ICEFLOWER
Tai Shan
•Crossover Prog
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Studio Album, released in 2013 Songs / Tracks Listing 01. Highlands (6:24) Janne Särkelä - Guitar, guitar synthesizer
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TAI SHAN Iceflower ratings distribution
(15 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(13%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(53%)
Good, but non-essential (33%)
Collectors/fans only (0%)
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
TAI SHAN Iceflower reviews
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Collaborators/Experts Reviews
PROG REVIEWER

The musical is well-composed, and performed very well. While I want to give this album a better rating, I can't help but feel a little complacent about it, though. The first nine tracks are nice, but not much else. They are well done, even beautiful. Yet, they are just kind of...there.
The final track on the album, the title track "Iceflower", is a completely different story. It represents the perfect fusion of all the elements that Tai Shan wished to include in their music. Everything comes together, and we get great keys, some awesome sax solos, flutes, and a wonderful symphonic rock atmosphere. It is one of the better tracks I've heard this year!
Like I said, this album is nice. It's pretty and done well, but nothing new or spectacular really happens. "Iceflower" is the one exception, however, as all the elements combine perfect here. Good? Yes. Essential or even great? Besides the final track, no.
PROG REVIEWER

PROG REVIEWER

Many tracks have a laid-back groove with a slight funkiness. The gifted musicians seem to sincerely enjoy playing and that's always important too. It also can't be said that any of the tracks would be without nice solos and changes in dynamics and tempo. Especially the keyboards often have an enjoyable airiness. But perhaps something is missing and I can't exactly put my finger on it. "Nice, not much else", like another reviewer here has said. Considering that the album is over one hour in length, the feeling of sameness begins to be a bit disturbing. Happily the closing number 'Ice Flower' is the unquestionable highlight. Emotionally it's richer than any of the other nine tracks.
Here and there the melodic, light, jazz-oriented fusion reminds me of MIST SEASON (also from Finland) which band however have clearly richer arrangements - featuring reeds - and more variety in composing too. As a quartet Tai Shan is technically very good and it's not completely fair to compare them to a larger and more experienced group. On the other hand, that comparison can be taken positively. Does this music sound recognizingly Finnish - or Scandinavian? Well, not very much in my opinion. I believe especially in America there are several jazz/fusion groups with more or less similar approach. Certainly a nice, finely produced album suitable for relaxed background listening, but maybe a bit unexciting from the prog rock's point of view.
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