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FLOWER KINGS ‘Unfold The Future’ (Inside Out 2002)
The band has been around since 1994 and this is their eighth release. The
line-up is Ronie Stolt (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Tomas Bodin
(piano/keyboards), Hasse Froberg (vocals), Jodas Reingold (bass) and Zoltan
Csorsz (drums). How to describe this album? Try thinking of every musical
style you know and this band cover them on this album. Opener, ‘The Truth
Will Set You Free’ clocks in at over thirty minutes and has some Yes
influences, mainly in the vocals and their structure. The song weaves from
rock to jazz to world music. A truly epic track and one that highlights the
band’s expert musicianship. ‘Black and White’, a ballad with underlying
guitar and piano builds nicely into a weird musical middle then back to
ballad mode. ‘The Navigator’ has a Floydian feel to it and a crystal clear
vocal from Froberg.
The second CD starts with ‘Genie in a Bottle’, a mellow track with lush
strings and keyboards building into a jazz-rock ending. ‘Grand Old World’ is
very laid back, with some mellow saxophone and again Pink Floyd hints appear
here and there. The funky ‘Rollin’ the Dice’ again show another side of the
band, with a Geoff Tate like vocal. ‘The Devil’s Dance School’ is a spacey
jazz-rock instrumental and not really my cup of tea! Two piano led ballads,
‘Man Overboard’ and ‘Solitary Shell’ follow and again the vocals are very
accomplished. Closing track, ‘Devil’s Playground’, tests the band’s musical
skills to the limit - with time and style changes overload! The track
culminates with a Yes-style ending, after some sublime guitar and keyboards.
This is the first album I have ever heard by this band and I will
certainly track down their earlier material. This album goes beyond the prog
rock tag and really defies categorisation. There are parts of the album to
appeal to all rock fans who like to be challenged by their listening once in
awhile.
****
Review by Jason Ritchie
£14.99
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