sounds like old school progressive rock.

Sure, symphonic prog may have been the standard in the 70s, but there were still other styles in the genre to explore from while still keeping in the retro prog characteristics. Perhaps?and this is just a suggestion?Lars should invest in other styles of prog rock, or even rock in general. Imagine an heavy, occultish rock album from him, or perhaps him dabbling into synth heavy neo-prog? Heck maybe it doesn't need to be rock, maybe he could try out classical production. He clearly has the power to make some real impressive scores.

Aside from my rambles of retro prog nowadays, I still really enjoyed this record for what it's worth. It may not have the same wowness that its previous incarnation had, but I still think it's worth your time.

Best tracks: Demring, Jakten På Det Kalydonske Villsvin, De Tre Gratier

Worst track: Skumring