FRAGMENTS OF THE 5TH ELEMENT

I remember when I got Magic Pie´s first two CDs and how much I liked them. In many ways this great band from Norway reminded me of 90´s The Flower Kings: retro prog, alright, but with a personality of their own and lots of great melodies. After their third album, however, I kind of lost contact until I found this CD by pure chance., And I must say I was delighted to see they remain more or less the same in style, but they also evolved on the songwriting department: although the classic 70´s influences are still very much evident (and this is a compliment), their songs are also unique. The band is also tighter than ever, with every instrument and vocal appearing at the right moment: those guys are obviously skilful musicians but use their superb technique for the music not for showing off. So if you´re looking for 10 minute solos and a general display of virtuosity you should go elsewhere. However, if you enjoy great melodic symphonic prog with lots of nice surprises, this is for you!

Actually I must also say that the CD is not perfect: the opener The Man Who Had It All and the closer epic The Hedonist are pure symphonic prog of the highest calibre. Together they respond for a little more than half of the CD and they are worth the price of the album alone. Between them there are three tracks: P & C is another fine prog tune with a driving fusion keyboard solo, while the Beatles influenced Table For Two is also very good but less adventurous lyrically, Maybe the only negative point is Touched By An Angel. Not a bad track at all, it has a really good guitar line, but at eight minutes this ballad is stretched a little too much. I guess it would be fine if stayed on the four or five minute time, but it drags as it is cutting the CD´s even flow up until then. However, there are not enough good things to say about the almost 23 minute closer, The Hedonist. Inspired, powerful, full of twists and turns, with gorgeous vocal and instrumental arrangements, it never loses steam throughout the whole epic making it one of the most well constructed and captivating prog suites I have heard in a long time. It´s one of those long songs it sounds only too short every time you listen to it, intuitively wishing it could go on t least a little longer, especially the emotional last part.

The production is simply superb, as are all the performances. I have been listening to this CD non stop for two weeks and I guess it´ll be on my fave list for a long time still. Surely it will be on any best of list of progressive rock releases of this year. A great rediscover!

Rating: 4,5 stars. Highly recommended!