PRIME MOVER

The crucial question therefor is, are there enough differences between the songs to prevent the long album become a little bit boring? The fourth track 'In i dimman' at least partially steps out of the harmless & positive atmosphere to the darker nuances. The clean-articulating vocals aren't quite as capable of expressive width as the playing, and this is sad because of the vocal-oriented structures. The album craves for instrumentals and/or instrumental sections! It's been so long since I've listened to it that I don't remember how much it develops into that direction. 'Ingenting', one of the two tracks over 8 minutes, contains good instrumental passages, and also the baby's cry in the end has a good surprise effect.

On the following songs the portions of various ingredients and moods alter a lot and the album gets more interesting - and distinctively progressive - as a whole. For example 'I verkligheten' has several succesful moments and especially keyboards are delicious, at one moment 70's style, the next pure Neo Prog. Very well for a song of under five minutes! The eight track contains pretty well-done vocal harmonies at one point. 'Sagt och gjort' is not proggy at all but it's a nice sounding, sincere and folky pop song. The 10-minute final track starts with a harpsichord, a brief theatrical choir... The very proggy song contains tempo changes, both heavier and more delicate passages, and with a better vocalist I'd think it's a gorgeous Spock's Beard-like contemporary prog piece. Or am I being too merciless for the vocals? They aren't that bad, really.

I hardly return to this album very often, and I'm afraid all the great moments in this well done but relatively unoriginal and unemotional album aren't quite enough for rounding up to four stars. But as a "good, but non-essential" three-star album this is definitely very strong.

'Pitiful' could have been a fine power ballad with different arrangement, but the "keyboard triggered drums" more or less ruin it. Surely a producer outside the band itself would have been useful. Definitely there's a lot of potential peeking through amateurish production, both in playing and in songwriting. 'Sunrise, Again' is a good, atmospheric song that manages in shorter length to feel proggier than the opener for instance.

The last three tracks are composed by bassist Roger Nyman (1 to 5 are by guitarist Michael Karlsson). Perhaps Nyman's songwriting is a bit more emotional and thus better. The nearly 12- minute final track 'The Experience' is clearly the strongest. It includes also great keyboard parts - and to a lesser degree nice guitar work too - and much better sound/production than the rest of the album, as well as epic excitement.

So, with a good vocalist and better overall production this promising debut could have turned out to be even a four-star album to me. My real rate is 2½ stars and I had a hard time deciding which direction to round it. Definitely this is better than mere two stars would indicate! Considering that prog as a genre was still very scarce in Finland at that time, let's round it up for all the good things in it.

Their third and final album Imperfekt (2007) is clearly the best. And by the way, KEBU's album To Jupiter and Back (2012) is warmly recommended to those who enjoy the sounds of Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis.

The two 10-11 minute tracks are clearly the highlights and they notably increase the progressivity. 'Utbränd' may have a slight sense of uncoherence but it has some very nice sections, featuring a female background vocalist (why not more on the whole album?). Electric guitar is a central instrument in the band sound. Keyboards lean nicely on the retro vintage style and the aforementioned additional instruments plus trumpet add to the colour. Hmm, this would be pretty interesting group if only the vocals didn't have so big role. Or if they had a better singer. Summa summarum: nice if you like the retro feel and folkiness, but quite forgettable in this vast prog universe.

The album is filled with dynamic and passionate pieces, characterized by groovy stylings and powerful sounds, but Prime Mover sound no less progressive than to say most of the Neo Prog bands out there.''Put in Perspective'' steps with one foot on the 70's Prog scene of Progressive Rock, while the other uses the modern style of bands such as A.C.T. or UNICORN to come up with a very balanced work.Intelligent compositions with interesting changes between organs and synthesizers and a singer with an expressive and hoarse voice, matching nicely with the overall style.There are strong Heavy Rock, Psychedelic Rock and 70's Progressive Rock inspirations throughout the album, all blended very carefully, while the great groovy parts are usually interrupted by some great solos, either coming from Teir's keyboards or Karlsson's guitar.The atmosphere is often great, especially when the band offers its dynamic interplays, far from the typical dark or melancholic Scandinavian sound and based on a more optimistic delivery.

Nice little pearl for both fans of vintage and modern Progressive Rock.Mostly rhythmic musicianship with a nice amount of proggy pyrotechnics.Interesting and recommended stuff...3.5 stars.

The album opens with a wonderful track "Telefonsamtal från norr ", sounding like softer version of modern Rush. Pleasant polyrhythmic guitar layers allow basis for very fine melodies, giving a fine first impression and setting proper mood for the album. The positive moods continue with the groovy second song leading to the delicate electronics of "Sväljer mina ord". The song has a pleasantly catching riff, strong melody lines, and pretty conclusion at the slow moments at the song's end. Nice acoustic mystic tale "In i dimman" follows sounding like a story told by a father to his children. "Ingenting" contains different contrasting elements, minor key intro leading to more faster hard rock riffs, which then reveal a quite dramatic melodic song, referring to the earlier riff now and then. This long track is quite logical with the changes, keeping coherent form within its vivid structures. "Styrd av plaskort" continues melodically in slightly oppressing moods, being calm and atmospheric song with interesting short sections in it. Next song "I verkligheten" has a form shifting from quiet moments to more rocking phases. "Sänt vi behöver" has a very nice quiet start, little reminding sounds on Landberk's "Indian Summer" record. This is quite pretty melodic number, though there's a contrasting elements composed to this song also. Following track "Enbart psykopat" starts similarly with a melodic moody part and changes then to more brisker rockier main tune. "Sagt och gjort" is quite basic pop/rock tune, very nice guitar solo found from it. Last track "En yrkeshjältes vedermödör" is the longest song here, having quite progressive start, with choral and everything, also pompous classical styled movements and flute sections reminding slightly tones of Änglagård. Here the song follows more logical straits, containing a small epic building from the separate compositional parts in vein of classic progressive rock song philosophies.

The record offers something for a listener wishing interesting musical content, but probably won't drive away listeners of more accessible conventional rock music either. Controversial musical elements are arranged well, creating pleasant and logical experience I liked the album cover concept much: Abstract and stylistic, then inside warm pictures of Finnish nature concealed within. Also from all of the four records I heard from the group this is clearly best, a highpoint achieved with the devoted work of honest musicians. It tastes like a life lived with love and sincere kindness.

The professional bass playing with 1980's guitar sound and modern electronic synths bring again associations of the band having a song with same name as this group, but there are no traces of copying any very characteristic elements from their music to here. Personal and sincere approach pleases always, though this music is not something striking directly to my own taste. Nevertheless I liked it and this kind of "surprise effect" increase the listening pleasure. I think the sounds are bit blurry in some parts, but again this does not hurt me; A regular listener of early 20th century opera and 60's/70's audience rarity tapings. Lyrics and moods related to everyday life make the songs easy to sympathize.

If you like both commercial rock and also classical progressive rock, this group offers the combination of these in the same packet. First five songs are done by the guitarist, and last three by the bass player (both also singing on the record). I liked the earlier songs more, which are more precise their approach. The latter are not bad either, but different slightly in style. I also liked the sympathetic cover painting somehow quite much.