They say you shouldn't read books from the last page. They say you shouldn't watch movies from the last scene. They say you shouldn't... This time I didn't listen to good advice and started familiarizing myself with the latest album by Submarine Silence entitled "Atonement Of A Former Sailor Turned Painter" (which I guess can be translated as: "The penance of a former sailor who became a painter") from the insert/cover. And... I don't regret it, because the insert is exceptional. There are of course lyrics, information about the band, the recording location, acknowledgments, but they are not the most important. The insert/cover is another wonderful example of Ed Unitsky's illustrative skills. I have already allowed myself to write about the artist in the description of The Samurai Of Prog (feat. Marco Grieco) album "The Time Machine", but maybe as a reminder it is worth mentioning the names of several bands and artists whose albums are decorated with drawings and graphics by this author: The Tangent, The United Progressive Fraternity, Unitopia, This Winter Machine, Guy Manning, Moongarden, The Flower Kings, Starcastle, Mandalaband, Nine Stone Close and Thomas Bodin. These fairy-tale-like and fantasy illustrations appeal to me every time, because this fairy-tale quality somehow always reminds me of progressive rock - twisted rhythms, concept albums, compositions with an "abnormally long" duration. In addition, Unitsky illustrates individual compositions, he does not create "pictures" decorating the album insert, but with his drawings he adds and visualizes the content of the albums. Maybe it suggests an interpretation? ... Probably to some extent, but it also extracts and "embodies" the message contained in the songs.

This is also the case with the latest work of the band Submarine Silence. Just by looking at the cover, we can see that the album will tell a story about a sailor seeking redemption through art, which, like the stormy seas of his past, conveys images in brushstrokes that at the same time expose his restless soul. And a lot happened in the hero's life, so the musical story of his fate is rich in events. Each song and the story it tells sends the listener to fairy- tale lands: the "Leviathan's Dream" Tavern - a place of fleeting shelter, shared stories and carefree sailor joy; the haunted Mermaid's Tooth Reef - suspended somewhere between storm and calm and at the same time being an abyss for lost souls, and finally to the Sailor's Painter's Palette, which tries to combine art and memory in a wordless plea for forgiveness and peace.

The subsequent pages of the album insert, like a quasi-comic book, present the listener with images illustrating the compositions heard. But musically, everything begins with... the endless roar of the ocean, i.e. with the song "Majestic Whales". From the formal side, it is a cover of the song of the same title by Anthony Phillips from the album "Sail The World" from 1994. This short song in its original version (only three minutes long) grows here to the rank of an almost seven-minute introduction to a musical journey through the vastness of ocean memories. This extended composition is not only a wonderful overture to the rest of the piece, but also a wonderful instrumental miniature that, looped, can go on and on forever. There are more bold keyboards than in the original, gentle guitars and simple melodicism positively force you to familiarize yourself with the fate of the former sailor. Even the solo by Roine Stolt (The Flower Kings), who guest-played on this piece, is somehow gentler, somehow soothing.

With the song "Les Mots Que Tu Ne Dis Pas" ("The Words You Don't Say") begins the real story of the fate of a sailor thrown somewhere far from familiar places, somewhere far from a sense of security and happiness, drowning his confusion in alcohol in the tavern "Lawiatan's Dream". Here, among the shadows and ghosts filling this world, the tired gaze of the hero of the story that is just beginning is drawn to a stormy couple: a robust Dutchman with muscles sculpted by the sea and a Creole girl with a magic smile, who dance a fiery and icy ballet, immersed in the bitter nectar of despair, locked in a battle of unspoken desires and shared silence. He, with the hardness of a man who has faced the wrath of the ocean; she, with the wild fragility of someone who has loved and lost more times than can be counted. Driven by some mysterious impulse, the narrative hero begins to hum a melody ? a melody woven from abandoned dreams and intertwined fates. After a while, his humming is joined by the voice of a dancer and a duet of two souls speaking different languages begins. And so a ballad about hidden longings and dark dreams is created, which musically begins with an almost minute-long improvisational organ- guitar intro, which sets the arrangement direction of the entire composition. For six minutes, the piece balances between two styles: symphonic-organ immersed in the early seventies (with a touch of The Flower Kings / Transatlantic, please listen to the organ ? third minute and thirty seconds), and a typical approach to composing, which we find in the work of bands similar to Rock Progressivo Italiano. A less attentive listener may have a bit of a problem at first, because first of all, the entire song is performed in two languages (English and French), and in addition, there are two intertwined vocal lines: the "sailor" (Guillermo Gonzales) and the "dancer" (Manuela Milanese). But after all, this is a duet of two souls speaking different languages... and it is the vocal fragments performed in a duet that give the whole a dramatic and somewhat despairing tone.

This bilingualism (or even pentalingualism) is a characteristic feature of the third track on the album - "Limbo Of The Rootless". Yes... There is no mistake here. The narrative story of the Mermaid's Tooth Reef - an abyss that has kidnapped a brave sailor and whose spirit is trapped between death and sleep after being carried away by the raging sea is sung in five languages: English, French, Portuguese, Dutch and... Haitian Creole. It is a story about the tides that wash over the shore and are a message to those who drift ? rootless souls lost between worlds. The sailor, in this piece, is not a conquering hero, but an eternal traveler. He is a ghostly guide for those brave enough to seek solace in the dangerous embrace of the reef. His presence is a silent beacon for those who wander the endless depths, an unwavering star in the endless sea. This is more or less the story told in this piece. Musically, please be prepared for many surprises: a guitar, almost folk beginning that turns into a beautiful folk-neo- progressive ballad that is slightly reminiscent of the work of the band MOONGARDEN; a guitar solo, slightly exotic- sounding, in the third minute; wonderful organ sounds somewhere in the fourth minute that are reminiscent of the sounds of classic Italian progressive bands; slightly irritating chanted declamations introducing narrative "confusion" and speeding up the tempo of the song; a wonderful organ solo halfway through the song; of course... an over one and a half minute long guitar solo, somewhere in the sixth minute, and... a "siren song" (performed by Manuela Milanese) in the final part, which sums up the story of those who seek solace: "(...) Your call echoes through the wind's howl / A melody for the restless, a guiding scowl / An enchanted song for those who seek / in this Reef souls surrender".

The title track from the album "Atonement Of A Former Sailor Turned Painter" is a suite of over twenty minutes divided into eight parts. The suite takes us to the historical Caribbean, starting this journey with an instrumental visit to the island of Guadeloupe, and after a short gentle introduction played on an acoustic guitar supported by muted and gently sounding keys, it takes the listener to Port of Spain. However, this is not about the current capital of Trinidad and Tobago, but about a mythical place somewhere at the end of the world, which gathered all sorts of pirates, life's castaways and other scum in the 17th and 18th centuries. About the place "(...) Where dreams conspire / In the Tavern's glow where / Hopes catch fire".

The third part of the suite ("Shango Orishas" - the Brazilian god of nature - RP) brings a change of pace and, being a confession of the powerlessness tormenting the narrative hero - "(...) In the deep blue sea / May the low spirits settle in me / Lost souls, drifting / horizons blur, let them find their cure: / the endless canvas of waters' embrace, the ocean's whisper through the floating hallway" - with its decisive, powerful arrangement, pushes the suite onto rock tracks with a melodic guitar solo at the end. The very short fourth part ("The Floating Painter's Palette") slows down, adjusting to the words: "(...) Now I'm left alone / With my brush (...) / In this floating breezeway where secrets hide", to give way to the equally short fifth part ("Chanson a la lune") sounding like a repeatedly repeated refrain of a song sung by a drunken company. It is worth noting the end of this part, which once again gains pace and power, that from the arrangement perspective it is marked by a looped and almost monotonous guitar line and improvising in a jazzy style organ. The sixth part ("Port-Au-Prince" - the capital of Haiti - RP note) is again a duet with an acoustic guitar and at the same time probably the most neo-progressive part of the suite. The almost 45-second guitar solo should satisfy every listener. The penultimate part ("Niet Vergeten!" - "We will not forget!") begins unexpectedly. It is a melodeclamation (in Dutch) woven into the ending guitar solo from the previous part and the growing sounds of the organ. Its pathetic nature should not be surprising - it is a reminiscence of a lost sailor, but this idea can certainly be expanded: it is a reminiscence of all the lost and lost. "Self Portrait Of Two" is the final part of the entire composition, an anthem addressed to some unspecified YOU, so maybe that YOU is you, listener? This outro contains a huge belief in a second chance for everyone ? "(?) As we paint our souls anew". Because you can create yourself anew?

The bonus recording and the last one on the CD is an instrumental piece entitled "Zena". And if "Majestic Whales" was initially an introduction to the rest of the album, this three-minute composition can be considered a calming ending maintained in a light and, contrary to what is in the autumn-winter sky, summer atmosphere.

In the entry in the "encyclopedia" of every fan of broadly understood progressive music ? Progarchives ? the band Submarine Silence is written as follows: "(?) The group can be regarded as a side-project of the neo- progressive group Moongarden". Well... I think it's high time to delete this term. Maybe someday, maybe somehow... but that was a long time ago. Besides, the term side-project sounds as if it were something less important, random, just a musical whim. Meanwhile, the latest album proves that we are dealing with a band that creates music with a capital M. It's a pity that their albums are released more or less every four years, but I hope that will change. In their current line-up, the band shows that they are in very good shape, and the album is worth recommending.

And finally, out of my reviewing duty, I will remind you of the line-up: Guillermo Gonzales (vocals), David Cremoni (guitars), Cristiano Roversi (organs, synthesizers), Manuela Milanese (vocals), Marco Croci (bass guitar) and Maurizio del Tollo (drums).

And just a short thank you to Marco Croci for his words, nice correspondence and a few album tips.

WIZRD explosive progressive mix of rock, jazz, pop and indie, creating frenetic, merging and mixing our musical references.

"GT, Me & My 6610" begins revealing their singular sound between pop folk, psyche, rock, jazz-rock and art-rock; a sound with the vintage melody of the 60s, the link with ZOPP hits the mark. "Mesmerized" fruity air, swirling and twirling like in the famous animation; an Andalusian acoustic guitar space, a screamed choir; there is electricity in the air in the absence of eclecticism; more jazzy than MEER, more underground too. "The Void" always this meerian keyboard at the start, then the fury of the funky jazzy electric riff launches a hard vintage psychedelic air that flows like liquid embers. The fat synth takes over and introduces "Fylkesvei 33" on industrial, trans electronic, hypnotic and psychedelic hilarious sounds. The novelty of the musical concept is surprising, we are between PINK FLOYD of psychedelic origin and the electronic atmosphere of TANGERINE DREAM; the plot evolves on a hypnotic groovy repetitive spot with musical mudslides, really strange and wacky, avant-garde. The crescendo is enjoyable, jerky, heady, a real mantranic title.

"National Day" starts again raw, raw, between incandescent jazzy guitar and cottony organ; the keyboard explodes in the ears, the spatial noises amplifying the effect. "You're Exposed!" with a rock sound that surprises; very quickly the sound goes to 340V by offering new prog blood on old tunes. "!!!" continues, changes, surfs, rushes at full speed, breaking the notes, offering a hypnotic redundant air and a whiff of the fabulous MOTORPSYCHO for this disturbing dystopian organ. "Fire & Flames" delicate, mysterious piano intro, an arpeggio blinking like a ray of sunshine on the window; the solemn piano recalls MEER again on a jazzier register. The hovering, ambient, atmospheric and melodic air at the same time on the voices as a hook link; the drums rise, the choirs like in the good old days of the 60s/70s in fury; the organ solo helped by the thunderous bass. "Kaleidoskop" in local language, a proven melancholic air on a haunting guitar arpeggio with a memory air of KAUAN and KING CRIMSON.

WIZRD dynamic opus much more disconcerting than LIND and JORDSJO you will have understood but with more modern sounds. Originally on profilprog.

George Jinda was from Hungary beginning his musical life learning to play the piano before switching over to drums. And the man had chops, playing in the jazz style. Unfortunately most of his session work was in the traditional jazz mode along with smooth jazz and latin jazz. Then as a duo he was in a band called SPECIAL EFX playing a lounge jazz brand of music. All of these sub genres have me running for the door. So I knew "Wheel Of Love", his first solo album had the potential to be lame and cringe-worthy. Even the album cover stopped me in my tracks.

But! There was also the hope that this would be more in the style of the one cool band he was involved with in his life called SPEED LIMIT, who released two albums. The first in 1974, then the final one in 1975. And that debut featured three of the musicians that George got to play on this 1975 released recording called "The Wheel Of Love". Some heavy weights too with Jeff Seffer(ZAO/MAGMA) and Didier Batard(HELDON) involved. Those two along with Jinda and keyboardist Jean-Louis Bucchi shared the writing credits on "Wheel Of Love". So a six piece here of keyboards, drums, sax/flute, guitar, bass and extra percussion.

Very much a hit and miss album much like SPEED LIMIT's second recording in my opinion. SPEED LIMIT's debut will prove to be the last album standing, the only one of the three I gave 4 stars to. It's more in the jazz/fusion style, and the most consistent of the three that Jinda is on. A lot of short tracks here as we get 11 songs worth over 35 minutes. Again comparing those three albums we have a different bass player for each of them, and all three are world class players. Of course we have Didier Batard here, Joel Dugrenot(ZAO) on SPEED LIMIT's debut, and Janick Top on that second SPEED LIMIT offering. Seffer plays more flute on here than on those SPEED LIMIT records where he is mostly playing sax. Bucchi plays a lot of synths here opposed to the electric piano on SPEED LIMIT's debut. Some different flavours with these three albums for sure.

This is probably worth the 3.5 stars alone for the talent involved, and they are involved as I mentioned earlier in the compositions, as well as playing on this record. Still, there's no way this is a 4 star release in my world.

Written and recorded in just four hours, the third studio album by Spock's Beard is a great continuation of their symphonic style of progressive rock, this time around, however, with a slightly more prevalent pop inclination that can be heard in the more easy-going melodies and the somewhat more straightforward writing. 'The Kindness of Strangers' nevertheless remains the very excellent and "forgotten" album by the great American band, full of signature songs and incredibly catchy hooks, structured in a way similar to 'Beware of Darkness', yet exhibiting a stronger tendency for more user-friendly arrangements and perhaps less experimentation, relying a tad bit more on what could now be seen as a band formula.

With a bag of great ideas, Neal Morse & Co. exercise their songwriting and produce incredible compositions like the 10-minute opening track 'The Good Don't Last', a beautiful mini-epic with some gorgeous playing and great vocal harmonies. This one is followed by several shorter tracks, each one of which has a character and a feel of its own, always staying true to that lighthearted and occasionally humorous Spock's Beard aesthetic that never backs down on grand arrangements over a pop structure - just go through 'June' or 'Strange World', which are definitely two very different but essential sides of the great Beard! And while 'Harm's Way' might feel a little forced in some parts, it is the 15-minute opus 'Flow' that is the big highlight of the record, whether it be for the melodic middle section or the frantic final one, this is a signature track for the band, and one that finishes off a flamboyant, beautiful and well-conceived album. An excellent piece of music in the band's catalogue that showcases just how strong the Neal Morse-era of Spock's Beard is.

When following the fantastic development of early Spock's Beard, one could hardly ever dismiss their grandiose second album titled 'Beware of Darkness', the follow-up to the band's iconic debut album 'The Light'. Titled after a George Harrison song, the second studio LP from the Beard is a lovely collection of seven tracks that run for a little less than an hour of playtime, and these amazing compositions comprise all different corners of the band's universe. With Neal Morse at the top of his creative vision, ripe with grand ideas, the band also sees the recruitment of keyboard wizard Ryo Okumoto, handling some additional Hammond organs and Mellotron duties, all in a great celebration of the 90s retro prog revival.

Moving away from writing long pieces developed from Neal Morse ideas and cementing themselves as a band even further, Spock's Beard instead opted for a mixture of both longer and shorter songs, on an album that more than any other one in their catalogue displays the true identity of the American prog giants - beautiful and memorable melodies, intricate and often very playful vocal harmonies, a very prominent and upfront rhythm section, with great and sophisticated instrumental passages that are often inspired by 70s progressive rock, acoustic rock, or downright classical music, with all of these ingredients making up the fantastic sound of the band. Opening up the album with the fantastic title track, this is a song that Neal Morse saw as the prog version of the original, which he only famously heard whilst recording 'Beware of Darkness'. The lovely interplay between quirky and melodic passages is immediately discernible here, and this is enhanced by the introduction of the second track, the majestic 'Thoughts', part of a cross-album suite that extends to the solo work of Neal Morse. Featuring Kevin Gilbert as a producer on this track as well as two other ones, we have some interesting additional effects and influences on the album, which only elevates it more. Needless to say, the longer tracks on here as incredible as well, all three of them can be considered SB classics, featuring some of the band's most memorable riffs and melodies. Then there is 'Waste Away', which is quite energetic and hard-hitting as well as the instrumental 'Chatauqua', which certainly echoes something like 'Clap' from 'The Yes Album'.

The album is a definite improvement over 'The Light' in terms of songwriting and production, ripe with beautiful ideas and gorgeous melodies, we may often see this sometimes overlooked follow-up even as more important than its predecessor, excellent all throughout and above all, tremendously enjoyable.

When the album was released, the Greek Metal Hammer awarded it 10 out of 10 points. A friend of mine bought it and, naturally, I borrowed it from him to give it a listen. The first five songs minus And I Close My Eyes (that was the first side of the original pressing) ended up in a tape, the rest didn't appeal to me much. Years went by and thankfully all of the albums of Conception were re-released and I got hold all of them. It was time, after all, to re-assess them. Now, I don't know if the aforementioned five songs (Water Confines, Roll the Fire, Silent Crying, Parallel Minds, Silver Shine) are better than the others or merely I have listened to them hundreds of times, but I still enjoy them to the full. My Decision and The Promiser were lost on me then, Wolf's Lair is OK, but I still don't get Soliloquy, it's rather average. Almost 30 years later I fully appreciated the spectacular range of Roy Khan's voice, the occasional tasty usage of odd-meter changes to breathe new interest into a song, the wonderful atmosphere that the keyboards provide (although they play nothing but pads), the technical playing of Tore Østby and the smart lyrics. The album sounds still fresh to my ears and has nothing to do with the cookie-cutter power metal albums they were coming out in droves. I don't know what happened in other countries, but Conception were on almost every metal fan's lips here in Greece. The future looked wonderful for the band, although the Greek author was exaggerating a bit.

Not an excellent addition to ANY prog rock music collection, but most fans of prog metal (or at least metal fans who prefer their metal a bit more adventurous) will find something interest to engage them for a long time.

Another great release from Nektar. I had no expectations and loved the album. Many people that are rating low this album seems to have listen just the beginning of the first song, that really don´t sound much like Nektar ( but is very good nonetheless ) and is my least favorite of the album. The other tree songs are impressivelly good and sound like top notch Nektar, specially the fourth one. Great production, melodies and arrangements. These tree songs could have been released right after "Remembering the Future" . Prog rock listeners are supposed to listen carefully the whole abum, because maybe prog listeners are the only human being that still do that.

This album starts with what seems to be a snippet from a film set in the Middle Ages. When the music starts, a wonderful tune emerges from the violin, which on a perfect moment gives space to a very sweet flute. For those not aware of what means the word 'hidromel', the title of this song, it's na alcoholic drink made of honey, water and yeast. The music and its title match incredibly well. Besides that, the rhythmic sections are spectacular. It's an instrumental piece, but on a brief passage there's some chatter on the background. The composition is starightforward symphonic prog, with some folk contributions once in a while. On its end bass tones start to prevail, execution becomes more fast-paced and rock-oriented, with some space-rock elements: the phrasings on guitar and drums are marvelous.

The track "Grilo" (Cricket) has the flavour, most of the time, of a walk in the park on the end of the afternoon. The style can be best described as a crossover prog with some jazzy approaches. Flute and flugel horn offers very pleasent notes. Sometimes there are dissonances, and more complex measures and harmonies, without changing the mood of the song.

"Saguim" is a very common animal, and very urban too, in the country where I live, Brazil. It's a little and quick monkey. He eats practically everything we humans ingest, and because of that, even though he's not domesticable, generally he doesn't stay too far from our houses and restaurants. For those who don't have much information about Brazil or never had been here, don't worry. I can assure they don't walk on the streets, and only very, very unoften seeks for food inside houses. Well, I made a little research, and found out this animal only belongs to South America. It's interesting that Mário Lopes used this specimen for a title of one of the songs. I won't consider possibilities about that, but now you can make, if you desire, make your own deductions. Going back to the music, this time there is a festive accent, almost circus-like sometimes. Rhythmic guitar and trumpet print a good dose of swing on the song, and this proposal is present in practically all its extention. In its middle, an elegant and delicious cavaquinho takes the lead, before some big band executions. This track is all instrumental.

I'm not sure about the meaning of the title "Kalinka Lady tu". I know that Kalinka is an antique russian folk tune. Moreover, that Kalinka could be easily associated with a female human name. And "tu" means "you" in english. On my impressions until now, I can't tell if this song has a russian or a spanish influence; probably from both. The mandolim seems hispanic, and so are the claps and the accordion on the background. A sensational trumpet completes the harmony on the beginning. The entrance of the tube, later, brings some bass tones, that precede great short vocalizations that appears to be celebrating and/or fraternizing. This is a tasty song with a slight sensuality.

"Uma espécie de chibo" is hard (for me) to translate. "Uma espécie de" means "A kind of a(n)", or "A type of a(n)". But "chibo" is a word used much more in Portugal than in Brazil, if my little research is correct. And what I understood is that it has several meanings, but the two major are: 1. a young goat; or 2. A whistleblower. Musically it has, since from the start, a very proeminent bass, with a funk-rock performance many times on the song. Eventually with some hard-rock pointings. Accordion is used in a very different way, transmitting what I'd call the felling of 'concern'. On its second half, this consistent track gets a little heavier, and some intriguing short vocal phrases are sang.

"Quimera" (Chimera) starts with a macabre voice whispering and then shouting 'Chimera'. A powerful guitar strikes the air. The viola and atabaques, along with the xylophone, gives an exuberant contour to this part of the suíte! At one point, a narrator, simulating a journalist trying to demonstrate tranquility, says that people have seen a mysterious creature , and that experts are taking care of it. Therefore, the song goes on, brilliantly crimsonian.

The suite's second part has an engaging rhythym, using many different kinds of percussion. When the piano joins, it's full of swing, dialoguing with wind instruments. Before the wind instruments make some dialogues between themselves. Richness can be undeniably attributed to this composition. Suddenly, on its middle, an arab touch is brought, and therefore they travel through some latin music influences. Surprising combinations that work! On the end the track becomes more robust ans intense.

Last track has a melancholic cello, before the arriving of calm rhythmic sections. The mood changes, not too much, becoming what made me think of a sad circus. On my first auditions, my impressions were that the executions gets a little confusing. But on my last auditions I captured the song. As a matter of fact, it has unusual cadences and a lot of changes of direction. I have only one criticism for this track: its completion isn't so well crafted.

This conceptual work is growing on me at each hearing. My rating for it today is 4.6.

"Modern Masquerades" is the fourth full-length studio album by Northern Ireland, Belfast based progressive rock act Fruupp. The album was released through Dawn Records in November 1975. It´s the successor to "The Prince of Heaven's Eyes" from November 1974 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as keyboardist Stephen Houston has been replaced by John Mason (the former left to become a clergyman). "Modern Masquerades" was produced by Ian McDonald (King Crimson, McDonald and Giles, Foreigner), who also plays alto saxophone and percussion on the album as well as acting as arranger.

Releasing four album releases between October 1973 and November 1975 is quite the achievement in itself, but stylistically and quality wise Fruupp also kept a steady quality level and "Modern Masquerades" is overall a another good (if not exactly spectacular) progressive rock release from the band. They play a well composed, well performed, and relatively well produced type of progressive rock, which although it´s of a fairly good quality, doesn´t stand out much on the early- to mid-70s British progressive rock scene. But taking into consideration how hard the competition was, it´s no science figuring out that not all artists would break through and held against artists like Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, and Jethro Tull, Fruupp just couldn´t reach those heights.

After wrapping up their tour supporting "Modern Masquerades" in Manchester in February 1976, Fruupp started working on what was to be their fifth full-length studio album (tentatively titled "Doctor Wilde's Twilight Adventure"), but the album never materialized and Fruupp disbanded at the end of 1976 with no further releases under their belt. Citing poor album sales and a change in the musical climates as the reasons for their demise.

Upon conclusion "Modern Masquerades" is a good quality swansong for Fruupp and they can rightly be proud of the output they had in their active period from 1971-1976 (and the hundreds of concerts they played in Britain and in mainland Europe). But as described above there is a reason why they are seldom mentioned among the tier 1 progressive rock artists of the 70s. They just aren´t up there with the greatest. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

14 years have passed since the eponymous debut of this Finnish group, so it came as a surprise they just released their second album. First off, very nice to see Eetu Pellonpää's excellent art on the cover. I think it was Eetu who brought the band to this site.

I was rather reserved in my review for the debut, and my initial impression on Metsälapsi wasn't entirely positive either. Having seen a glowing 5-star review on a Finnish site, I expected to enjoy the album much more. However, upon further listenings I am warming up for the band's personal and flexible style.

What particular genre they wish to belong to, seems totally irrelevant. Not necessarily very folky to me, I consider their music to be energetic and retro-minded jazz rock with some World Music reminding nuances -- and a strong emphasis on the vocals, although the compositions also contain plenty of instrumental soloing. Anyway Susan Karttunen has quite a piercing and ballsy voice (slightly resembling Elli from the pop- rock group Haloo Helsinki) that draws attention sometimes a bit more than is necessary.

However, musically the eleven tracks have a good amount of variety. '1930' has a hint of cabaret chanson in its melodies. The guest appearance of trumpet suits very well to the sunny atmosphere of 'Varpunen'. 'Lato' is (despite the vocals) an instrumentally oriented, groovy jazz rock piece with a seventies feel.

Sad to read the line "In loving memory, Jani Häggblom (1974 - 2022)"' in the leaflet. The keyboard player, often favouring electric piano in a jazzy style, was very essential to the group's sound, fully concerning also this album.

'Ritariperhonen' in the centre of the album is a beautiful little song with an acoustic guitar backing that shows that Susan is capable of delicacy, too. Perhaps the latter half of the album loses that lighter side to some extent, but 'Japanin laiva' has great emotional dynamics in that sense. Four tracks feature saxophones (alto and tenor), and even some funk ingredients are heard. The hippie-ish groove on 'Pelota' for example is pretty inviting. I can imagine the band would be awesome as a live act.

The long title track, beginning with birdsong and a slow first movement leading into tight jazz rock energy. is a great album closer as the most progressive piece, graced by the fantastic guest appearance of Janina Lehto's flute. Wish there were some flute elsewhere as well!