AIMLESS MARY

The third album release from these nostalgic Norwegians, this is the first with drummer Olaf Olsen, a move that makes a difference. (Not that previous drummers were bad, it's just that Olaf makes the listener stand up and listen. A lot.)

1. "Fear" (5:47) opens with a Motown-like motif and sound before turning Curtis Mayfield and then, with the vocals, a funked up early YES or ELP-like song. (8.5/10)

2. "Why" (6:12) Love the affected accent in the vocal sounding like a Reggae Tim Buckley. Very much like the Boston dream prog-pop band, GHOSTS OF JUPITER. Great melodic hooks in both the vocal and the instrumental threads. Also a great sing-along lyric. Easily my favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

3. "Soaring" (8:15) sounds like a collaboration between Mark Isahm, David Torn, Ståle Storløkken and The Amazing. (13.5/15)

4. "Shattered into Memories" (5:01) jazzy psych-pop over strong swirling Hammond organ play. Lots of interesting guitar sounds used, as well--jazzy hollow-muted strings, as well as continuous fast-running bass play. Interesting. (8.5/10)

5. "Aimless Mary" (5:44) sounds like a song from some mid-1960s British psych-pop band--maybe The Zombies, The Animals, or The Soft Machine or even the first Yes or Hatfield albums. (8.75/10)

6. "Half Awake" (4:33) deeper into the simple psych-folk world--the first half could be a Tim Buckley, Syd Barrett, or Donovan song, the second Arthur Brown or even Steeleye Span or the Pentangle. Spooky, gripping song. (9/10)

7. "Imaginary Plane" (3:22) opens like something off of THE AMAZING's 2011 album, Gentle Stream--thought the vocal performance is more reminiscent of AL STEWART. Nice. Love the 1972-4 Stevie Wonder-like synths. (8.75/10)

Total Time 38:54

The band's eclectic retro psychedelic sound continues to evolve, to experiment. Organ sounds and the use of more electronic-based soundscapes seem to dominate this album.

B+/4.5 stars; an excellent addition of dreamy jazz-psych-pop to any prog lover's music collection.