HIMLABACKEN VOL. 1

Himlabacken Volym 1 was a record I looked forward to because Moon Safari is a band that has proved it's possible still in th 2000s to do marvelous prog with their record "Blomljud". I listened to this twice yesterday after seing them here in Stockholm the day before. They were good live but they should have played more old songs and the volume was too high. I bought this music at the concert. The cover picture is artistic and it includes a folder with the lyrics printed as body text. Well, I loved "Blomljud" and liked "Lovers end" and am not negative to say I appreciate even this record from 2013; but Moon Safari's development since 2008 wasn't what I'd prefer.

This album has eight tracks, and three of them are very good. "Mega Moon" is charismatic and has a great flow of energy. It is varied, powerful and humouristic. It has sweaping angel voice sung passages and bombastic opera marches.

Two other tracks show the former luster of Moon Safari: "Diamonds" with a poetic text that is sung very clear and "Sugar band" which is humouristic and symphonic in a very nice way. These three track can I recommend for you but the rest don't live up to Pre-Lovers end- Moon Safari. Of course I enjoy the rest of the music, otherwise I had gave the record two stars. "To young to say goodbye" has some nice keyboard and symphonic splendor but it feels a little bit silly and dashing. "My little man" is a father's love song to his son, and beautiful in it's own way.

Perhaps It's not wrong to present prog in this easy achieved form. I think this would please even common radio listeners or those who don't listen to prog. In that way it could open people's ears to new music widths but I who already know prog is the best and miss the sound from "Blomljud", am disappointed. Listen to the three mentioned tracks, I think you can skip the rest. Three stars!

Recommended: Mega Moon 9/10 Sugar Band 9/10 Diamonds 8/10 My little man 7/10

The others: Too young to say goodbye 6/10 Red white blues 6/10 Barfly 5/10 Kids 5/10