W.W.W.

1. "The W.W.W. Suite": - i. "Second Floor, Croydon" (8:37) Ole sings in a John Lennon-effected voice over some John Lennon-like music to open this one before the spacious pause in the beginning of the second minute which ends with the band launching into a Brit-Rock sounding pseudo-R&B theme. Sounds like BR Ivanhoe's version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." The sound engineering is different from their previous album: more effects used on the bass and vocals with warmer treatments given to the organ, drums, and flutes--and with everybody brought more forward in the mix, making it much more intimate, as if the listener is inside the instrumentalists' circle on stage instead of 20 feet away. The organ, drums, and guitar playing are rather primitive while the vocalist and seem more adventurous. Nice sound but a little too primitive to garner high marks. (17/20)

- ii. "W.W.W." (6:07) droning amplifier feedback sound opens this one, holding for quite a while as organ, bass, cymbals, and violin gradually add their subtle experimentations and interjections. This loose weave of cacophonous tuning and warmup jamming continues well into the second half of the song until some peaceful flute- and whale-like violin notes seemingly soothe and calm the rest of the band members. Very interesting and, I have to admit, somehow enjoyable--not unlike a POPOL VUH listening experience. (8.75/10)

- iii. "Avez-Vous Kaskelainen" (4:47) the band here slowly congeals into a "Driver's Seat"-like organ-driven groove within which wah-wah-ed violin and electric guitar flit and float. Like an experimental DOORS jam that never made it to album. (8.75/10)

- iv. "Kaske-Vous Karse Mose" (3:49) Karsten Vogel's soprano sax gets to lead this with some nearly free-jazz playing, but not before his organ and Kim Menzer's flute set up a hypnotic, nearly-Krautrock foundation. Also featuring multi- tracking! (8.875/10)

5. "All About All" (4:08) strummed John Lennon-like acoustic guitar opens this one before the band jumps into a BADFINGER-like pop song about the band's history: musically and geopolitically. Fun and funny with some nice soprano sax playing throughout. (8.875/10)

6. "Oblong Serenade" (6:25) another Beatles imitation, this one from the Fab Four's psychedelic peak years. Pounded piano, trombone, and multiple track dedication to loose drunken-fun vocals gives it a lot of Magical Mystery Tour feel-- as does the kazoo-like soprano sax play in the third minute. At 3:47 Jess Stæhr and Bo Thrige Anderson double the pace, providing the impetus to the rest of the soloists to up their energy levels--which Karsten Vogel, Ole Flick, and even a weak Kim Menzer do nicely on. their sax, electric guitar, and trombone, respectively. (8.875/10)

7. "Cucumber-Porcupine" (5:21) bass, bass drum, guitar, and alto sax all chime in on punctually playing a "Stand By Me"-like progression of riffs before flute, sax, and group choir vocals peel off to make their own melody lines. Drummer Bo Thrige Anderson eventually smooths out his rhythmic support into more of a rock style, but the bass and electric guitar continue to chug through the song's original staccato progression till the very end. The happy song seems to want to end the album with a feeling of laid-back cohesion and commisseration--as if we're all in this together and it's gonna be all right. Nice. (8.875/10)

Total Time 39:14

While I like the new, richer sound palette and experimental moods of the band being expressed on this album, I do not think it to contain many memorable songs: so many feel unfinished, as if the band were using these studio sessions to become more proficient with the new (and old) sounds of their instruments, work out new ideas and skills, as well as try to figure out how the individual band members can better serve the needs of the collective. Once again, I cannot in good faith consider this album a shining example of Jazz-Rock Fusion music; there is more of a jazz-like experimentalism being expressed here, but there is really very little jazz. More R&B than jazz.

B-/four stars; a likable collection of songs in which a band is doing a lot of experimentation. But the question must be asked: How much of it is for themselves and their own growth and entertainment and how much for their audience?

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