ONE MAN TELL'S ANOTHER

A much-overlooked gem from the 90s--predating, as has been pointed out, the sounds and stylings that were soon to make Radiohead, The Gathering and Porcupine Tree popular favorites. Though I agree that this album shows a marked evolution in the band's development--less overt are the influences of KING CRIMSON (except maybe "Kontiki"), VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR ("Valentinsong") and GENESIS--I do still feel some newer influences from different groups. On this album I am flooded with reminders of TALK TALK, THE CHURCH, and even U2.

1. "Time" (3:41) begins with a kind of U2/SIMPLE MINDS intro before settling into a POLICE- like vocal section. Singer Patric Helje's amazing chameleon-like voice hits some high notes in the chorus reminding me of some of DAVID BOWIE's greatest moments. Great drumming from Jonas LIdholm on this one (as throughout). (8/10)

2. "Kontiki" (7:18) starts out with a repetitive pulsating organ chord and a vocal that sounds a bit like Adrian Belew. It then evolves into a very soft, slow moving song with lots of sensitive subtleties of guitar, keyboards and cymbols which eventually build for the climactic final two minutes of "heaviness." Definitely some KING CRIMSON shining through with this one. (8/10)

3. "Mirror Man" (5:57) is the first of this album's great songs--and the first to display a sound rather unique to Landberk. I love the jazzy SWING OUT SISTER strut from 2:13 to 2:59. The highlight for me, aside from the delicate guitar throughout, is the jazzy last 1:30--especially when Reine's guitar goes into scratchy feedback. Plus Helje's final phrase and note. (9/10)

4. "You Are" (6:03) is the first song I've heard from Patric Helje in which I hear quite distinctly the voice of ICEHOUSE's lead singer, IVA DAVIES. Great atmosphere--not unlike that of ICEHOUSE--beginning at 1:30. I love Reine Fiske's traveling guitar feedback: cycling back and forth from channel to channel during the third minute. Then it comes front and center (with some harmonics floating around behind) for a very cool yet delicate solo. Startlingly sudden ending! (9/10) 5. "Rememberance" (6:35) sounds like a walk through the realm of Steven Kilbey's THE CHURCH with the syncopated drumming style of STEVE JANSEN. The bass is so mesmerizing on this one--and Patric Helje's vocal is so smooth and powerful! I love the additional percussion in the second B section. Quite reminiscent of PETER MURPHY's song "Roll Call." (9/10)

6. "Valentinsong" (9:38) is so delicately nuanced (it predicts much of Reine Fiske's influence and contributions to PAATOS's first album, Timeloss) that I could listen to it over and over. Space and harmonic sustain and decay are the champions of this song. (10/10)

7. The album's real jewel, however, is the finale: "Tell" (8:36) Beginning with such raw, exposed guitar conveys such tremendous emotion. When Stefan Dimle's bass enters toward the end of the second minute, and then Fiske turns to those slow, distorted chords! And then the entrance of the 'tron! Then guitar feedback like only Hendrix ever mastered! I tell you people, Reine Fiske is an absolute genius! Then the amazingly catchy BONO/KILBEY-like vocal sucks you in even deeper (as if that was even possible!). At 5:27 we are treated to a section of raw emotion that has even more impact! I mean: How much adrenaline can a body produce in the space of six minutes?!! But wait! The final minute gut-punches you again with a pause (Is it over?) and then play out with keyboard wildly perambulating around the sonic horizon. (11/10. Best song of 1994, IMHO!).

I've grown accustomed to favoring the band's final album together as their masterpiece, but this one is, to my mind and ears, also worthy of that designation. I get so enmeshed in the work of astounding genius Reine Fiske that I might find it difficult to be more objective about the value of Landberk's contributions to the world of (progressive) music. But, again, this album is so engaging, so emotional, so inimitable, and such a glowing example of the fact that there is/was a Prog Renaissance going on in the 1990s that I can only bump this 4.5 star album up to masterpiece level.