FRIENDSHIP

Being Norwegian I am almost obligated to write a review of what might be the most influential Norwegian progressive rock album of all time. Being released in 1971 it was the first even 2LP released by Norway at the time and what a way to start! This is an absolute classic that should be appreciated by more people and hopefully this review will inspire some of you all to go and listen to this masterpiece.

Let's take a look at each of the songs on the album now!

1. Try to Understand: The album kicks off with a fantastic flute intro and a catchy guitar riff. This song is a perfect example of a progressive rock song being accessible yet still complex. Fantastic opener. 9/10

2. Witches Daughter: After the great opener it is followed up with one of the weaker (but still good) songs on the album. This song is very catchy indeed but is not as great as the rest of the songs on the album. It does have a great guitar solo though which makes it worth listening to the song every time I listen to this album. 7.5/10

3. Music for Our Children: The first side of the vinyl ends off with the best song on the album so far. This song is very progressive, going through multiple distinct sections, each of them being perfect in their own way. 9.5/10

4. A Spectre is Haunting the Peninsula: This track opens up side two and has, in my opinion, some of the best guitar riffs and guitar work overall. All in all a fantastic song that can't be improved much if you ask me. 9/10

5. Sunrise / Sunset: Thankfully side two has a solid follow-up to the great opener. This song has such fantastic vocals and is all in all a great song. Not one of the very best but not one of the weaker either. 8.5/10

6. The Magical Garden: This might be my favorite song on the album and ranks among my favorite songs to come out of Norway. The song opens up with gorgeous and catchy keyboard work and has some vocals for a little over a minute, then goes into a number of beautiful guitar / keyboard passages, before vocals eventually kick in again. Very jazzy dual guitar work and simply just phenomenal. A perfect that a song can be a masterpiece without being too complex. 10/10

7. Autumn Diary: The second vinyl record starts off with a short little track that is perfect for what it is. Nothing very special but nothing to criticize. 4.5/5

8. Maurice: The first and only proper instrumental song on the album (if you don't count specific sections of the title track as separate songs) and it is fantastic! Lots of great flute work here. 8.5/10

9. Attila's Belly Dance: Okay so this song is also instrumental but it's not even a minute long. Kind of a stupid song but I somehow find it quite pleasant and never find myself skipping it. 3.5/5

10. Friendship: And finally we enter the 26 minute title track. This is one of those progressive rock epics that never gets talked about but is easily among the best ever written. Not to mention that it is from 1971 which is before classics such as "Supper's Ready", "Close to the Edge", "Thick as a Brick", "Shine on, You Crazy Diamond", and "2112". The first six minutes ("Prelude: Take the Road Across the Bridge") ends the third side of the vinyl and is simply perfection. Very catchy keyboard riff opens up the song and great overall song writing here. The remaining 20 minutes fill up the final side of the vinyl and has multiple incredible sections as well. The first instrumental sections are phenomenal and the final part ("Friendship") is one of the most beautiful endings to an epic ever written. Unbelievable essential song that any progressive rock or jazz fusion fan must hear! 25/26

This is one of those lost gems that unfortunately never gets talked about much outside of Norway. It deserves a much more recognition and is up to par with most of Yes and King Crimson's work, if you ask me.