FIRE FORTELLINGER

The first solo album by long-time keyboard genius of Norwegian band WOBBLER. It's about time(!) as unsung hero and perhaps greatest prog keyboard artists of the 21st Century, Lars has also served as a full member of the bands TUSMÃ?RKE, HOLON, IN LINGUA MORTUA, WHITE WILLOW, WESERBERGLAND, THE OPIUM CARTEL, and CALIGONAUT!

1. "Rytter av dommedag" (16:56) I haven't heard this keyboard sound in a long time--since PETER GABRIEL circa 1982! The song moves into a EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER/RENAISSANCE-like vamp motif for the second minute before unravelling for a delicate vocal supported by the above-cited "ancient" electric piano. This motif and music sounds almost mystical, magical, or mythical--as if we're hearing the musical presentation of the life of a mediæval wizard or alchemist. In the fifth minute we move back into a variation of the ELP/John TOUT motif before turning off into a more public/confessional sounding vocal passage still using full ensemble support. The keyboard solo in the seventh minute is, again, quite Keith EMERSON-like (with John CAMP-like bass support). I have to admit: Lars (like his Wobbler band mates) excels at the replication of classic 1970s sounds and motifs. With repeated listens it happens to be Lars unusual vocals that interests and entertains me the most: he feels as if he is truly the embodiment of the classic "magician" stereotype: ambiguous, suspicious, perhaps even unknowable. The song's construction and execution is strong--perhaps even flawless--though, as suggested, very closely mimicking the music of the past (which makes it challenging to rate). (32/35)

2. "Et sted under himmelhvelvet" (6:53) harpsichord arpeggi and "flute" (synthesized) open this before Mellotron and Lars enter to sing a vocal in Lars' native Norwegian that sounds quite a bit like a lot of the current Italian progressive rock artists in its bombast and melodic sensibilities. Nilolai Hængsle's chunky bass is quite the attention-grabber in the third minute as a fairly long instrumental passage begins. Lots of fine keyboard display from vintage sounds. At 3:49 we get a stoppage out of which flows some peaceful Hammond organ play in which is entwined with more of the "flute." At 5:13 Lars returns to the previously used vocal motif, leading again into the very RPI-rich keyboard motif which closes the song in a rather quick fadeout. (13.3333/15)

3. "Jærtegn" (6:27) the launch into fast-paced organ-rich prog sounds so much like a blend of KEN HENSLEY/URIAH HEEP, KEITH EMERSON, and ALLAN "TAFF" FREEMAN (NEKTAR) and yet is also steeped in the older stylings and sounds of ROD ARGENT, BRIAN AUGER, JON LORD, and even MATTHEW FISHER. The rest of the RPI-like styling is nice, the vocal only fair, yet this piece is a very nice tribute to the Hammond. (8.75/10)

4. "Naturens katedral" (16:36) a song that seems to work hard to replicate a scale of keyboard bombast that was only ever really used/identified with KEITH EMERSON, Lars here even goes as far as to try to imitate the vocal timbre and style (and bass sound/style!) of GREG LAKE as well as the drumming style of CARL PALMER. A true tribute to (one of) his hero(es). I'm actually quite impressed with how well Lars (with his doubling-up technique) manages to "duplicate" Greg's vocal style and sound. It's a very different vocal sound than what was present on the previous four songs.

The instrumental passages of the fourth and fifth minutes--with their occasional choral vocalise in the background and rich bass and Mellotron presence--are straight out of the classic RENAISSANCE soundbox. But then we go into a much more ominous Hammond-driven passage that makes me think more of classic Rock Progressivo Italiano music (like that of GOBLIN or LE ORME). Next is the stripped down harpsichord section. While I don't associate the harpsichord with any one band, the prolonged display in the tenth and eleventh minute flows into a passage that sounds and feels as if it comes straight out of the heavy psychedelic craziness that is IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO's 1973 classic masterwork, Ys. Great stuff! (As is the original.)

As we rise out of the RPI maelstrom and into the fifteenth minute we return fully to the realm of the jazz-rock stylings of the great Keith Emerson for a penultimate theme which then morphs into yet another passage in which Lars seems to be paying tribute to the great mainstay of progressive rock music: the Hammond organ. Well done! Though never a raving fan of ELP or Keith Emerson, I love how Lars packaged this tune as what feels like a tribute to how good Keith Emerson might have been. (29/30)

Total Time 46:52

If retro-prog (i.e. the faithful replication of the sounds, styles, and motifs of the "classic era" of 1970s progressive rock music) is what you love, then you'll probably love this product. In fact, I don't think I've ever heard so nice a memorial to the great prog keyboard masters as this one!

A-/five stars; a wonderful contribution of classic keyboard-oriented progressive rock from one of the true modern-day masters of the prog keyboard. Thank you, Lars!