THE RAINMAKER

This is probably the weakest, or rather the least interesting studio album The Flower Kings have released so far. Which means, all in all, it's a quite decent effort that leaves me with the feeling of a great outfit in a less inspired hour. It's not a failure or an embarrassment of the variety that most good bands, admittedly, come up with now and then. It is just comparably bland, when put next to brilliant or at least really imaginative and beguiling albums such as "Flower Power", "Space Revolver", "Paradox Hotel" and....well, most of the other ones in their catalogue. This one is sometimes a bit stiff and monotone in comparison, with some not-so-memorable tunes that I simply tend to forget altogether, and some suites that don't carry the weight they should. "Last Minute on Earth" and "Serious Dreamers" work well enough, but they never soar like the strongest symphonic tracks the band has shown itself capable of. Does this album qualify for three stars? Well, I think so, but not by a wide margin considering the potential that evidently is there. This is to the Flower Kings what for example "Abacab" is to Genesis. There is, on the whole, nothing real spectacular or sensational going on here. Worth a listen, but definitely not the kind of introduction you would suggest to a newcomer in the Flower Kings universe.