NOTES FROM THE PAST

I've just got this album quite recently - about a month ago, I think - but it has become my personal favorite since the first time I listened to it. I've been spinning the CD more than five times in its entirety and everytime I listened to it, it always cheered me. I said to myself :"Hmm. this is the kind of music that satisfies my needs ". KAIPA's music is not something new for me as I have been familiar with other albums: "Keyholder" and "Mindrevolutions". This album is pretty similar in style with "Keyholder" but it's way different with "Mindrevolutions". Well, I guess the latter represent their major shift in musical concept and direction.

The master minds of this album are Hans Lundin (keyboard) and The Flower King's Roine Stolt (vocal, guitar). The music is a culmination of these two individuals' creativity. The result is a very rewarding music that should be in the agenda of prog lovers listening pleasure. I especially enjoy how intertwining melodies and solos presented between keyboard and guitar, strengthened with an excellent voice line by Stolt / Lundström and dynamic bass lines by The Flower King's Jonas Reingold.

The album kicks off with soft and ambient keyboard sounds of "Notes from the past - part I" (3:09) followed with nice voice line and howling guitar sounds augmented with long sustain keyboard notes. It's a brilliant intro which sets the atmospheric nature of the whole album. What follows is a bit complex instrumental composition "Night-bike-ride (on Lilac Street)" (3:28) combining the dynamic sounds of keyboard and guitar in relatively fast tempo music ala The Flower Kings. The guitar work is truly excellent, enriched with keyboard effects. The music flows beautifully and it's rewarding. The tagline melody becomes the melody of the whole album. I really enjoy this track.

Under "Mirrors of yesterday" (6:17) the band brings back the vocal line into the music while maintaining the ambient nuance. An excellent vocal line intro. "I'm searching for the blue sky ." lyrical part is melodic and memorable especially when it's followed with single layer keyboard solo. Interesting musical composition. "In the space of a twinkle" (3:27) title really represents the music: spacey with female narration, flows beautifully with long sustain keyboard sounds. What is a combination of slow rock and blues music with an excellent combination of keyboard and guitar sounds. At the end of the track the music turns out to be an upbeat instrumental piece "Folke's final decision (4:03)". It's really great.

"The name belongs to you" (13:46) I can consider as an epic with a catchy melody during intro, using soft keyboard solo followed with great lyrical entrance "There is a light ." . oh what a wonderful entry! The strength of this epic is in the combination of neat composition, catchy melody and wonderful solos featuring guitar and keyboard. Oh yes . I love the intertwining sounds of guitar and keyboard right after the first lyrical verse during opening. The music is very The Flower Kings - even a bit better, I think. It's so dynamic and powerful - truly satisfies my expectation of what good prog music is all about.

I personally value this album really high as the music stands out firmly as an excellent prog music with tight composition, powerful song writing and excellent overall performance. I don't see any lacking with respect to composition, songwriting or performance. However, I would rather put this album under four star rating - an excellent addition to any prog music collection - with a personal tendency to opt it as a five star album. Let time allows me to upgrade the rating in the near future. I highly recommend you to own this album. Keep on proggin' .!

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW