UNFOLD THE FUTURE

This is my first introduction to the world of the Flower Kings. After reading a number of positive reviews, and loving the Transatlantic albums that feature Roine Stolt, I had to give them a try. After several listens, their music hasn't really grabbed me, though I give the band a lot of credit for their creativity and having a distinctive, jazzy style. There are some great musical ideas and textures here, but it could have used some good editing to make one great disk instead of two good disks. There are moments that just about any progophile would love, but the album just doesn't hold together as a whole; indeed, many of the songs don't hold together. There's a lot of filler throughout (including the entirety of "Christianopel"). Standout moments for me include several sections of the epic tracks "The Truth Will Set You Free" and "The Devil's Playground", the first section of "Silent Inferno", parts of "Fast Lane", and "Too Late For Tomatos" (bonus track). Parts of each are great, but no entire track rates as exceptional. I'm not thrilled with Roine's voice and the lyrics are a bit weak. Overall, this meandering album is enjoyable, good mainly for background listening.