Landberk - Indian Summer

Year of Release: 1996
Label: Musea Records
Catalog Number: FGBG 4198
Format: CD
Total Time: 46:05:00

There are numerous bands from Sweden making a name in the progressive scene - Landberk is only but one of them, and perhaps the best.

Despite the endless comparisons made between vocalist Patric Helje's delivery and Bono's (U2), Landberk really don't sound like anyone else on the prog scene, and certainly nothing like U2. Okay, certainly not like today's U2.

Most of Indian Summer is low key, gentle rhythms, with no sense of urgency in the compositions - okay, some might say dark and depressing - but still the guitar shimmers, Helje's voice floats along, over the keyboard washes. The drums are strong and up front for most of this album.

These are well thought out compositions, interesting instrumentation - what progressive music is: experiementing with sound, textures, ideas. The words that come to mind are hauntingly beautiful. The tracks linger in the mind long after the disk has ended. I only wish the lyrics had been included; only selected passages from each track are included on the booklet.

"1st of May" picks up the pace a bit, being more rockier than the other tracks, and then there is the decidedly poppier "Dustgod." This would actually play very well on modern radio - as this is very close to modern rock (though there is also a very seventies, folky vibe to it, too). That isn't a criticism on this song, only that it is more accessible than their other tracks.

For those who think all progressive music is pretentiousness and loftiness, this might serve as reminder that progressive music is more than just Yes and such.

Tracklisting:
Humanize (6:07) /All Around Me (9:03) / 1st Of May (3:34) / I Wish I Had A Boat (5:41) / Dustgod (5:04) / Dreamdance (4:49) / Why Do I Still Sleep (7:55) / Indian Summer (5:12)

Musicians:
Stefan Dimle - bass
Reine Fiske - guitars
Patric Helje - vocals
Jonas Lindholm - drums
Simon Nordberg - keyboards
Sara Isaksson - vocals (7)
Lotta Johansson - saw (1)
Sebastian ?berg - cello (4)

Discography:
Lonely Land (1992)
One Man Tells Another (1994)
Riktigt ?kta (1995)
Unaffected (1995)
Indian Summer (1996)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin SE

Added: May 1st 1998
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Hits: 3352
Language: english