A GIANT'S LULLABY

It lasted four years before Norwegian band Kvazar released a new album after their eponymous debut CD from 2001. Only two members survived these years: keyboardplayer/singer Andre Jensen Deaya and drummer Kim A. Lieberknecht. Kvazar has turned into a five piece band with additional guest musicians, including female singer Trude Bergli.

1. Flight Of Shamash (9:13) : The intro contains the impressive sound of a Gregorian choir, then Kvazar manages to create a great tension beween dreamy (fragile guitar, soaring keyboards and acoustic guitar), fluent and bombastic parts (eruptions with fiery guitar and organ), very compelling and dynamic with echoes from Anekdoten (a bit sultry and a propulsive rhythm-section).

2. Choir Of Life (5:36) : The music alternates between cheerful folky (flute, mandoline and soft way-wah guitar) and bombastic with lush violin waves and spectacular synthesizer flights.

3. Untitled (1:30) : A very beautiful track delivering warm Spanish guitar and soaring

4. Dreams Of Butterflies (8:30) : Here is my highlight on this CD, it contains lots of shifting moods and many surprising musical ideas: jazzy with violin-Mellotron drops, bombastic eruptions with majestic choir-Mellotron and sensitive guitar runs, an accellaration with a fluent synthesizer solo in a jazzy climate and dreamy with warm vocals and thin saxophone, unique!

5. Untitled (1:49) : A strang track with lots of weird sounds.

6. Spirit Of Time (8:42) : This long composition reminds me of Pink Floyd because of the spacey keyboards, the slow rhythm and the sensitive guitar work. Halfway a great break with sensational keyboards and dramatic female vocals. The Mellotron waves evoke early King Crimson.

7. Desert Blues (6:13) : A splendid translation by the band from the title into the music: a sultry atmosphere that make you feel alienated, we also hear strange sounds and a fiery saxophone.

8. Sometimes (5:09) : Here we can enjoy the distinctive Rhodes eletric piano sound in a jazzy climate with subdued guitar play and dreamy saxophone work.

9. A Giant's Lullaby (9:42) : This titletrack delivers many shifting moods, from a slow rhythm with mellow saxophone and dreamy with choir-Mellotron to a mid-tempo with swinging piano, everything is possible with Kvazar in this captivating composition!

10. Dark Horizons (8:03) : The final song is dreamy with twanging guitar, gradually the music becomes more bombastic but to me it fails to keep my attention, a bit disappointing end.

The words 'progression' and 'progressive' should be put on the banner of this interesting Norwegian band, they have made a strong, very varied album, ranging from classic symphonic rock to jazz, if you are up to this variation the new Kvazar will delight you!