SAGAN OM RINGEN [AKA: MUSIC INSPIRED BY LORD OF THE RINGS]

Bo Hansson's Lord of the Rings * Middle Earth.... the soundtrack*

J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings... oh how many albums and songs have been inspired by it. Practically required reading by every long hair in the 60's and 70's. References to it abound in the music of the era. However this my friends... is the one album to have to have when discussing it's effect on musicians and music of the era. The musical visionairy at work here is Sweden's multi-instrumentalist Bo Hansson. Hansson with the veritable warhorses of 70's prog, the Hammond Organ and the Moog synthesizer creates a lush though dark musical landscapes that of course fits the various stages of the epic tale. Want to hear what it sounds like to be chased by the Black Riders, want to hear the sound of riding Shadowfax, the sounds of the Riders of Rohan charging forth to do battle. You must hear this album. This, along with ELO 2 that I previously reviewed, is one of the fabulous 5 albums that turned me onto prog back in the early to mid 70's. Like ELO 2 I have never tired of the musical journey that it inspires.

Some highlites for me..

The Black Riders & the Flight to the Ford. An 'air' congos blast. Rune Carlson beats the heck out the congos while Hansson plays the martial main theme on the Hammond and adds tasty Moog parts. A good fuzzed out guitar solo heralds the final part of the chase to the ford... Great song.

Dreams In the House of Healing. Short by rather effective dreamy guitar and synth part that evokes visions of peace and rest. Always have found this track highly relaxing and further proof of Hansson matching the mood of the various tales of the story with appropiate musical landscapes.

Rating this album. Easiest of the 3 I've done so far. To me, and essential and nearly flawless in my eyes. For the forum at large... an excellent record and a great addition to any prog collection Micheal (aka micky)

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