FuturePast Reviews

Progsheet CD review

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:35:00 GMT

Hasse Froberg & Musical Companion - Powerplay (Reingold Records)

Hasse Froberg, for the uninitiated, is vocalist for the Swedish progressive band the Flower Kings. On this project, Froberg sings lead and plays a bazillion guitars. Joining him are Anton Lindsjo on guitars; Thomsson on bass; Ola Strandberg on drums; Kjell Haraldsson on keyboards. They are a monster ensemble - heavy and tight.

While their sound is contemporary, I can definitely feel an early 70s Deep purple / Uriah Heep heavy rock vibe interlaced with the prog elements. It's a fantastic blend. A piece like The World Keeps Turning grabs your ear immediately and never lets go. Catchy chorus, strong vocals, great keyboard licks. While all the tunes, from Waves to Is It Ever Gonna Happen to The Chosen Ones are all strong and stand on their own, the cornerstone of the album has to be The Final Hour. Rock, prog, even a bit of fusion all combine into an absolute killer of a number. Unforgettable.

Powerplay is a deeply satisfying effort. Hasse Froberg and Musical Companion really have delivered one hell of an album. If you love the Flower Kings, you obviously need this. If you never heard a note of the Flower Kings, but love rock and prog that rocks hard without resorting to the easy out of going "metal" - you will eat this disc up! All meat, no filler. Powerplay is a stone cold winner!

Review by Rok Podgraj?ek

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:25:00 GMT

After The Flower Kings took a break, the singer, Hasse Fröberg, decided it was time for a project more suited to his style, which would contain only his song-writing material. This year, we got the second installation of the Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion band, called Powerplay.

If you know Hasse's ideas from The Flower Kings, you already get a sense of what Powerplay sounds like. But only slightly. There’s way more to it than that. We still get Hasse’s down-to-earth, simple melodies, which are built upon into full-fledged prog rock structures – and impressive ones at that. At the core of the album still remain Hasse’s melodies, which are as good as ever, but given the full prog treatment, with wonderful instrumental segments to rival the best Flower Kings workouts, and especially carefully chosen structural development.
Some songs are left in their “rough” form, without all the prog accessories, and they work just fine as well, like more power pop prog. Even here, we are able to observe Hasse’s various talents in coping with different styles, like soft ballads, power ballads, soul, pop, hard rock and so on.

The music generally moves along at a very healthy pace. If you give this album a chance, the melodies and tempo will surely brighten the day and the music will get stuck in your head for days to come. You get the same kind of positive approach as with The Flower Kings, but Hasse's approach to music is way more basic than Roine's and you don't get any unnecessary complicating of the original melodies, just the arrangements are tinkered with and led in all sorts of directions.

We all know Hasse's voice from The Flower Kings, which works well in contrast to Roine's harsher style. Here, Hasse's soulful voice comes to the fore and he even expands to a hard rock edge, taking on an ominous Glenn Hughes like role, where soul and hard rock meet as perfect lovers.

Powerplay’s title should just about explain the album to you. It is a powerful album, full of elegant and powerful prog music with a great uplifting tempo and song-writing. I think Hasse’s talents might be underutilised in The Flower Kings if he can come up with an album like this, but I suppose we can be hopeful for more work from Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion.

8.5 out of 10.

RockTimes review by Steve Braun (June 21, 2012)

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:03:19 GMT

Was soll man tun, wenn man als kreativer Kopf in einer progressiven Band, mit einem übermächtigen Leader ausgestattet, chronisch unterfordert ist? Völlig klar, man gründet ein ambitioniertes Sideproject! Die Rede ist natürlich (in chronologischer Folge) von Hasse Fröberg, den Flower Kings und Roine Stolt! Seit dem (tollen) 2007er Album The Sum Of No Evil lagen die Blumenkönige erstmal auf Eis, wohl hauptsächlich weil Stolt sein anderes 'Baby', Transatlantic, an die Brust legen wollte. Sänger und Gitarrist Hasse Fröberg nutzte die freie Zeit, scharte ein paar Freunde zu einer Musical Companion zusammen und macht deutlich, was ihm bei den Flower Kings zu fehlen scheint: 'Powerplay' - sprich: ROCK. Nach der Debütscheibe "Future Past", vor zwei Jahren mit sehr viel Wohlwollen in der Szene aufgenommen, legt Fröberg nun den Zweitling vor - wenige Wochen bevor die Flower Kings mit "Banks Of Eden" ihre Pause beenden. "Powerplay" - selten war ein Albumtitel treffender, denn hier rockt es... und zwar kräftigst. Dabei geht Fröberg sehr geschickt vor, mischt 'Proggiges' mit 'Hardrockigem', kurze mit langen Stücken. Die epischen Longtracks "My River To Cross" und "The Final Hour" werden von "The World Keeps Turning" aber sowas von 'zerzaust' - so ein Song wäre tatsächlich bei den Flower Kings nicht zu verwerten gewesen. Der Zündstoff für "Powerplay" ist die überwiegend harte 'Gitarrenarbeit', gerne und oft in Twin-Parts mündend. Fröbergs Gesang klingt sehr viel rauer als bei den FloKis, kehliger, manchmal auch merkwürdig gepresst - in jedem Fall gewöhnungsbedürftig. Was nicht auf die Keyboardpassagen zutrifft: Kjell Haraldsson spielt nicht einfach - er zaubert! Fette Hammond-Klänge geben den Songs fast durchweg eine enorme Dichte. Virtuose Moog-artige Soli sind jedes Mal deren Krönung - überhaupt hat sich Haraldsson für die Keyboard-Sounds ein feines Programming einfallen lassen. Insgesamt ist im Musikerkreis keine einzige Schwachstelle auszumachen. Während man den Longtracks "My River To Cross", "The Final Hour" und "The Chosen Ones" durchaus Hasse Fröbergs Herkunft anmerkt - sprich: diese von den FloKis inspiriert sind - fallen andere völlig aus dem Prog-Raster. Da sind vor allem die fröhlichen Abrocker "The World Keeps Turning" und "Venice California", aber auch das teilweise knüppelharte "Is It Ever Gonna Happen" zu nennen. Hier beschreitet Fröberg gelegentlich äußerst schwermetallische Pfade, immer wieder unterbrochen von proggigen Ausflügen - ein echter Anspieltipp! Auch die sparsam instrumentierten Balladen "Waves" und "White Butterfly" zählen dazu. Sehr nachdenklich endet "Powerplay" mit dem "Godsong" - alle Texte findet man übrigens im Booklet des schön gestalteten Digipaks, das beim Label des FloKi-Bassers, Jonas Rheingold, aufgelegt wurde. Co-produziert und gemixt hat übrigens ein anderer aus dieser Connection: Keyboarder Tomas Bodin. Mit "Powerplay" kehrt Hasse Fröberg zu seinen Hardrock-Wurzeln zurück, zu Spellbound und den Highway Stars für die er vor seinen FloKi-Zeiten sang. Musikalisch tut er dies sehr überzeugend. Seine Musical Companion ist hochkarätig besetzt - sein Songwriting exzellent. Abzüge gibt es lediglich für den gewöhnungsbedürftigen Gesang, dem die Wärme etwas abgeht. Trotzdem: eine richtig erfreuliche Platte!

InRock review by Elena Savitskaya

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:56:44 GMT

Hasse Froberg & Musical Companion "Powerplay" (2012) progressive rock 10/10 Reingold Records ?????? ?????? – ??? ?????? ??????, ???? ??? ??????????, ???????, ???????? ??, ?? ???? ?????? ??????????. ?????, ??? ????? ??????? – ?????? The Flower Kings, ??????-????? ???????????? ????-????, ?????? ???????? ??????? ????????? ????-?????? Spellbound ? ?. ?. ? ?. ?. ???????, ?????????? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????????? ????????? ????????: "???????????? ?????????" ? ?????????? ????? ? ?????? ?????? ? ??????????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ??????. ??????? ? ????????????? ????? ? ?? ??????? ?????????, ????? ??? ???????????? RoSfest ??? ?????????? Night Of The Prog. ???????? ?? "?????????" ????????????? The Flower Kings, ???? ???????? ????????? ????? ??????, HFMC ???????? ??????? ????????? ????? ?????? "Powerplay", ?? ????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????????? ????? ? ???? ????????. ???? ??????? ????????????? ?? ??????????? ????? ????? ???????????? ? ???????????: ??? ?????? ??????, ?????? ?????? – ??? ?????, ???? ?????????? – ??? ????????????, ? ???????????????? – ?????????? ??????. ??? ????? ??? ??????? ? ?????????? ????? ? ?????, ???? ?? ?????, ???, ????? ??? ? ????? ???????? ?????? The Flower Kings ?? ???????? ? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ?????. ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ??????? ????????? Musical Companion, ?? ? ? ???-?? ????????? ?????? ????? ("FuturePast", 2010). ? ?????? ??????? – ? ?????????, ????????????? ?????, ???????????? ? ???? ? ??????????? "?????????". ?????? ??????? ????????, ??? ?????? ?????????? ???????? ??????? – ????? ?? ?? ????? ???????, ? ?????? ???? ???????????? ?? ???. ? ?????, ???? ???? ?? ??????????? ??????????, HFMC ??? ?????????????? ? ???? ??????????, ??? ??? ????????? ? TFK ?????? ????? ?? ???????? (???????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ? ???????? ????????????? ? ???????????). ?? ? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ??-???????, ? ??????????????? ??????. ? ?????? ???????, ?????? ?????? ????????????, ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ?????????? ? ?????? ????????? ?????. ????????, ?????? "My River To Cross", ????????? ?????????? ????????? ?????-?????????, ??????????? ????? ????-????? ? ????-???????. "Is It Ever Gonna Happen", ??????? ??????? ????-????????????? ?????? ? ????????? ?????? ? ???? ????? ??????? ???, ? ????? "??????????" ? ?????? ????-????, ? ???? ?? ????????? ????, ??????, ????? ????????? ?????????, ?????? ? ?????... ?????! ???? ?? ????? ??????????? ?????, "The Final Hour", ???????? ? ?????? ???????? Rush. ??????? ????? ??????????? ? ?????????? "The World Keeps Turning" ? ???????? ? ????????????-????????? "Venice CA". ?? ? "Waves" ? "White Butterfly" – ???????? ??????????? ???????. ? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????????????? ???-?? ?????????? "Walking On Air" King Crimson, ?? ????????? ???????????? "????? ???????" – ?????? ???????????? ? "Blackbird" The Beatles, ???????? ??-??? ???? ???-?????????? ? ????-??????. ???????????, ?????????? ? ?????? ????????????? ?????? ???? ?????? – ????????????? ??????????? Hasse Froberg & Musical Companion. ? ???? (???????? ?? ???????: ?????? ? ?????????) ???????????? ???? ? ???????? ??????????? ????? – ?? ??? ??????. ?? ???????????? ???????????? ????????, ???????? ??????????????????????? ????????????? ? ????????????? ? ??????????? ?????, ? ????? ? ???, ??? ??????, ??????????? ? ??????????. ?????????? ????? ???? ???? ???, ????????? ? ???? ? ???????? ?? ??? ??????, ??? ?? ????????????? ?? ("The Final Hour", "The World Keeps Turning", "Godsong"). ???????? ? ??????? ????, ? ??? "????", ??? ?????????? ????????? ? ????????? ?????? ????? ? ????? ("My River To Cross"). ?????????? ? ????? ???-?????? ?? ?????? ("Venice CA", ????????? ??? ???????????? ?? ?????????? ? ??????????: ????, ??? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ??????? ? ??????!). ????? ???????? ????????? ???????? ????? ? ?????? ????? ("The Chosen Ones"). ???????????? ???????? ???????... ??? ????????? ? ?????? ?????? ??????? ? ??????? ?? ???????? ????????, ? ????????, ??????? ? ????? ?????, ????????????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ? ??? ??????. ????? ???, ??????, ??? ?? ?? ????: ??? ????????? ? "??????? ???????" – ?????? ??????? ? ?????????? ??? ?????????? (???-Spellbound), ?? ? ????????? ????? ?????????? ?? ???? ????-???? (??????? ? ??????? ??????). ??????? ?? ???????? ????????? ????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ? ?????????, ?? ??????? ????, ????? ??????? ??????????? ?????? ? ???? ????? ??????. ? ?????, ?????? ????? ???????????? ??????? – ??? ??????????, ??? ????????? ????????? ?? ??? ???????? ??????? ? ????????? ? ?????? ???? ????? ????????. ? ?????? ?????? ? ????????????? ? (???????? ?? ??????????? ?????) ?????????????, ????????? ?????? ????? ???????? ????? – ???????????, ??????? ??????????, ??????? ?????? ???????, ??????? ??????? "?????" ? ?????? ?????! ? ????????? ????? ?????, ??? ? ? ??????? ???. ????? ????, ??????????- ????? ???? ? ??????? ???????????? ????? ?? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????, ?? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ??????. ? ???????, ?? ????? ?? ????????????? ?????????? ?????. ???????? ?? ????-?? ????? ?????? ? ?? ?????? ??????????! ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????????. InRock #53

Review by Cyrille Delanlssays, AmarokProg (June 6, 2012)

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:54:52 GMT

Note : 8.5 Titre : enthousiasmant Voilà enfin un bon album de rock progressif électrique qui flirte avec les années 70 dans une forme d’espièglerie réjouissante. Déjà coupable d’un premier album jouissif (Future Past, 2010), le guitariste/chanteur Hasse Fröberg et ses compagnons musiciens (Kjell Haraldsson, Ola Strandberg, Anton Lindsjö & Thomsson) reviennent au galop. Précédé de ces antécédents prometteurs, Powerplay mérite à nouveau toute l’attention nécessaire. Les neuf titres de haut niveau se jouent des zigzags percutants, avec ses riffs touffus, de la grandiloquence maîtrisée, de l’emphase bien jaugée (« My River To Cross », « The Final Hour »). La gymnastique fait toujours penser à Deep Purple (« The World Keeps Turning » et sa mélodie accrocheuse) et ne pêche jamais par excentricité. Ce qui étonne, c’est la facilité avec laquelle le groupe passe de la balade réussie (« Waves » ou l’Aerosmith « Godsong ») à du pop rock qui fait mouche (« Venice, CA », Toto dans l’âme). Jamais l’album ne perd en substance (« Is It Gonna Happen » et son solo waouh) et s’il ne parvient pas à toucher la dimension supérieure aussi souvent que son prédécesseur, les suédois n’oublient pas de ressortir la formule magique de leur poche dès que l’occasion se présente. Un peu de jazz ici (« The Chosen Ones »), un peu d’acoustique là (« White Butterfly » superbe de finesse mélodique), le gang ne se plante jamais. Moins tornade aventureuse, HFMC soutient impeccablement ses chansons et truffe ses structures simples de passages où se dégainent quelques éblouissantes performances. Le résultat est des plus enthousiasmant !

Review by Harald Schmidt @ BabyBlaue-Seiten

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:50:33 GMT

Der Albumtitel hält, was er verspricht – ein Powerplay von Hasse Fröberg, dem Sänger der Flower Kings. Er komponiert und arrangiert die Musik - schreibt alle Texte und produziert mit Tomas Bodin auch noch das gesamte Album. Und seine Musik hat Wumms und Klasse! Clever wechseln sich kürzere, eingängigere Songs mit längeren Prog-Powerplays ab, so gerät das Album kurzweilig und ist nicht nur Prog, sondern auch Rock: Die kürzeren Stücke können mit gelegentlicher Hardrock-Attitüde an große Zeiten von Journey, Queen oder Manfred Mann’s Earth Band erinnern, die Longtracks können sich dem Einfluss der Flower Kings nicht ganz entziehen, wo diese jedoch ätherisch, schräg oder frickelig werden, legen Fröberg und Co dann nochmal ein Scheit nach, rocken davon und zeigen, dass nicht umsonst zwei hauptamtliche Gitarristen in der Band agieren. Die Musik wird dann auch getrieben durch die Gitarren und den Gesang, das Schlagzeug wirkt seltsamerweise nicht wie das Rückgrat der Band, sondern eher, als ob es sich am Tempo der Gitarren orientieren wolle. Das Drumming ist insgesamt kaum auf Filigranarbeit angelegt, sondern hat den Auftrag straight nach vorne zu gehen und klanglich Druck zu entfalten. Die Keyboardsounds sind ein einziges Aha-Erlebnis – tolle Orgeln und Moogs liefern schöne Teppiche, sorgen für Groove, Volumen und tolle Solo-Einlagen gibt es zuhauf. Diese Keyboardsoli veredeln selbst kurze Stücke noch auf raffinierte Art. Als Sänger zeigt sich Fröberg mit mehr Profil und deutlich aggressiver, rauher als bei den Flower Kings. Von sanften Tönen in Balladen bis hin zu Shoutereinlagen bringt er alles authentisch und souverän. Und genau deshalb gelingen auch alle Stücke auf diesem Album, das ist sehr gekonnt, denn der Gesang fügt sich in die jeweilige musikalische Ausrichtung der Songs grandios ein. Ob kernig und treibend oder ekstatisch und episch. Und genau das hebt dieses Album aus der Masse hervor – mir fallen nicht so viele Bands ein, die sowohl ausladende Prog-Kompositionen als auch gerade Rock-Songs in dieser Art qualitativ homogen schreiben und präsentieren können. Man darf dieses Album als Überraschung bezeichnen. Dass Fröberg den Rocker geben kann, weiß man spätestens seit seinen ersten Soloausflügen mit Spellbound – das hatte aber nichts mit Prog zu tun und davon liefert er mit seinen Music Companions nun aber reichlich. Powerplay klingt an manchen Stellen wie eine amerikanische, eine wilde Version der Flower Kings und bietet druckvollen, melodiösen und trotzdem komplexen Progressive Rock – wirklich ein Powerplay! Anspieltipp(s): The World Keeps Turning, Is It Ever Gonna Happen, The Chosen Ones

Review by Paul @ Morpheus (May 2012)

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:46:37 GMT

STYLE

Progressive rock in the grand tradition of the early nineteen seventies.The first thing that struck me about Powerplay is that this album proudly builds upon the towering heritage of prog - no apologies, no watering down, no blending of more recent genres to 'update' the music. This is the album that Yes should have released: glorious, expansive, energetic, fragile, huge. I have to say that Fröberg and company have restored my interest in the genre to a degree far greater than I would have imagined possible forty years down the line. The melodies are strong and complex: the structures effortlessly encompass dreamy rock meandering with slide guitar, smooth synths and soft drums; aggressive sections with pleasingly astounding fiddly guitar work, squealing moog, heaving bass and vocal harmonies; acoustic twelve string passages and a voice with the occasional delicacy of Jon Anderson.It's important to point out though, that working within a genre established decades back has not resulted in an album of rehashing old material or imitating the sounds of others - no, Powerplay feels one hundred percent authentic, somehow like this band was there at the time, riding the crest of the prog wave, only somehow they're doing it now. An incredible feat to achieve - wow!

ARTWORK

Powerplay comes in a glossy grey digipack. Cover art is of simple graphic shapes and text highlighting the embossed titles - Powerplay in deep purple. On the rear, track titles scatter in the same purple hue among the larger grey letters of Powerplay. The inside spread is a grungy monochrome montage of urban degradation. A sixteen page booklet lurks inside the left panel, with matching cover. Within, the layout is again of glossy metallic grey: lyrics to each track are presented in full; portrait photographs of the band, each sliced vertically in half edging the pages. The central spread holds an orb-like image of the whole band with thanks and credits on either side.

OVERALL

Powerplay is the second album from Flower Kings vocalist Hasse Fröberg and his group Musical Companion, released on Reingold Records. The Swedish band are well known to progressive rock fans, carrying on the grand tradition of seventies giants Yes, Rush, Queen and of course The Flower Kings. What immediately appeals to ears familiar with the original prog rock era is the commitment to the seventies ideal - that ambitious grandeur that many of the pioneering acts seem to struggle to recapture now decades later. I can honestly say that I am completely blown away with this reawakening. Clearly accomplished musicians in standard five piece format, this band have high ideals and all of the skills necessary to deliver. The band's website plays the music for you and the label page provides additional info.

Musicwaves review by Corto1809 (May 10, 2012)

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:41:07 GMT

Après un premier album plutôt bien accueilli par la communauté progressive, Hasse Fröberg, le chanteur et guitariste des célèbres Flower Kings, nous revient avec ses Musical Companion dans un album intitulé "Powerplay". Diantre ! Le titre de cet opus a de quoi inquiéter quand on sait que le garçon avait déjà légèrement lâché la bride à un rock sensiblement plus musclé sur "Future Past" que ce à quoi il nous avait habitué avec la bande à Roine Stolt. "Powerplay" s'affranchirait-il encore plus des conventions du rock progressif pour se rapprocher d'une musique metalloïde ? Outre sa durée affichée, le long titre d'introduction 'My River To Cross' rassure immédiatement ceux dont la sensibilité est plus émoustillée par des musiques à tiroirs que par de bons gros riffs. Encore que la musique de HFMC ne manque pas de panache et d'énergie. Mais le titre enchaine les changements de mélodies, les variations de tempos et de nuances dans une belle tradition progressive, avec une touche hard rock apportée par des solos de claviers et de guitares techniques et enlevés, et un chant rappelant les accents de Meat Loaf et Rod Stewart. Cette introduction dynamique et, disons-le, particulièrement réussie, est le reflet du reste de l'album même si le côté progressif est moins présent par la suite et ne se retrouve véritablement que dans l'autre epic, 'The Final Hour', à l'ambiance très yessienne, l'influence du groupe de Jon Anderson se retrouvant en clin d'œil jusque dans la répétition des paroles finales, 'close to the edge'. A cette exception près, toutes les compositions lorgnent plus vers un AOR bon teint façon Asia ('The World Keeps Turning', 'The Chosen Ones') qui vire parfois au hard rock pur jus ('Venice CA', 'Is It Ever Gonna Happen'), émaillées de très beaux passages héroïques de claviers et de guitares, d'une rythmique soutenue mais pas envahissante et d'un chant qui, s'il sait se faire hargneux au moment opportun, a l'intelligence de ne pas chercher à passer systématiquement en force. "Powerplay" enchaine des mélodies agréables qui, si elles ne sont pas d'une exceptionnelle originalité, ont le bon goût d'être immédiatement accrocheuses, sans mièvrerie ni agressivité excessives. HFMC joue pour notre plus grand plaisir un rock foisonnant et décomplexé, une musique riche et spontanée propre à satisfaire un grand nombre d'auditeurs.

Review by Janne Stark

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:30:25 GMT

Hasse Fröberg is foremost known as lead singer of eighties melodic metal band Spellbound and lately as lead singer of progressive band The Flower Kings. When Hasse now puts his name on his own product, it’s closer to the last, but with hints of the first. The band’s first effort proved he was definitely on the right path. A strong debut indeed. The follow-up, Powerplay, starts off with My River To Cross. I totally love the way this track builds up. It starts out quite gentle, pop-symphonic and in the vein of The Flower Kings, to suddenly burst into some really heavy intense powerful guitar riffing, to move into the melodic, almost pomp-oriented chorus. All of it ornamented with Hasse’s killer vocals. The World Keeps Turning goes in another direction, uptempo melodic rock with an almost AOR:ish touch, at times a bit reminiscent of Asia. Guitarist Anton Lindsjö is a new bright star to keep an outlook on! Great, soulful yet technical playing, which he also shows in The Final Hour. After the soft ballad Waves, the album continues with Venice CA which reminds me of early Toto meets Starcastle meets Trillion. A great melodic track with an almost poppy chorus part. On of my favourites is the heavy, hard rocking Is It Ever Gonna Happen with an almost Purple:ish touch in the verse. In The Chosen Ones I also hear a bit of Styx, especially in the synth melodies. Without going in too much in detail, I can tell you this is a versatile, yet composed, great sounding melodic prog/symph/rock album which should appeal to fans of anything from The Flower Kings, to Styx, Kansas, Asia, Yes etc etc. Great stuff indeed!

Review by Jordan Blum, examiner.com (June 19, 2012)

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:25:04 GMT

Swedish guitarist/vocalist Hasse Fröberg is no stranger to progressive rock fans. As a founder and current member of The Flower Kings, he’s lent his voice and six string skills to some of the genre's most beloved albums. However, he’s also been involved in several side projects, including his solo outfit, Hasse Fröberg and the Musical Companion. With its second release, "Powerplay," the quintet firmly establishes itself as a powerful force in the scene. While it feels a bit more generic and colorless than some of the competition, it’s still an exciting journey overall. The follow-up to 2010s "FuturePast," "Powerplay" once again sees Fröberg working with guitarist Anton Lindsjö, keyboardist Kjell Haraldsson, bassist Thomsson, and drummer Ola Strandberg. All four supporting members provide backing vocals, too, and the record was engineered by Flower Kings keyboardist, Thomas Bodin. Although a relatively new group, they’ve already toured actively in Europe and America. Of the live scene, Fröberg states, “Playing live is definitely the right element for us. I really can’t wait to take The Musical Companion and the songs on Powerplay on the road.” Fans should be equally excited, as "Powerplay" is full of complex compositions and ever-shifting melodies. Undeniably, there’s a definite Flower Kings/Transatlantic vibe in the way “My River to Cross” starts the record with a bold jam. Admittedly, like the entire album, it’s more direct and not as eccentric or textured as the former groups’ approaches, but the connection is still t. Fröberg displays his powerful, raspy voice in between pleasant harmonies and choruses, and the instrumental section in the middle is intense. As raw and biting as most of the album is, Fröberg and company also showcase a sensitive side, such as the opening delicacy and thorough poignancy of “The Final Hour.” Its beautiful piano work and quiet, peaceful woodwinds complement the more aggressive aspects well. There’s also some pretty funky guitar constructions. “Waves” is almost simple and reserved enough to be a commercial hit, while “White Butterfly” is a short ballad that works perfectly as a dreamy, reflective segue into the beast that is “The Chosen Ones.” Really, every song on here features superb arrangements, melodies, and dynamics. "Powerplay" is an impressive sophomore effort, and it’s sure to earn Fröberg and his band some recognition within the prog community. While it sounds more like his main band than he probably wants it to, it’s still unique enough to exhibit another side of the musician’s persona. All in all, fans of the related artists and the genre in general should definitely give "Powerplay" a few spins.

Reviews from DRPR

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:26:59 GMT

Dave Baird's Review After years of being nagged by his fans, Hasse Fröberg has stepped out of the shadow of The Flower Kings to release his first solo album - you can read more in-depth Hasse's own thoughts in out two interviews we have with him here. Of course solo albums and side-projects by Flower Kings members are not at all uncommon, but this is a little unusual insomuch as it doesn't feature any fellow band members, instead Hasse has deliberately chosen to recruit a new band in an effort to establish his own sound. In this respect I have to say he's been largely successful, yes of course he is actually The Flower Kings singer so you'll get some familiarity there, and also working with Roine for 15 or so years has a heavy influence, so there are some TFK moments, but these are very much the exception. Hasse has managed to put together quite a diverse array of songs, from the up-tempo West-Coast feel of Song For July to the heavy riffing Above. Overall you would say it has a classic-rock feel meets mellow-prog and some funk/jazz moments thrown in for good measure. Hasse's voice is of course the main attraction and he doesn't disappoint with a tremendous range of vocal styles on display - belting prog-metal on Fallen Empire, the countertenor intro to Only My Blood and his best Jon Anderson impression on Piece Of The Sky. He's incredibly versatile and the passion he's put into it is very evident. It's these three songs which are the proggier on the CD, all displaying multiple changes of pace, direction and texture. Fallen Empire starts-off with a very immediate 90's-prog-metal section that really took me by surprise on the first listen, I didn't expect that at all. It shifts gear with a huge, bombastic string-synth break, then mellotron flutes, acoustic guitars with a more folk feel, a few solo and a reprise back to the main song. It's a fantastic opening. Piece Of The Sky doesn't just sound like Jon Anderson singing at times, it has a huge Yes vibe going on all over. Some really excellent guitar work here and more nice keyboard work - has to be said that the keyboards are superb throughout, not only great playing at the right level for each track, but very tasteful choices of instruments and patches with the focus on classic sounds - organ, piano, Moog, warm strings, a little mellotron. I can't say the same for the rhythm section though, well the bass playing is pretty much fine and 90% of the time the drumming's good too, but occasionally when the pieces get a bit more up-tempo the drumming isn't changing gear to suit. Sure the rhythm is correct, but there are times when they need to be a bit busier and add some excitement, it just isn't always working for me. The album closer Only My Blood is a prog-delight too - moody synths, bombastic and great singing. Sounds like there could be some Rush influence along the way, but there's also a tremendous guitar solo that could easily be Roine Stolt himself - think of the solo on Transatlantic's All Of The Above and you get the idea - it's also played early in the song and reprised at the end. There's a funky feel going on towards the end and some mellow jazz moments too, it has it all. The Ultimate Thrill is notable that it is surely inspired by Spock's Beard from the classic period around Beware Of Darkness, quite uncanny but it's all part of Hasse's wide palette of influence. The main feature here is the organ - can we be sure that's not Ryo Okomoto? Some great heavy guitar work as well which is in stark contrast to the mellow bottle-neck on Above - Anton Lindsjö seems to be a very versatile and talented player, a great find for Hasse. Everyday is one of the more Flower Kings influenced pieces - well one that may have been written by Hasse and played by TFK, could easily been a B-Side from Space Revolver or The Rainmaker. I already mentioned that Song For July has a West-Coast feel, really this song wouldn't be out of place on a Don Henley album, I really feel it would make an excellent radio-friendly hit, a real foot-tapper. To be fair the drumming and bass are really superb on this piece, plus Hasse is displaying his voice at its very best too - very typical singing for him and crystal clear. This just leaves I Wouldn't Change A Thing to mention and, well this is perhaps my least favourite piece on the album - it's rather too generic for my liking and then it has this weird instrumental section that just sounds too contrived and awkward for my taste. To conclude, this is a really solid first effort from HFMC, aside my occasional reservations on the drumming the musicianship is excellent, the songwriting good, the arrangements interesting and varied, the range of styles is quite wide and of course it's a great vehicle for Hasse to show his vocal talents more than we've seen in The Flower Kings. The production quality is very acceptable indeed, perhaps I would have mixed Hasse a little higher, especially in Fallen Empire. Huge credit must be given that HFMC have a sound all their own - yes there are influences galore, but this is normal, Hasse has managed to break away from the typical Flower Kings sound and that can't be easy to achieve at all given their long history. This CD is an absolute must-have for any Flower Kings fans and it's also very appealing to general lovers of classic prog/rock. Jon Bradshaw's Review Like the rest of his fellow bandmates, Hasse Fröberg has taken the occasion of a hiatus in the Flower Kings’ output to write and record his own music which has materialised on Reingold Records as FuturePast. There the links to TFK end as, unlike his bandmates’ solo projects, there is no collaboration with any of them on this album. This is a new band with Hasse at the helm handling the compositional duties, singing (of course), and playing guitar as well lending his formidable studio experience to produce and mix the material with Petrus Konigsson. He has surrounded himself with a talented bunch of players to form a five piece unit (and they are a unit) that features Thomsson on bass, Kjell Haraldsson on keys, Anton Lindsjo on lead guitar and Ola Strandberg on drums. Mercifully for us, they are vastly better musicians than they are models. The band photography that decorates the booklet is risible. I’m not sure what sort of image they wanted to present but it appears to be an attempt at ‘fun and sexy’ as they pose in one laughable picture after another, including Hasse holding what appears to be a jelly and a couple of Reubens-esque portraits of Thomsson and Anton in semi-recumbent positions. What were they thinking?! I mention this only in the hope that they never allow it to happen again for verily, it offendeth mine eye. However, this small sin has absolutely no bearing on the music. Hasse’s voice is unmistakeable. Consequently, and unavoidably, one immediately places his inimitable vocal style into the context of a Flower Kings’ song. The remarkable thing is that FuturePast is unlike a Flower Kings’ album and I passionately and enthusiastically applaud Hasse (and the band) for creating something new. Naturally, there’s the occasional nod in a Flower Kings direction, but these moments are subliminal. The overriding sensation is of a new band with a fresh but reassuringly familiar sound fronted by a familiar voice. And what a voice it is! Hasse’s work with TFK has always sent shivers of delight through me and he never fails to raise the hairs on my neck at least once on every TFK album. With his own project, he not only accomplishes this effect in spades, he also seizes the opportunity to swagger his way through a wide range of vocal idioms: from all-out, full-throated rock to sensitive soul; from operatic vocal callisthenics in the same vein as Freddie Mercury, to spitting fire and brimstone. Whichever way you spin it, Fröberg is a versatile, dynamic and massively gifted vocalist – we get to revel in his talents on FuturePast. Similarly, the song styles here demonstrate a masterful grasp of everything from classic rock to commercial, jaunty, pop-oriented gaiety. Within that broad framework, every track is dappled with a host of progressive shades and colours. The whole thing sounds so effortless and natural that it is almost instantly affecting, with one hook-laden chorus after another giving way to emotional peaks and troughs in a 70 minute carnival of sound that I have hardly had out of the CD tray since the day it landed. Leaving aside the opening track, which is a minute or so of Sounds From The Empire, the album kicks off with Fallen Empire. Lyrically, this catalogues the short-sighted greed and ruinous brutality of humankind and musically it creates great hefts of sound in a punchy and dramatic 12/8 tempo. Seamlessly, it shifts mood from dark and furious to positive and hopeful then back again by employing richly textured and melodically varied sections with great solo features. You couldn’t ask for more from an album opener. The quality is sustained in Song For July, which follows and is brimming with the joys of summer. Utterly infectious, the melody attaches itself to the aural centres of your brain like a limpet and ‘rings in your ears’ as the lyric suggests long after the album is over. Piece Of The Sky is an elaborate and expansive piece, driven once again by Hasse’s vocal delivery with a heavy, powerful chorus, an up-tempo section that recalls 10cc’s Dreadlock Holiday and a movement of lovely funky organ and skanking guitars accompanying a glorious MiniMoog solo. But all of this pales into insignificance against the closing passage which is achingly beautiful with stunning choral arrangements. This is early Queen, Yes and Led Zeppelin incarnated by six minutes of passion-filled, soaring music. The chord progression may be lifted from Zeppelin’s Rain Song, but I don’t care. For my ears, it’s worth buying the album for these six minutes alone. I Wouldn’t Change A Thing is catchy as hell with glimmers of Blinded By The Light (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) and Supertramp in its composition, combined with Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing and some Hall And Oates White-Man’s Soul in the verses. Above begins as a straight-ahead rocker that is echoed in its powerful chorus but the verse consists of a laid-back country-blues vibe to provide a startling contrast. The instrumental interlude is different again with an excellent jazz piano solo and an intricate guitar solo that crescendos in its intensity before ushering in another fine MiniMoog solo spot, after which, the bombast of the chorus is reprised... Another wonderfully catchy chorus stands out in Everyday alongside a clamorous and energetic synth solo from Kjell Haraldsson, whose work throughout the album is majestic. Like above, The Ultimate Thrill takes a heavy rock groove as its substance with fluid and muscular guitar riffs supported (as in so many of these songs) by swirling Hammond organ and more stellar vocal arrangements. Only My Blood closes the album in that slightly funky style that has cropped up here and there throughout the album and is memorable for yet more excellent guitar and keyboard solos, as well as its anthemic closing passage that rounds out the music before birdsong and running water provide a Zen moment to finally punctuate the album with a blissful ellipsis. Hasse’s solo debut references some of the greatest rock artists of the ‘70s in its sonic palette. From The Who to Argent, From Bob Seger to Little Feat and from The Band to Todd Rundgren, as well as those I’ve already mentioned. I’ve found it thoroughly entertaining and addictive from start to finish. The band play together like seasoned vets, but the tenor of the whole has a zest and freshness that’s impossible to deny or ignore. Admittedly, now I’ve spent some time with it, I would say there are 5 truly wonderful songs married with four good songs that have wonderful moments or sections, but taken as an entity, FuturePast is peppered with breathtaking musicianship and song writing that blends the best of the old with the best of the new to stand as a paean of what’s possible in modern rock. What’s more, the production is devastatingly good and creates a unique and original sound for the band to cohere around. I find it difficult to find fault with this wonderful piece of work that stands out as one of my albums of the year.

Review of FuturePast by EpicProg (October 8, 2010)

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:25:38 GMT

Future Past is the first effort by Hasse Fröberg and the Musical Companion and the first “solo” album from Fröberg since the guitarist/vocalist joined the Swedish progressive rock giants, The Flower Kings. Known for his theatrical rock star poses and hair flips in concert – as well as his wonderful voice – Fröberg delivers a tour de force opening salvo on this release, singing and playing guitar, while backed by his band, “The Musical Companion,” comprised of Kjell Haraldsson (keyboards), Anton Lindsjö (lead guitar), Ola Strandberg (drums) and the singularly-named Thomsson (bass). The band announces itself with nine tracks clocking in at around 73 minutes, including four epic length songs. “Sounds from the Empire” is sort of a disposable introductory track, featuring ambient sounds of children’s voices, a train or subway, and footsteps, followed by a single organ note. The note, which seems the only essential part of the track, launches the album into “Fallen Empire,” a 10+ minute epic that kicks off with a rollicking and wonderfully melodic instrumental section. The song slows with an acoustic guitar flourish, then Fröberg’s distinctive voice kicks in. This song features incredibly catchy chorus vocals and guitar riffs, putting the ‘rock’ in progressive rock. There are some interesting twists and turns along the way in “Fallen Empire,” including a Genesis-sounding interlude, with delicate guitar work. There are huge, sprawling keyboard washes and organ solos galore. Fans of The Flower Kings should enjoy the ride. “Song for July” is a short number featuring jaunty acoustic guitar and mandolin from Lindsjö and Haraldsson’s keys, while Thomsson’s bass and Strandberg’s drumming provide a solid playground for the melodic instruments. It sounds like there’s a lot going on in this song, but it is put together in such a way as to come off as a very simple, melodic tune. The second of the epic tracks comes next. “Piece of the Sky” has a chorus that sounds like a cross between Deep Purple and The Flower Kings. Lindsjö’s guitar work and Thomsson’s bass are very strong on this track, as well as the vocals. During its 13+ minutes there is ample evidence of Lindsjö’s talent, but others are given a chance to shine as well in a lengthy instrumental middle section, notably Haraldsson, who utilizes both analog and digital sounds, and also takes a turn on piano. Despite the length, the song doesn’t overstay its welcome. It seems Mr. Fröberg has learned quite a bit about epic writing from Flower Kings bandmates Roine Stolt and Tomas Bodin. A groovy bass riff from Thomsson opens “I Wouldn’t Change a Thing.” Fröberg gives a soulful vocal performance, a bit reminiscent of The Flower Kings’ track “Touch My Heaven” from Paradox Hotel, but this song is way more up-tempo, so the similarities melt away as the song moves forward into the very catchy chorus. Headphone listening reveals a lot of little instrumental flourishes, yet at no point does the song seem cluttered. There’s a quirky sparse instrumental break two thirds through the song that segues into a great guitar riff before returning to the chorus. The third epic, “Above,” starts with a rocking intro and transitions into a terrific atmospheric section highlighted by delicate guitar work by Lindsjö. Fröberg croons through the slower sections and belts out the vocals in the more rocking parts. The ten and a half minutes seems to fly by. This song rocks so hard in sections that it strays into prog metal territory, including a keyboard solo that smacks of former Dream Theater keys man, Derek Sherinian. One drawback for me is that it has sort of a weird fadeout during Hasse’s vocals, segueing into an acoustic guitar outro. Nothing wrong with the acoustic guitar, but Hasse was really wailing (in a good way) and I wanted to hear it. “Everyday” is one of the shorter songs, and the chorus sounds so much like it belongs on Paradox Hotel that I can’t help but wonder if this song was offered up for that particular album. A ferocious instrumental break highlights this song, with another shredding keyboard solo and rock solid rhythm. Lindsjö manages a fatter guitar sound here and shines with another delicate and intricate solo. The last of the “shorter” songs – clocking in at six and a half minutes – “The Ultimate Thrill” opens with a quirky Flower Kings vibe, which alternates throughout with a heavier, rocking theme, which again summons the ghosts of Deep Purple. In fact, Fröberg’s vocals in this song alternate between sounding a bit like David Coverdale and Ian Gillan. Another melodic instrumental section, which sounds nothing like the quirky Flower Kings-type theme or the heavy Deep Purple-sounding theme, melts seamlessly into the song and then is followed by a shredding keyboard solo and a metallic guitar solo. The album closer is the 13-minute epic, “Only My Blood,” which opens with a dreamlike sparse keyboard backdrop behind a dark vocal line, dipped in echo. The guitar peeks in as Hasse sings higher and is followed by the bass and delicate drums. Then the song explodes for the heavy, guitar-driven chorus before returning to the ethereal, presenting a fantastic contrast and keeping the listener involved. The Musical Companion shows off its chops throughout this final number, getting funky and a bit jazzy at times through the middle sections, with Haraldsson and Lindsjö shining throughout. Lindsjö even manages to sound a bit like Stolt during the song’s climax. Quite frankly, this album is astonishing in its ability to easily eclipse the last Flower Kings effort, The Sum of No Evil (2007) – and possibly the two prior TFK albums as well – and illustrates that perhaps Fröberg should be given more room in the writing department. His songs are catchy and melodic, they rock, and yet they still scratch that modern progressive itch. The pacing works well, with the epics spaced out evenly with shorter songs in between, and everything sounds fresh yet familiar and Fröberg’s voice has never sounded better. The mix is good, with all instruments separated so you can hear everything that’s going on. This album appears to be headed solidly into my top ten releases of 2010. I look forward to hearing more from this group of musicians and would love to see this material performed live. EpicProg

Review by Ron Fuchs (Prognaut) (October 17, 2010)

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:23:42 GMT

When The Flower Kings are on their extended hiatus, all the members are focusing on side bands. Now singer Hasse Froberg has joined them with the creation of a new band which is called Hasse Froberg & Musical Companion. The debut, Future Past, was released in 2010 on Reingold Records. Here Hasse takes on lead vocals, guitars and composing the music. He does this with no help from his TFK bandmates. Of course there’s some nods to The Flower Kings sound but in comparison to the other side bands, the similarities are kept at a bare minimum. Joining Hasse are Thomas Thomsson (bass), Kjell Haraldsson (keyboards), Anton Lindsjo (lead guitar), and Ola Strandberg (drums). Opening the album is “Sounds From The Empire” (1:27) which serves as an intro to “Fallen Empire” (10:20). The foundation of “Fallen Empire” is in a symphonic hard rock vein. It reminds me a lot of, theme wise to “Last Minute On Earth” from The Flower Kings. Hasse’s vocals are in top form here as with the rest of the band. Around the 4 minute mark has a very cinematic sounding passage which leads into an acoustic guitar and with Hasse doing some soft emotion vocals. The full electric band sound returns around the 7 minute mark. “Song For July” (4:59) which is the song for Summertime and the most accessible song of the album. This is a fun infectious optimistic song in a more acoustic based format. “Piece Of The Sky” (14:18) is the epic of the album and has a more original sound in comparison to the previous songs. I heard a mixture of influences including early Queen, Genesis, Led Zeppelin and Yes (especially around the 5 minute mark). It’s also, in my opinion, one of the best epics of the year. Prognaut “I Wouldn’t Change A Thing” (6:49) is a catchy hard rockin’ song that could easily be the lead single. This is one of those songs that sticks in your mind long after it’s over. It’s also one of my favorites of the album. “Above” (10:27) starts off in a straight forward hard rocking of a song then morphs into a symphonic sound with gorgeous slide guitar playing. It returns to that hard rocking groove. “Everyday” (4:56) is another accessible track that could be the second single off the album and very catchy from start to end. There’s a vocal part that reminds me of “Keep Me Hanging’ On” (originally done by The Supremes and famously covered by Vanilla Fudge). The vibe continues with “The Ultimate Thrill” (6:34) and the heaviest song on the album. This song has the least amount of progressive rock but that’s okay because it doesn’t need to be for a good song. Closing off the album is “Only My Blood” (13:00) the second longest epic on the album. The quieter parts are counterbalanced by a hard rock element. It contains some excellent guitar and keyboard solos. It ends with some birdsong and running water. A perfect way to end an album. If you’ve enjoyed Hasse’s vocals in The Flower Kings and always wanted to hear an album full of them, then go no further. You’ll get your wish fulfilled and then some. The musicians backing Hasse here sounds like a professional seasoned band. Future Past is one of the better debuts of 2010 and gets my highest recommendation.

Stark Music Review of FuturePast (December 2010)

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:21:21 GMT

Former Spellbound, current Flower Kings singer Hasse Fröberg has now compiled all his musical ideas into a masterful musical melting pot. He actually has invited some former Spellbound colleagues to accompany him, such as bass player Thomsson and drummer Ola Strandberg. Besides these fellas there are ace guitarist Anton Lindsjö and keyboard player Kjell Haraldsson. If you’re expecting the good old melodic 80s metal of Spellbound, forget it. If you’re however a latter day fan of Hasse’s where his vocal performance in The Flower Kings is of your liking, you should definitely check this out. HFMC is a highly progressive/symphonic band in the vein of The Flower Kings, but actually with a more melodic edge, still very heavy at times though. There are actually even hints of Saga in places. In the later part of “Fallen Empire” for example, where the chorus has more of an AOR/pomp-touch. I also hear influences of Yes and Genesis in the subsequent “Song For July”. Hasse feels a bit more relaxed and free vocally compared to The Flower Kings, more akin to what he did in Spellbound, but with a more mature touch. The songs are very well constructed and the arrangements are killer. A song like 14 minute “Piece Of The Sky” NEVER gets boring, on the contrary, it keeps surprising you all the time. With Queen-like precision the song slithers seamlessly from poppy sing-along parts, though heavy guitar riffs to proggy parts. These are some great musicians, too, I must say! Lindsjö is one hell of a guitar player that at times shows quite a jazzy side to his playing, which gives the songs yet another dimension. “Above” is yet another killer track which also moves through several musical dimensions, starting out with a dead heavy riff that changes into a subtle Pink Floydish landscape with Lindsjö sounding like he was breast fed with Gilmour’s smooth guitar melodies. This is nothing short of awesome! No offence to The Flower Kings, but I personally like this way more! For some reason I kept thinking about the golden oldie “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” when I listen to “Everyday”. Never mind, it’s probably just my ears. “The Ultimate Thrill” has to be my absolute favourite track, though. This is HEAVY rock!! Old school classic heavy rock with concrete heavy guitars á la carte! Awesome, indeed! Stark Music Reviews

Review of FuturePast (For our Greek Friends) (October 12, 2010)

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:19:38 GMT

Η συγκεκριμ?νη κριτικ? θα μπορο?σε να περιστρ?φεται γ?ρω απ? την αποθ?ωση των Flower Kings και των διαφ?ρων projects με τα οπο?α ασχολο?νται κατ? καιρο?ς τα μ?λη της μπ?ντας, αλλ? ας προσπαθ?σουμε να 'μαστε πιο περιγραφικο? και λιγ?τερο υπερβολικο? γ?ρω απ? τη συγκεκριμ?νη κυκλοφορ?α. Ο Hasse Fröberg, λοιπ?ν, τραγουδιστ?ς και ρυθμικ?ς κιθαρ?στας στους Flower Kings, συν?θως στη συνθετικ? σκι? του μεγ?λου Roine Stolt, δεν ε?χε μ?χρι στιγμ?ς την ευκαιρ?α να επιδε?ξει τις ικαν?τητ?ς του σε κ?ποιο συγκεκριμ?νο project, εντ?ς της Flower Kings θητε?ας του. ?τσι λοιπ?ν, μιας και μεσολ?βησαν και σχεδ?ν τρ?α χρ?νια απ? το "The Sum Of All Evil", αποφ?σισε και αυτ?ς να μας δ?σει δε?γματα της συνθετικ?ς του αξ?ας, μιας και ?σον αφορ? το φωνητικ? μ?ρος η δουλει? του ως γνωστ?ν ?ταν εξαιρετικ?. Οι Musical Companion, ?πως λ?γεται η παρεο?λα μουσικ?ν που επ?λεξε ο Hasse να τον συντροφ?ψει στο ντεμπο?το ?λμπουμ του, "Future Past", εν ολ?γοις αποτελο?ν την ιδανικ? εκτελεστικ? συνοδε?α για το ?ραμ? του. Και εκε? που αναρωτι?σαι κατ? π?σο μπορε? πλ?ον ?να τ?τοιο project να προσφ?ρει κ?τι πρωτοποριακ? και φρ?σκο γ?ρω απ? τον (κλασικ? πια) σουηδικ? ?χο, ο οπο?ος περιστρ?φεται γ?ρω απ? το progressive rock φυσικ?, ?ρχεται ?να "Future Past" να δι?ξει κ?θε αμφιβολ?α. Σχεδ?ν ταυτ?χρονα με το δε?τερο ?λμπουμ των Agents Of Mercy ("Dramarama"), την ?λλη μπ?ντα του Roine Stolt, κερδ?ζει στα σημε?α και αποτελε? μια ισχυρ? δ?λωση του Hasse Fröberg και χωρ?ς τα φιλαρ?κια του απ? τους Flower Kings. Το "Future Past", λοιπ?ν, φ?ρνει εγγ?τερα τον κλασικ? ?χο των '70s, με μια πιο φρ?σκια αντ?ληψη, και συνδυ?ζει τις progressive rock καταβολ?ς του Hasse Fröberg και των Flower Kings με πιο «πιασ?ρικα» περ?σματα, σε κομμ?τια ?πως το "Piece Of The Sky". Και η ζεστασι? της φων?ς του Fröberg, σε συνδυασμ? με τις γλυκ?τατες μελωδ?ες, οι οπο?ες βρ?σκονται δι?σπαρτες στο δ?σκο, προκαλε? για συνεχε?ς ακρο?σεις. Συνολικ? ο δ?σκος αφ?νει μια ?μορφη ρετρ? εικ?να, πιο «classic rock» σε σχ?ση με το αναμεν?μενο, αλλ? και ?σο progressive και δ?στροπη χρει?ζεται για να χαρακτηρ?σει και τις βλ?ψεις (και τα πεπραγμ?να) του δημιουργο? του. Δεν ξ?ρω κατ? π?σο θα μπορ?σει να αφ?σει το στ?γμα του στον κλειστ? progressive rock κ?κλο της χρονι?ς, αλλ? ?σον αφορ? τη θ?ση του στα καλ?τερα την κερδ?ζει επ?ξια, μιας και εν απουσ?α των μεγ?λων (και υποτιμημ?νων) Flower Kings ε?ναι ?να ?λμπουμ που αποδεικν?ει ?τι οι μον?δες που τους αποτελο?ν ε?ναι ικαν?ς για ενδιαφ?ροντα πρ?γματα και ανανεωτικ?. Ο Hasse τα κατ?φερε, ?πως και οι Karmakanic πριν λ?γο καιρ?, ? οι Tangent με τα πρ?τα τους ?λμπουμ. Η σουηδικ? «παροικ?α» γ?ρω απ? τους Flower Kings ?χει ανθ?σει και το ?ρωμα που αφ?νει ευωδι?ζει ολο?να και πιο ?ντονα. Π?νος Παπ?ζογλο

Review of HFMC by Gert for Harmonic Lizard (August 20, 2010)

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 12:17:27 GMT

Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion – Future past Who doesn’t know the name Hasse Fröberg? Afterall he is the vocalist and guitarist of one of the best progressive rock acts on our planet: The Flower Kings (TFK). Before that he played in bands as Spellbound (fun add: check the site of Hasse and you will see a hair metal band picture!!) and Solid Blue before joining The Flower Kings after being asked by Roine Stolt. Since TFK had a break in 2009, besides a few live gigs, Hasse started with another band . Let me state one thing first. When you are on of those people who wants to consume music without even really wanting to listen to the album you might miss out on stuff that is neatly hidden away in layers of music. For instance when you listen to the track “Song for July” you might think it’s a simple straight forward progressive rock song and push the next button. But when doing that you will miss the jazzy keyboards woven into the music which all of a sudden makes the track far less easy and straight forward. Some influences you hear would be TFK (of course) Pink Floyd and at times Spock’s Beard. The album itself, which lasts for 71ish minutes, opens up with “Sounds from the empire” which sounds a bit Floydian and get’s continued with the track “Fallen empire” which has a bit of an orchestral feeling over it, of course without even needing an orchestra to make that happen. “Piece of the sky” could be a TFK track but around the 5th minute mark it becomes all of a sudden a bit catchy. See if would have pressed play next again you would have missed another thing! “I wouldn’t change a thing” would be a great track for an single or EP. Catchy track which still lasts for 6:49 minutes. “Above” is walking between progressive rock and progressive metal and if you make the same mistake as me and put up the volume you might get someone knocking on your door too telling you the music sounds good but a bit to loud in the metal passages. The last three tracks of the album are “Every day” which is a bit to poppy to me even with the good sounding keyboard solo, “The ultimate thrill” which blasts out of the speakers and as the grand final “Only my blood” which starts off as a ballad but quickly explodes between the progressive rock and metal mix as mentioned before. Conclusion? About a week ago i said that with the “Godsticks - Spiral Vendetta” album i had found a top then for the year 2010 album. “Future past” belongs in there too and i dare to say it’s even closer to the top 3 as the Godsticks album will be. Top quality album being played by top quality musicians. Progressive rock/metal with a little bit of jazz hidden away is what you will get. A must in everybody’s cd-wall at home which means a buy for me to since i work with a review copy. 95/100 Reviewed By Gert For Harmonic Lizard Harmonic Lizard