LANDBERK

Review Nº 552

Landberk was a progressive rock band from Sweden that was established in 1992. Landberk alluded to the so- called classic prog period of King Crimson's activity, willingly using the Mellottron, as well as softly harmonizing guitars. In the atmospheric layer, you can hear the so typical characteristic for the Scandinavians, the darkness and the sadness. Among their musical fascinations, apart from the already mentioned about King Crimson, they mentioned also, among others, their countrymen Anekdoten, Joy Division and Talk Talk. The band successfully drew on the richness of the prog genre of the 70's, although they never became their duplicates. With their musical preparation and approach they proved to have an original view of the prog rock music with roots firmly in the 70's but with a much modern approach.

They released their debut album 'Riktig Akta' in 1992, soon after they have formed, which literally brought to their knees and not only the Scandinavian audiences, with its simple melody and an interesting mixture of melancholic Mellotron, flute and guitars. Everything brought to mind the right associations with King Crimson and Anekdoten. Once the commercial success they achieved was huge, it was decided to make an English version of the album. It was released in the same year with the title 'Lonely Land'. It includes a successful cover of the track 'No More White Horses', of the album 'It'll All Work Out In Boomland' released in 1970 by the British prog rock band T2. Once again it confirmed their fascination with the King Crimson's sound. Two years later, their album 'One Man Tell's Another' expanding the band's current sound with elements of jazz fusion. It was called by some the magnum opus of Landberk.

'One Man Tell's Another' is an album with a solid musicianship, a diversified writing, a strong production and a different approach of the usual progressive influences. There's no properly an outstanding musical virtuosity or complexity on the music on the album, but with some novel sounds and fresh chord progressions, the album moves beyond the more typical symphonic prog of their first album into some different musical areas. Some of the most tasteful use of the Mellotron in the most recent years can be found on this album, as happened with the albums of their countrymen Anekdoten. The lyrics, written in English, of personal melancholy and angst, are rather thematically similar throughout. So, this is another album with the so typical Scandinavian melancholy. The music benefits greatly, covering a variety of styles on the seven songs. The five band's members of the band spread the writing duties around. All these elements that are brought together making of this album a strong and cohesive whole that is very engaging.

'One Man Tell's Another' has six tracks. 'Time' is a kind of introduction that kicks the album with the most rhythmic track on the album, a track with a captivating and typical rock melody. This is an energetic and solid track that combines an upbeat tempo with a dark nuance. 'Kontiki' with its mellow style, tight bass lines and eerie vocal line is closer to King Crimson's music. The main difference with the typical King Crimson's early albums is the riffs at the opening. It comes to my mind King Crimson's album 'Starless And Bible Black' but in a melancholic way. 'Mirror Man' is a very dark and melancholic track with a touch melody throughout the track. It's a slow and nostalgic song with some accentuated jazz nuances and with all that fragile melancholy again, so common all over the album. 'You Are' is another excellent track with some guitar fills reflecting a dark nuance followed by a vocal line. This is a very emotional track where the guitar and Mellotron are great, as is usual all over the album. 'Rememberence' continues the same style as previous tracks, a dreamy song with crepuscular and hypnotic rhythms and cadences. Here, the vocal melodies and Mellotron follow the vocals. This is another great track on the album. 'Valentinsong' is another excellent track with a great vocal line. It stays very pastoral featuring sparse piano and barely audible vocals. It's one of the most relaxing tracks giving to it an almost new age atmosphere. 'Tell' ends the album with another great track. This is an aggressive song with a more typically rock rhythm. This is a more accessible track where the guitars stay stubborn and rebellious.

Conclusion: 'One Man Tell's Another' confirms what I thought. It's an amazing album in the same vein of the Nordic albums of the 90's. It has some of the best things I love most in the modern prog, a perfect marriage between the old and new with the dark melancholia so typical of the Nordic prog bands. This is an album about dark atmospheres. The music is soaked through in melancholy and sadness with an overpowering sense of beauty. Besides the clear influences of King Crimson and the similarities with the music of their countrymen Anekdoten, it can also reminds me a bit of Opeth and Porcupine Tree, at times. The overall sound of the band is dense and self- contained. The keyboards, especially Mellotron, are mainly used to provide background music for the moods, while the bass and drums form a solid framework that also drives the music forward. All in all, it's an album with the perfect music for the autumn days.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

Jag Är Tiden is a laid-back three-song offering from Landberk, a Swedish group then in the middle of their five-year existence. This is the first music I've heard from them. I found them on freegal; as of this writing, these are the only three Landberk songs available on that platform.

In finding out more about the band, I saw two points repeatedly. The first is that Landberk's music is "dark." I don't really hear that on Jag Är Tiden, although maybe these three tracks aren't representative of the group's music. Or maybe it's the lyrics; the songs are sung in Swedish, of which I have no understanding. According to Google Translate, the title of the first song, "Jag Är Tiden" in Swedish means "I'm the Time" in English, while the third, "Du Där," means "You There." The English versions of these songs, from One Man Tell's Another (1994) are titled "Time" and "You Are." I'm not sure that there is an English version of the second song, "Marie & Anna" (on which the vocalist sings "Marie och Anna").

While I wouldn't use the term "dark," I agree that the sound here is melancholy; "Marie & Anna" in particular is a somber tune. "Jag Är Tiden" and "Du Där" are more lively, though certainly not upbeat. The three songs also have a somewhat relaxed feel, which is probably another reason that Jag Är Tiden seems somber yet not dark.

The second thing the internet taught me about Landberk is that the band was known for its use of the Mellotron. The keyboards on Jag Är Tiden are very understated; they didn't even register with me the first time I listened to it. They're definitely there, though primarily as an atmospheric or sweeting element. In fact, although there's only one guitarist on the EP (Motorpsycho collaborator Nils Reine Fiske), the secondary guitar parts are usually more audible than the synthesizers. I wonder whether Landberk was going for a more radio-friendly alternative sound in 1994 - - kind of like Rush - - rather than the big-keyboard sound of the prior decade.

Jag Är Tiden, while not grungy, must have sounded up-to-date in 1994; the rhythm section sounds like Stone Temple Pilots, or maybe Temple of the Dog. But throughout the EP, vocalist Patric Helje eschews the affected singing style that was popular among AOR groups in the mid-1990s. He has a strong, almost operatic voice. On the opening song, "Jag Är Tiden," he reminds me of Bono, but that's partly because the song itself sounds a bit like U2. The fairer comparison is probably Sting. In terms of alt-rockers of the period, Helje's style is similar to that of Eddie Vedder, but again, with less affect.

While all three tunes are solid and melodic, the strongest song here is "Marie & Anna." It's also the most Seattle-sounding song. Other than the chorus, it's strongly reminiscent of Stone Temple Pilots. But on the whole, Jag Är Tiden doesn't sound derivative, although I wouldn't characterize it as progressive. It perfectly fits the Prog Archives definition of three stars: good, but not essential.

Progressive rock is often nailed for being too clinical, too self indulgent and too ambitious. Well, here is a band that sounds the opposite by focussing on simple structures, evoking emotion and delicate interplay. The first time I listened to Landberk its debut album (I got it as a promo to review in 1992) their sound blew me away: not only because of the omnipresent Mellotron but also the strong emotional element in the music, far away from the 'conservatory' Classic Prog like Yes, ELP and Gentle Giant.

1. Waltz of the Dark Riddle (4:31) : The album opens with dreamy track featuring wonderful, very intense interplay between the Mellotron (violin ' and flute section), melancholical vocals (pretty dark lyrics) and tender piano runs.

2. The Tree (8:40) : A slow rhythm with a tight beat, soft Mellotron violins and a rock guitar sound, topped with emotional vocals. Gradually the music creates a hugh tension between the raw electric guitar and soaring Mellotron violins. Halfway a swinging rhythm with accordion, emphasing the melancholical atmosphere. Then the music turns into dreamy with a bit high pitched vocals and twanging acoustic guitar, a prelude to a hypnotizing climate with fragile electric guitar, mellow organ waves and tight drum beats, culminating in a final part with an accellaration featuring emotional vocals, organ and propulsive drums, what a varied and compelling composition!

3. Pray for Me Now (7:55) : This song alternates between dreamy, a catchy mid-tempo and bombastic outbursts, the guitar work shifts from sensitive to howling and biting, adding an extra dimension to the dark and emotional atmosphere. The rhythm-section does a great job with a pumping bass and powerful beats and the vocals are again pretty emotional, with dark undertones.

4. Song from Kallsedet (6:08) : First beautiful interplay between the Mellotron (flutes and violins) and warm classical guitar, then fragile electric guitar work, with subtle use of slide and sustain. Finally again that warm interplay between the classical guitar and the Mellotron, how beautiful!

5. No More White Horses (6:58) : This a cover from T2, a very promising UK band that made one strong album (1970) and played on the Isle Of Wight festival, but then disapperead. It sounds very varied and dynamic, with huge contrasts in the music: from dreamy with tender piano or soaring Mellotron violins to tight rock beats with fiery guitar and bombastic eruptions with emotional vocals, biting guitar and thunderous drums. Halfway an intense guitar solo with mellow organ, another excellent example of emotional prog.

6. You and I (6:05) : First twanging classical guitar, melancholical vocals and mellow organ, then swelling Mellotron violins, emotional vocals, blended with warm classical guitar, tight drums and Mellotron flutes in a slow rhythm. This culminates into an eruption with tender classical guitar runs en majestic Mellotron violins, goose bumps, what a build-up and climax! Finally dreamy with a slowly fading sound of the classical guitar and piano, wow!

7. Lonely Land (10:27) : This long compositions starts with guitar overdubs (solo and twanging) and dreamy vocals, in a slow rhythm, soon Mellotron violins and emotional vocals join. Then the music turns into a hypnotizing beat and the sultry sound of the Indian sitar. After a short bombastic eruption with Mellotron violins the music continues with a long break featuring drums and percussion, to me it sounds a bit too long. Halfway an electric guitar joins, with swelling Mellotron violins, in the end compelling interplay between tight and powerful drums and majestic Mellotron violins, this is trademark Landberk: beween rock and prog, between fragile and bombastic, with dark undertones.

What an unique prog effort, very compelling, highly recommended to Tron-maniacs and aficionados of the Nineties New Wave Of Skandinavian Prog!

This is my introduction to Landberk so far, an attenuated presentation tilted towards Swedish language versions of concurrent album pieces. While it's tempting to compare them to a whole host of brooding, atmospheric and, to varying degrees, "heavy" proponents of mostly Scandinavian prog, it's noteworthy that they were one of the first and possibly more influential.

All three tracks are vocal oriented, deliberate percussion and lucid guitar work mounting an efficient backdrop. The best of these is the opening number, even though it is the shortest. It sounds like the POLICE in an alternative universe, both vocally and musically, while being more thrilling than anything by that band. The remaining numbers are more conventionally Nordic, dark and spare, with subtle complexities and, yes, wondrous mellotron, like conversations in which the intent is succinctly expressed yet never directly conveyed.

If you've the time, and only a little for that matter, this EP might whet the appetite for a more sizable investment in the Landberk discography.

In my opinion, LANDBERK emerged as one of the most groundbreaking and evocative bands by taking over the renewed Scandinavian progressive scene that led many of the forthcoming acts in Europe to define a sound of their own. Even after disbanding in 1996, the musical legacy prevailed and LANDBERK became this sort of 'cult band' in the years to come and although when it's been in a very intermittent way, some of the original line-up members continued to share their genius in other projects such as Stefan DIMLE in PAATOS and most recently, Reine FISKE with ELEPHANT9.

Having said that, I consider the band's second EP is concise and intense even when at first listen it may show completely the opposite. 'Dream Dance' contains the alternative versions of three songs from two different albums. On the one hand, we have 'Waltz Of The Dark Riddle' taken from the English version of 'Riktigt Äkta' where in Swedish it's called 'I Nattens Timma' and on the other hand, we have 'Dreamdance' and 'All Around Me' from 'Indian Summer'.

Both 'Dreamdance' and 'All Around Me' were marvelously rearranged, if not entirely, essentially altogether. The final versions of these songs considered in the depths of 'Indian Summer', are more digestible and ongoing when the outtakes merged over this EP are strangely different. And by 'strangely different' I mean darker and plagued of this kind of eeriness. For instance, the intro for 'Dreamdance' is soothed with these female-like distorted chants and it totally reformats the original version we all are acquainted with, providing a new perspective from within. In 'All Around Me', we can listen the smooth sound of keyboards right at the beginning of the original version and in here, the songs goes right down to it as the sound of the mellotron breaks through.

And finally, I left the best part for the end of this review. For starters, what makes 'Waltz Of The Dark Riddle' EP version so heavenly great is the fact it's completely instrumental. Instrumental and gloomy. A genuine waltz by all means. It flows exquisitely paused and relieving. A set of violins have been intertwined as the sparkling novelty in this version, giving the song just the right amount of sensitivity and obscure passion that LANDBERK is used to fully deliver in every recording.

Highly recommended to enjoy the previous and oncoming work of LANDBERK from a different perspective.

Another time, swedish music makes me proud. No, I'm not from Sweden.

Medicine can take away depression, but I still can understand this dark feeling. Years ago, The Cure, Joy Division and Katatonia would describe my inner self. Indian Summer is the last Landberk album. This album is sad. And is not for everyone. Maybe not so prog. Absolutely not the progressive Landberk of the early albums. Mellotron and keys are smooth and deep. This work does not focus on skills and technical passages, it's atmospherical, filled with harmonious beautiful chords and vocals. Reccomended to post punk, post rock, and Anedokten-like stuff" fans.

This was LANDBERK's first studio album released in 1992 the same year fellow Swedes ANGLAGARD released "Hybris". ANEKDOTEN would release "Vemod" the following year as Prog would see a comeback thanks to these Swedish bands. LANDBERK might not be as powerful as ANEKDOTEN or as complex as ANGLAGARD but they don't take a back seat to either band. These three bands make up what I call the Swedish Holy Trinity of Prog. Yes I love these bands. Back in the early nineties these three bands decided not to follow or build upon the Neo-Prog bands of the eighties(yay !), but instead went back to the source with vintage instruments including mellotron and organ. "Riktigt Akta" was also released in English and called "Lonely Land" and while it's sad that the Swedish version doesn't have "No More White Horses" on it, it does have a bonus track called "Tillbaka" which isn't on "Lonely Land" and that track has Simon Steensland playing drums on it which is pretty cool.

The track order is also different between the two versions and in fact these also "sound" a little different because they are different recordings. Maybe it's just me but singing in their own native language just makes this version sound better. "I Nattens Timma" is a melancholic and fairly slow paced haunting tune that opens with flute and features plenty of mellotron and sad vocals. Fiske is at his intricate best on guitar. "Skogsraet" is where they pickup the pace and become more dynamic in the process. Such a fantastic track including the vocals. I love the instrumental break after 3 minutes as Fiske solos in his own unique style. Nice drum work too. A calm before 4 1/2 minutes then it eventually kicks back in during the last 30 seconds. "Tradet" doesn't kick in until after 2 1/2 minutes. Some accordion in this one. I like the calm half way through the song with mellotron galore. It stays relaxed until there's about a minute left.

"Var Hall" is such a beautiful track with reserved vocals and floating organ as Fiske plays some intricate guitar. Love the mellotron 4 1/2 minutes in. Gorgeous tune. "Visa Fran Kallsedet" is an instrumental that opens with mellow guitar melodies and the song does stay laid back throughout. Check out the picked guitar after 3 minutes, it reminds me of Conny Veit when he played in POPOL VUH. "Undrar Om Ni Sir" is another mellow and melancholic piece with vocals this time. This one starts to build though halfway through as it turns instrumental. It kicks in late to end it. Nice ! The bonus track with Steensland on drums is called "Tillbaka" and it's more of an upbeat tune with plenty of mellotron and chunky bass. Vocals too in this one. Great track but too short. We get a guitar solo halfway through as well that impresses.

I have to give this 5 stars because I do think it's a step up from "Lonely Land" which I gave 4.5 stars.

A much-overlooked gem from the 90s--predating, as has been pointed out, the sounds and stylings that were soon to make Radiohead, The Gathering and Porcupine Tree popular favorites. Though I agree that this album shows a marked evolution in the band's development--less overt are the influences of KING CRIMSON (except maybe "Kontiki"), VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR ("Valentinsong") and GENESIS--I do still feel some newer influences from different groups. On this album I am flooded with reminders of TALK TALK, THE CHURCH, and even U2.

1. "Time" (3:41) begins with a kind of U2/SIMPLE MINDS intro before settling into a POLICE- like vocal section. Singer Patric Helje's amazing chameleon-like voice hits some high notes in the chorus reminding me of some of DAVID BOWIE's greatest moments. Great drumming from Jonas LIdholm on this one (as throughout). (8/10)

2. "Kontiki" (7:18) starts out with a repetitive pulsating organ chord and a vocal that sounds a bit like Adrian Belew. It then evolves into a very soft, slow moving song with lots of sensitive subtleties of guitar, keyboards and cymbols which eventually build for the climactic final two minutes of "heaviness." Definitely some KING CRIMSON shining through with this one. (8/10)

3. "Mirror Man" (5:57) is the first of this album's great songs--and the first to display a sound rather unique to Landberk. I love the jazzy SWING OUT SISTER strut from 2:13 to 2:59. The highlight for me, aside from the delicate guitar throughout, is the jazzy last 1:30--especially when Reine's guitar goes into scratchy feedback. Plus Helje's final phrase and note. (9/10)

4. "You Are" (6:03) is the first song I've heard from Patric Helje in which I hear quite distinctly the voice of ICEHOUSE's lead singer, IVA DAVIES. Great atmosphere--not unlike that of ICEHOUSE--beginning at 1:30. I love Reine Fiske's traveling guitar feedback: cycling back and forth from channel to channel during the third minute. Then it comes front and center (with some harmonics floating around behind) for a very cool yet delicate solo. Startlingly sudden ending! (9/10) 5. "Rememberance" (6:35) sounds like a walk through the realm of Steven Kilbey's THE CHURCH with the syncopated drumming style of STEVE JANSEN. The bass is so mesmerizing on this one--and Patric Helje's vocal is so smooth and powerful! I love the additional percussion in the second B section. Quite reminiscent of PETER MURPHY's song "Roll Call." (9/10)

6. "Valentinsong" (9:38) is so delicately nuanced (it predicts much of Reine Fiske's influence and contributions to PAATOS's first album, Timeloss) that I could listen to it over and over. Space and harmonic sustain and decay are the champions of this song. (10/10)

7. The album's real jewel, however, is the finale: "Tell" (8:36) Beginning with such raw, exposed guitar conveys such tremendous emotion. When Stefan Dimle's bass enters toward the end of the second minute, and then Fiske turns to those slow, distorted chords! And then the entrance of the 'tron! Then guitar feedback like only Hendrix ever mastered! I tell you people, Reine Fiske is an absolute genius! Then the amazingly catchy BONO/KILBEY-like vocal sucks you in even deeper (as if that was even possible!). At 5:27 we are treated to a section of raw emotion that has even more impact! I mean: How much adrenaline can a body produce in the space of six minutes?!! But wait! The final minute gut-punches you again with a pause (Is it over?) and then play out with keyboard wildly perambulating around the sonic horizon. (11/10. Best song of 1994, IMHO!).

I've grown accustomed to favoring the band's final album together as their masterpiece, but this one is, to my mind and ears, also worthy of that designation. I get so enmeshed in the work of astounding genius Reine Fiske that I might find it difficult to be more objective about the value of Landberk's contributions to the world of (progressive) music. But, again, this album is so engaging, so emotional, so inimitable, and such a glowing example of the fact that there is/was a Prog Renaissance going on in the 1990s that I can only bump this 4.5 star album up to masterpiece level.

After a confident emergence onto the scene with the lovely Riktigt Äkta/Lonely Land, Landberk seemed to hit a bit of a sophomore slump with this one. Indeed, part of me wonders whether this is to blame for them being rather overlooked these days as far as Swedish prog groups originating in the early 1990s go - whilst Anglagard, Anekdoten and The Flower Kings both did a good job of building on the sound of their debuts, Landberk chase down blind alleys here.

I think the most exasperating thing about the album is the way Landberk seem determined to repeat mistakes which their influences already made. Take, for instance, Valentinsong, which contains a long minimalistic section which absolutely robs the composition - and the album as a whole - of any and all momentum it has previously established, and isn't even especially good as far as minimalistic avant-garde pieces go.

It's been compared to Moonchild by King Crimson, often cited as the only real flaw with their debut album (an assessment which Robert Fripp himself seems to agree with, if the trimming down of the section in question on recent remasters is anything to go by), and that's no accident, because it's tremendously similar in approach to that piece. In fact, for much of the album King Crimson worship is in full effect, but when that worship extends to repeating experiments which didn't work and in retrospect were clearly mistakes when the Crims tried them, that's a mimicry too far in my book.

Despite not quite sounding like Crimson clones, it's clear that Landberk here do several goofy things not because they necessarily sound good, but because King Crimson did them previously. When their debut album was so wonderfully original, I've got to view that as a serious step down.

The other major Swedish prog revival group of the early 1990s, Landberk always seemed to be a bit overshadowed by Anekdoten, Anglagard and The Flower Kings, which is a shame because this debut album of theirs is an intriguing beast to say the least. I particularly like Stefan Dimle's work on bass here; the band seem particularly adept at setting up long sections in which the rhythm section set up this groove which harks back to the motorik rhythms of the classic-era Krautrock groups, providing an interesting foundation for the other performers to build on with their solos. Simon Nordberg's use of Mellotron also deserves props because it helps give the album its uniquely spooky atmosphere, and sets a precedent for the excellent Morte Macabre side project.