ATLANTIS

I was positively surprised by this album, which hasn't got much attention anywhere I have managed to poke my nose in. A jazzy piano sounding a bit Keith Jarrett and Patrick Moraz opens " Se vuosi" (That Year), which is a pretty & slow keyboard driven ballad, resembling quite much both Greenslade's first album and "Bedside Manners are Extra", and it's actually very pleasing. There's room for solos in the middle sections of long verses, and also there's a faster movement in the end, with different rhythmic ideas. "Kaupungin naiset" (The Women of The City) is a slow blues rock filler, a small disappointment after the wonderful opener. But luckily it's short, and the rest of the tracks continue the good style of the first long track. "Atlantis" starts with some soundscapes, which present again very interesting sounding keyboard driven song. These compositions are carefully constructed, having also some thoughtful arrangements and some free solos over predetermined scale progressions. In the famous Scandinavian melancholic way there are lots of minor key melodies and catchy verses to be heard here. The last song "Vanha surullinen laulu" (Sad Old Song) is truly the most depressing number here, and the lyrics are about the political violence of the 1970's in excess of other terrible things. As a counterforce there are the only major key melodies of the album in a short middle section.

As a conclusion I would say that in addition of Greenslade, this music resembles Haikara's first record, if that masterpiece's wind sections would be changed as to old keyboards. The result is not still as great as the Finnish band's debut I mentioned. Also as this was done in 1976, this wasn't a pioneer band, but rather a record done inspired by the artistic style of the English art rock acts from the beginning of that decade. Nothing new under the sun, but a very pretty flower still. I believe that punk along rockabilly culture were quite strong movements in Finland already that time, and probably the vinyl versions of this album didn't sell very well. Thus this sympathetic album was maybe forgotten, sharing the demise of Flemish band Dragon. Now it's luckily back as a well manufactured CD reissue, and all of those who are interested of rarer symphonic progressive rock releases or history of Finnish alternative rock might like this album. I'm still not suggesting of paying ridiculous sums of money of the original, unless the record is surely known to you. Singing is done here in Finnish, so majority of the world's population possibly escape the lyrics, which are not critical for the listening I think, but being very warm and thoughtful poems still.

Nova is a forgotten finish prog band from mid '70's who for some reasons didn't made it in prog circles. Anyway the album was re release at Si-Wan records some years ago and is a real chance to be heared my a larger auditorium because the album is worth investigate. Nova pays some eclectic music combined with jazzy and bluesy interplays and even in places some symphonic elements are there. They remind me of Dragon (from Belgium) or Tabula Rasa , their country fellows, even some Genesis chops here and there. Overall a good album that desearves 3 stars for sure , but really I can't give it 4 or 5 like other reviewers, it isn't a masterpice in my ears not if I listing the album 100 times. In places beside the good atmosphere , some parts are to forced, is like they are bored by this music. Anyway the best pieces are first one - the opening track Se Vuosi (translate in That year) and last one Vanha Surullinen Laulu (translate in Sad old song) with great spacey key passages made by Antti Ortamo, whi is aswell the vocalist and the main composer; the rest of the two are ok, Kaupungin Naiset (translates in The Women of The City) is blues number totaly unintristing and out of this album as a whole, and Atlantis. So finally a good album, but nothing special in my opinion, anyway desearves 3 stars for sure. One of the fine finish prog bands from the '70's along with Tabula Rasa among others.

This Nova was a short-lived Finnish quintet from Helsinki, formed in 1975 around the talents of pianist, composer and keyboardist Antti Ortamo.The original line-up featured also drummer Jukka Marjala, bassist Veikko Kumpula and guitarist Junnu Kostia.After a single on Love Records, Kumpula and Kostia quit and their replacements were guitarists Micca Vasenius and Jouko Helatie along with bassist Petri Peltola.In 1976 they recorded their sole release ''Atlantis'', again a Love Records product.

Nova played a soft seminal Symphonic Rock with an evident Scandinavian aura due to the slightly psych-tinged rhythm section and the display of Finnish lyrics, still they endorsed their style with strong jazzy and bluesy elements, like on the short ''Kaupungin naiset''.The rest of the album consists of three long cuts, apparently centered around Ortamo's work on acoustic piano and Hammond organ.The music is very gentle with Classical and jazzy spices, a bit similar to FOCUS, but less grandiose and technically efficient.Generally this goes more into atmospheric and quasi-melodic realms with some minimalistic interruptions for piano themes and vocal performances, there are even some acoustic textures to be found.The album lacks a certain level of dynamics, it swirls around mellow organ waves and piano variations with the occasional guitar twists and solos, however the arrangements are pretty nice with interesting ideas, the last track ''Vanha surullinen laulu'' being the most competent one, showing some tendency towards E.L.P.-like organ experimentations and introducing the sound of melancholic synth lines, supported by quirky jazzy interplays and the standard Scandinavian lyrical essence.

Nova disbanded soon after the album was launched.''Atlantis'' did not sell very well and the limited calls for live performances were the basic reasons for the band' demise.

Semi-symphonic 70's Scandinavian Prog, covered by light jazzy elements.Elaborate, lengthy tracks with a relaxed atmosphere, a bit similar to compatriots TABULA RASA.Recommended, CD reissue out only by the Korean label Si-Wan.