WALKING CIRCLES

Prog rock is a genre that emerged in the late of the 60's and that became very popular in the 70's. It was essentially a British phenomenon in those days. However, it was also a phenomenon that appeared, widespread and that grew up in many other European countries. Probably, the best example was Italy where a great amount of bands with great quality appeared, a phenomenon that still exists today. But, we can say that in almost all European countries appeared bands with great quality. So, the Scandinavian countries weren't an exception. Soon, many bands with great quality appeared in all those countries. However, the Danish prog rock scene has always been quite small and unknown, especially in comparison to their neighbours. Still, there are some names that deserves a special mention in the Danish prog rock scene in the 70's, such as, Ache, Alrune Rod, Blue Sun, Burnin' Red Ivahoe, Culpeper's Orchard, Day Of Phoenix, Dr. Dopo Jam, Fleur De Lis, Midnight Sun ex Rainbow Band, The Old Man & The Sea, Secret Oyster and Thors Hammer.

Thus, Midnight Sun was a Danish progressive rock band that was founded in 1969, but under the name Rainbow Band. The group was a kind of super group, as it included former members of the Danish bands Young Flowers, Maxwells and The Beefeaters. In 1970, the band released their self-titled debut studio album under the name of Rainbow Band. Shortly thereafter, the group had to change their name because a band from Canada had copyrighted the same name. So, Rainbow Band became Midnight Sun. Their self-titled debut album under this new name was released in 1971. The band released two more albums before breaking up in the mid 70's "Walking Circles" in 1972 and "Midnight Dream" in 1974.

So, "Walking Circles" is the third studio album of Midnight Sun ex Rainbow Band and that was released in 1972. The line up on the album is Frank Lauridsen (vocals and harmonica), Peer Frost (guitars), Niels Bronstad (piano), Bent Hasselmann (winds), Bo Stief (bass guitar) and Carsten Smedegaard (drums).

"Walking Circles" is a good instrumental album with some good ideas. I didn't really like the album at a first listen. Still it grew up on me with time. It feels a lot like Chicago, though not as an exciting imo. Although I might never have been the biggest Chicago fan, the way Midnight Sun infuse some heavier prog and psych rock moments might gives that style just the kind of kick in the pants it needed. However, it's a bit unbalanced. The album could be jazzier, or funkier or more folk, or they could rock more. But, the album doesn't exactly fit in these categories. They touch in everything, but the music isn't equally distributed. It hasn't really bad songs, and overall, the instrumental breaks are often passable.

Musically, "Walking Circles" doesn't necessarily really offers any significantly different music in relation to the previous studio album of the band, "Midnight Sun", despite another change in the line up, the presence of another vocalist after Lars Bisgaard on "Rainbow Band" and Allan Mortensen on "Midnight Sun". In the liner notes, the group's music is aptly characterized. The compositions on Midnight Sun would be at home somewhere between Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Soft Machine. But, I think they are best comparable to the music of the first incarnation of Colosseum. I have nothing to complain about it in this classification. Here we have a bluesy-jazzy rock with a sax component is made by Midnight Sun, dominated by the excellent piano playing by Niels Bronstad and also the virtuoso electric guitar performance of Frosts, who is between earthy sometimes and others that are banal rockers like "Can You Hear The Music Play?", "The Way Of Zen", "I've Got A New Mind", "Winds Gonna Blow" and "I'm Living A Dream" and a filigree of more complex jazz rock numbers like "Country Song", "A La Turca" and the title track, "Walking Circles" that here sway a bit more. There are jazzy skillfully orchestrated instrumental passages in all pieces, but the powerful vocals of the new singer Lauridsen usually provide for the bluesy musky rock (pop) elements that were so trendy at the time.

As happened with the previous album of the band, the cover of the Midnight Sun's second work is also adorned with a painting by Roger Dean, even a rather strange one. A human skeleton, with a spine elongated into a tail, sitting on an icebergand using it as a third leg, so to speak. I think this is one of the most original and strange covers made by him.

Conclusion: "Walking Circles" is a little less sophisticated, more simply knitted, earthier and significantly more poppy than "Midnight Sun". There are noisy strings as well as some occasional folky-bluesy harmonica interludes. In contrary to the claim in the cover text of the album that "Walking Circles" would represent a step forward for "Midnight Sun", from a merely progressive point of view, I really don't think so. "Walking Circles" isn't a well balanced album. It didn't impress me much. It's a summary of many and too much varied styles that go from psychedelic, jazz, folk and rock. But it doesn't fits very comfortably in none of those styles. The album has some good music moments and I think it can grow. There's nothing great here but nothing really bad, either. I really think that "Walking Circles" is a step backwards, a departure into more commercial realms. Still, as a whole, we really cannot say that we are in presence of a bad work.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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