I BÖRJAN OCH SLUTET

TRETTIOARIGA KRIGET are a Swedish band who've flown under a lot of people's radar unfortunately for years.Their first album came out in 1974 and they made a big splash with their 2004 comeback album "Elden Av Ar". This is the followup to that. I should mention that both ANEKDOTEN and ANGLAGARD list this band as a big influence. And yes they play mellotron, in fact this is their most mellotron laden album yet. I don't think i've ever pronounced their name right yet and I find it kikd of cool that my daughter likes these guys considering she's not the biggest Prog fan around. Andy at Planetmellotron desribes them as mainstream with a progressive edge. He also recommends "unequivocally" the first two albums along with this one and "Elden Av Ar". As do I. This is an interesting album because it doesn't have a lot of outbreaks or dynamics per se. Yet i'm really drawn to their sound here in a big way.

"I Krigets Tid I" opens with mellotron and intricate guitars before kicking in fuller after a minute.This is great ! It blends into "Barndom" where it's pastoral but it starts to build. Reserved vocals before a minute. Mellotron 1 1/2 minutes in.This is a beautiful section. It blends into "Ungdom" where it stays laid back before kicking in with vocals after a minute. It calms back down 4 1/2 minutes in and blends into "Benke" which is the last song of the suite. I like the instrumental intro here then it settles some when the vocals arrive, but then it picks back up quickly. I like this one a lot. "Lovsang" is dark with guitar to start, reserved vocals a minute in. It's building after 3 1/2 minutes then the vocals return after 4 minutes. It settles one more time. "Oknen" is a short mid paced vocal led track. It's kind of catchy too. "S-Bahn" has some nice deep sounds to open as the organ joins in, then vocals before a minute. It lightens some as contrasts continue. Mellotron ends it.

"Floden" features strummed guitar and reserved vocals. It kicks in at 1 1/2 minutes. Love the guitar 2 minutes in. "Ryttaren" is atmospheric with guitar. Drums and vocals before 1 1/2 minutes.The guitar style reminds me of Neil Young. It ends like it began. "I Borjan Och Slutet" is a great tune as the organ floats in the background while the guitar and vocals continue on. Mellotron too. "I Kriget Tid II" opens with guitar and drums.This is excellent. It's fuller before 1 1/2 minutes then fuller again before 3 minutes as the organ joins in. It settles with intricate guitar,bass and mellotron. Nice.

A very solid 4 stars.