RED ALERT IN THE BLUE FOREST

How to begin explaining or even trying to fathom what this album is all about?

We can begin with the album cover and title.

The album title Red Alert in the Blue Forest' evokes a feeling that there is some serious problem in the forest and it is blue. Perhaps we have lived through a period of time where human progress has slowly encroached and reached a point of critical mass. The forest is threatened!

The album graphics are of the 3 VHB in perhaps some traditional attire but also could they really be 3 Jesus' or even perhaps 3 Ceasers? Who knows. What is for sure is that they all have one eye shut for some unbeknownst reason. (on the VHB website they cleverly have both eyes open if you place your mouse over the one shut eye)

Here are the tracks from this 70 something minute double album.

1. Day of Reckoning 4:39

A lovely atmospheric electronic keyboard intro and vocals lifting into angelic harmony. VHB are known for their harmonies and this is one of the best to date. Softly spoken but haunting which delves deep into folklore and mystery. The album seems to be describing our mistakes as humanity, on perhaps a personal and also a collective responsibility. The title itself brings into the imagination a fear of the future or what is to follow. There certainly are aliens involved of some sorts, perhaps we are the aliens or travelers.

2. Blue Forest ' 9:07

What an absorbing and incredible song this is. It takes the listener from moments of relief to moments of out and out panic and despair. The quickness of time and life passing by. The nostalgia of old memories or our lives, the rawness of life and nature and also the fragility. The song weaves in and out of delicacy to a rocking riff driving the song into a spiraling twirling pit of the unknown. I absolutely adore and love the musical "red alerts" in this song.

3. The Promise ' 5:20

A grungy and ominous start to this song quickly delving into a mind of a new age frolic conjuring up visions of the Wicker Man but the lovely introduction soon picks up pace and has an authentic Scandinavian country feel to it. This one is very animal in nature, about senses, nature, ancient spirits, and the raw basis of life.

Wait, as soon as I was thinking this short 5 minute track would turn into a Crosby Stills and Nash and Young track it simply blew me away. This may be the best track on the album ' but wait'

4. All of a Sudden, You're Gone ' 7:13

The title of this track of course gives one some kind of feeling that the song will be about loss of some kind. The opening of the tune is again angelic and beautiful, but with dark undertones ever gradually misting around throughout the progression of the song. The painful ache of nostalgia, love and loss that only becomes more apparent with the spinning of wheel of time. The prior VHB album 'War is Over' suddenly felt like this album's forgotten past, and although wishing war really over, there is that acknowledgment that war never seems to be over. What may have been describing human interactions with other humans causing all our woes, 'Red Alert in the Blue Forest' could almost be describing our affect on the physical world around us, while we were preoccupied with busily killing each other or putting our so called progress before the sustainable health of the planet. The song ends with so much pain it brought tears to my eyes. I watched VHB officially released video and of course it makes you see the song in a different light. The fragility of life, the environment, of love and relationships, and of time. It made me think to myself what good are empty mills if there is no grain to eat and what purpose has a working horse who's only wish is to grind it for us?

Kie Von Hertzen "We shot the video in Virkkala, a one-hour-ride west from Helsinki, in this old chalk factory, which was shut down in the mid 90´s. Shot in December 2021 over five days with only 5 hours of daylight per day, temperatures of -15c and no electricity at the location."

5. Peace Patrol ' 10:01

What a tricky and sneaky way to start a new track after the powerful track before. I felt like I had been transported back to a late 80s electronic disco in Europe. How wrong I was. This song is playful and cheeky and when looking at the 10 minutes it was supposed to run, I knew I was probably in for a treat. And what a treat, the song starts to grow but still with the late 80s sneaking in here and there, but you just know it is going somewhere special. Once we start getting into some eastern vibes you know the song is going places. This track holds the secret to the dirtiest epic Saxophone piece since Dark Side of Moon and where would you be with out some emotional and exceptional guitar riffs by the ever more so talented Kie von Hertzen. Again the theme of the song is perhaps about what we do in the name of something such as progress, but instead destroy, maim or hurt. If "we make it" we will one day look back and see what we did.

6. Pirates of the Raseborgian ' 4:57

Just when I though the last track was sneaky, this one drew me in to its journey. It felt like I was submerged, spinning around the universe in a dizzy sea shanty. The lyrics to this song at once make you laugh but always the sarcasm is there. With lines such as 'We're eating white sharks for breakfast, Kraken for lunch, and we're drinking with pelicans", what more could you want?

7. Anil ' 6:46

Back to the fairy dust and magical forests, the fields and sunshine overlooking the pastures. The reoccurring theme for the album has been consistent. Once again such a clever song musically and lyrically. A wonderful but hopelessly sad tune. Broke my heart.

8. Elbowed ' 5:17

The prior song leads us right into the brass/piano lead intro ' a tough time-ticking start to this song much about even the toughest hearts being vulnerable and prone to weakness.

9. Northern Lights ' 7:40

After doing some research on this song I found that they had actually featured rarely heard sounds of the Aurora Borealis as recorded by Professor Unto K. Laine. As much as it feels like an intro to a sci fi movie this song is magnificent. Delving yet again into the earthly and heavenly elements it really is a wonderful soul-releasing trip.

In fact, after repeated listens, I excitedly noticed that the Aurora Borealis recorded sounds were mixed into many of the songs on the album, sometimes melding in with the percussion, sometimes a flowing atmospheric sound.

10. S'dersk'r ' 3:46

I had a feeling this word meant something. The S'dersk'r lighthouse (Finnish: S'dersk'rin majakka, Swedish: S'dersk'r fyr) is a decommissioned 19th-century lighthouse in the outer Porvoo archipelago of the Gulf of Finland. Looking back into one's own lifetime, upbringing, how life and society was back then, how things seemed so much better then, so much simpler. Regrets can be many in one's lifetime. This song was written alone in the lighthouse and you really get the feeling of isolation.

11. Disappear There ' 4:52

And what a finale to this lovely album. Beautiful and simple. I will say no more other than 'I know I'll disappear'.

The music and lyrics are haunting, truthful, and creative. I loved how the initial simplicity of some of the songs evolved into progressive jaunts into the unknown. It is a themed album and somewhat a concept album. Clever, witty, sad, desperate, love lost, are we running out of time?

Over all I would give this an excellent 4.5 star rating.

Bursting forth with only their eighth studio album since 2000 and first in five years, the brothers from Finland have come up with a typically solid collection of songs.

1. "Day of Reckoning" (4:39) rousing, well-developed song with a catchy, pertinent message. (8.75/10)

2. "Blue Forest" (9:06) plaintive singing over matching child piano note play for the first minute of this. Bass notes are added for the multi-voice chorus in the second minute. At the end of the fourth minute we switch soundscapes and tempos as the vocalist becomes more personal, in our ear. At 5:26 the music bursts into more abrasive territory, but only briefly, as it soon turns to pop-Gregorian with more synthetic Radiohead/Flaming Lips rhythm tracks beneath. Heavy again for the eight minute in which organ and so many others pick up a new melody motif to play with. Wow! (17.5/20)

3. "The Promise" (5:20) interesting instrumental palette backing a not very interesting melody or structure--though the strings and vocal performances are outstanding. (8.5/10)

4. "All of a Sudden, You're Gone" (7:12) nice vocal, melody, and lytic presented by piano, cello and bass. At 2:15 a coda of full-rock instrumentation breaks in between the second and third verses. I really like this vocal! Obviously, the brothers are mourning the loss of someone(s) important to them. A top three song, for sure. (13.5/15)

5. "Peace Patrol" (10:00) okay 80s-pop first three minutes is embellished by oud-like instrument in fourth minute of instrumental but then switches direction, completely, turning into heavier, plodding, anthemic rock that is lifted to amazing heights by one of the best sax solos you've heard in a rock song for decades! (I swear I hear a little Kingston Wall in this music!) This, then, is followed by some stellar and sustained guitar soloing in the second half. Emotional and awesome! Definitely a top three song even though there are so many others! (18.25/20)

6. "Pirates of the Raseborgian" (4:57) Now this was unexpected! A sea shanty! Cute and, surprisingly, highly engaging. (9/10)

7. "Anil" (6:45) acoustic guitar picking with ethereal airy vocals makes for quite a lovely musical presentation. Great vocals, great melodies, great chorus, great lyrics! Great thickly layered instrumental finish. Another top three song. Beautiful! Comparable to some of the great folk-rock singer songwriters of the 1970s. (13.5/15)

8. "Elbowed" (5:16) heavily horn-infused rock opening thins out for the vocal presentation. Nice melodies from vocalists and the individual instruments. A bit of an Andy Partridge/XTC feel. There is definitely a lot going on here! (8.75/10)

9. "Northern Lights" (7:39) embellishing the actual recorded sounds of aurora borealis with their own creative electronicisms, the Brothers have churned out a highly enjoyable electro-pop piece which includes multiple catchy melody riffs each vying for the listeners' attention. Then add in the spacey vocal and you've got a song worthy of radio play. There's so much to this song! Thank you, Finland, for letting your talented sons share their talents with the rest of us! Reminds me very much of a great psych-rock song from the late Petri Walli (KINGSTON WALL). My favorite song on the album. (14/15)

10. "Söderskär" (3:45) nice dreamy little psych-pop dittie. Reminds me of Moon Safari, Gadi Kaplan, or Needlepoint. So polished and mature. (9/10)

11. "Disappear There" (4:52) forest fairie folk with a bit of John Martyn, Ant Phillips, and Nicholas John Talbot (Gravenhurst) infused within. Beautiful and classic! (9/10)

Total Time 69:31

My history with the Von Hertzen Brothers is that, while the music and songs often strike one upon first listen as fresh, creative, and interesting, successive visits are not always as engaging or interesting. I've had this problem with almost every Von Hertzen Brothers release, which had left me less excited for each successive release. Perhaps its due to my lack of engagement and/or interest in the lyrical messages, perhaps due to the attention the songs demand (in order to gleen the subtle complexities). At the same time, I really and truly appreciate the maturity of the VH Bros' songwriting, their intelligent and sophisticated lyrics and lyrical content, and their highly polished, "finished" song productions. I am pleased to announce that all of this has continued to improve with this album--and especially my previous malaise. I've been listening to this album almost exclusively for about a week and am enjoying the layers and subtleties I'm discovering with each and every listen. But I must issue a warning: This is NOT background music! It needs to be listened to with your fullest attention! It not only demands it, it deserves it! One more thing: Did I mention: these brothers can sing: each of the three is so solid and talented!

A-/4.5 stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--one of the best releases I've heard from 2022 (so far)--and quite possibly in the running for Album of the Year. I'll let you know after more listens. Warning: This is not background music!

P.S. Has anyone else ever noted the subtle presence of the "ghost of Petri Walli" in the VHB music?

We are facing one of those albums that flee from the labels, however we could affirm that, despite the varied instrumentation and the different forms and sonorities that inhabit this work, we are facing a fairly accessible album, with special emphasis on the melodies and vocal harmonies that are reinforced and accompanied by instrumental developments that never become complex or technically 'virtuous', rather tend to the sublime (check the endings of "Blue Forest", "All of a Sudden, You're Gone" or "Peace Patrol").

Even having all these qualities, the album as a whole is not satisfactory; irregular in quality and quite excessive in duration for an album that risks little or frustrates any attempt to venture with less conventional structures.

This is the 8th album from Finland's Von Hertzen Brothers, three brothers (Mikko, Kie, and Jonne) that play guitars and bass and all sing (beautifully), joined by keyboardist Robert Engstrand and drummer Sami Kuoppamäki. Although I was not familiar with their previous albums, I was mightily impressed with this one, certainly one of the very best of 2022. They have put together a fantastic album of dynamic and and accessible progressive rock, expertly mixing in gentle acoustic and vocal harmony tracks and sections with powerful rockin' sections, all while maintaining a strong melodic sensibility throughout. Wonderful melodies, vocals, folk and pop elements, lyrical content, and musical and instrumental artistry. A stunning album, eclectic and daring in its scope and ambition, featuring a range of moods and styles, yet rooted in melody and atmosphere. Best tracks: All of a Sudden You're Gone, Peace Patrol, Day of Reckoning, Anil, Northen Lights, Dissappear There. Rating: 4.5

VON HERTZEN BROTHERS known in a hurry in 2006, and then the missing time, my tastes elsewhere, in short I forget them, I did not approach them enough I will say, until this year 2022 when I am told, it's great, you should like it, in short, the chro.

'Day of Reckoning' ...the last time I loved it from the start was O.S.I; a separate sound, that's what I feel with VHB; a bit of PURE REASON REVOLUTION for the violence of the rhythm, a bit of supercharged THE FLOWER KINGS, a bit of the very pleasant hint of the 2nd YES version of 'Drama'; the violent guitar solo which raises the level again. 'Blue Forest' perfect, melody that makes you spend 9 minutes in 10 seconds, in short you put it back on. The station wagon is beautiful, innovative, modern, sought after. 'The Promise' country, folk, oriental, on an Auvergne bourrée, we hear the clogs knocking, strange. 'All of a Sudden, You're Gone' slide guitar which confirms to me this great American West declination; a Celtic violin drives the point home, a soothing ballad melody; the baroque finale as a SIGUR ROS in joy could propose with choirs, trumpet; symphonic. 'Peace Patrol' starts new-wave à la A-HA, like what there was good during the 80's and this movement apart that I consider as an extension of prog; it's dancing, on a NEW ORDER, on a happy THE CURE, in short it makes you jump, what joy; sax solo between SUPERTRAMP and PINK FLOYD which rips off, which never ends for an orgasmic rise, amazing to see so much creativity. 'Pirates of the Raseborgian' more rock-pop, on a rhythm à la MUSE then again the American folk atmosphere, the squeaky chair at the end is the proof. 'Anil' on amazing Murray HEAD, country ballad a notch below, but it was so high before; good cries of children who pass to 'Elbowed' on a lament melody, folk ballad reminiscent of the sound of the 70's in the heavy movement, this just for the very sharp finale. 'Northern Lights' follows, a long intro half-hovering, half-rousing, singular; it rises to a confusing folk-synth-pop tune, we don't know where it's going! it continues to rise causing a trance with choirs, trumpet and percussion, still immense. 'Söderskär' acoustic guitar, warm voice for rest. 'Disappear There' for another nursery rhyme ballad title, as if to recover after so many emotions.

Well, the VON HERTZEN BROTHERS deserve even more to be in the top 2022 for innovation and the quality of their music; an album that I hadn't listened to enough otherwise it would have entered my top 5, too bad that's how life goes, the chronicle being the best way to talk about it. The why of the top 15 and not top 5 is just the last quarter which does not give enough in view of the above, yes I am demanding.