ONE MAN TELL'S ANOTHER

Landberk was a progressive rock band from Sweden that was established in 1992. Landberk alluded to the so- called classic prog period of King Crimson's activity, willingly using the Mellottron, as well as softly harmonizing guitars. In the atmospheric layer, you can hear the so typical characteristic for the Scandinavians, the darkness and the sadness. Among their musical fascinations, apart from the already mentioned about King Crimson, they mentioned also, among others, their countrymen Anekdoten, Joy Division and Talk Talk. The band successfully drew on the richness of the prog genre of the 70's, although they never became their duplicates. With their musical preparation and approach they proved to have an original view of the prog rock music with roots firmly in the 70's but with a much modern approach.

They released their debut album 'Riktig Akta' in 1992, soon after they have formed, which literally brought to their knees and not only the Scandinavian audiences, with its simple melody and an interesting mixture of melancholic Mellotron, flute and guitars. Everything brought to mind the right associations with King Crimson and Anekdoten. Once the commercial success they achieved was huge, it was decided to make an English version of the album. It was released in the same year with the title 'Lonely Land'. It includes a successful cover of the track 'No More White Horses', of the album 'It'll All Work Out In Boomland' released in 1970 by the British prog rock band T2. Once again it confirmed their fascination with the King Crimson's sound. Two years later, their album 'One Man Tell's Another' expanding the band's current sound with elements of jazz fusion. It was called by some the magnum opus of Landberk.

'One Man Tell's Another' is an album with a solid musicianship, a diversified writing, a strong production and a different approach of the usual progressive influences. There's no properly an outstanding musical virtuosity or complexity on the music on the album, but with some novel sounds and fresh chord progressions, the album moves beyond the more typical symphonic prog of their first album into some different musical areas. Some of the most tasteful use of the Mellotron in the most recent years can be found on this album, as happened with the albums of their countrymen Anekdoten. The lyrics, written in English, of personal melancholy and angst, are rather thematically similar throughout. So, this is another album with the so typical Scandinavian melancholy. The music benefits greatly, covering a variety of styles on the seven songs. The five band's members of the band spread the writing duties around. All these elements that are brought together making of this album a strong and cohesive whole that is very engaging.

'One Man Tell's Another' has six tracks. 'Time' is a kind of introduction that kicks the album with the most rhythmic track on the album, a track with a captivating and typical rock melody. This is an energetic and solid track that combines an upbeat tempo with a dark nuance. 'Kontiki' with its mellow style, tight bass lines and eerie vocal line is closer to King Crimson's music. The main difference with the typical King Crimson's early albums is the riffs at the opening. It comes to my mind King Crimson's album 'Starless And Bible Black' but in a melancholic way. 'Mirror Man' is a very dark and melancholic track with a touch melody throughout the track. It's a slow and nostalgic song with some accentuated jazz nuances and with all that fragile melancholy again, so common all over the album. 'You Are' is another excellent track with some guitar fills reflecting a dark nuance followed by a vocal line. This is a very emotional track where the guitar and Mellotron are great, as is usual all over the album. 'Rememberence' continues the same style as previous tracks, a dreamy song with crepuscular and hypnotic rhythms and cadences. Here, the vocal melodies and Mellotron follow the vocals. This is another great track on the album. 'Valentinsong' is another excellent track with a great vocal line. It stays very pastoral featuring sparse piano and barely audible vocals. It's one of the most relaxing tracks giving to it an almost new age atmosphere. 'Tell' ends the album with another great track. This is an aggressive song with a more typically rock rhythm. This is a more accessible track where the guitars stay stubborn and rebellious.

Conclusion: 'One Man Tell's Another' confirms what I thought. It's an amazing album in the same vein of the Nordic albums of the 90's. It has some of the best things I love most in the modern prog, a perfect marriage between the old and new with the dark melancholia so typical of the Nordic prog bands. This is an album about dark atmospheres. The music is soaked through in melancholy and sadness with an overpowering sense of beauty. Besides the clear influences of King Crimson and the similarities with the music of their countrymen Anekdoten, it can also reminds me a bit of Opeth and Porcupine Tree, at times. The overall sound of the band is dense and self- contained. The keyboards, especially Mellotron, are mainly used to provide background music for the moods, while the bass and drums form a solid framework that also drives the music forward. All in all, it's an album with the perfect music for the autumn days.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)

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