I GRÉVENS TID

Sweden is a country which is really rich on prog and especially psychedelic/space jam acts. Exchanging the musicians at pleasure looks like to be quite normal for some of them. Probably BLAND BLADEN can be titled as a forerunner of the Oresund Space Collective (OSC) which is most likely the bestknown of all. So it's not quite astonishing that all the band members had collaborations with OSC in the past respectively Ola for example plays fender rhodes and synthesizer on the current masterpiece 'Black Tomato'.

This BRAND BLADEN debut from 2003 is consisting of four songs, totally instrumental, and yes, indeed, they can be considered to be in the vein of the OSC sound. Improvised jams with a happy flavour where you can feel their pleasure and fun making music first of all.

The excellent title song I grévens tid appears as my highlight - a nice grooving song with jazzy rhodes piano plus a bluesy part with bubbling synths and sensitive guitar. På Grön Kvist is provided with an intense reggae/dub rhythm near to the sound of Hidria Spacefolk and the following 13 minute track I Afton Trans comes up with two main parts in a different mood, first uptempo busy, later floating and gliding. A heavy rhythm section dominates Dimland later changing to a trippy rocking part with some eastern oriental elements.

'I Grévens Tid' is an enjoyable album and excellent find for progheads who like Hidria Spacefolk or Ozric Tentacles as well as swedish bands jamming along anyway - 3.5 stars.