Prime Mover - Put In Perspective

Year of Release: 2001
Label: independent
Catalog Number: CD PM-001
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:33:00

Several years ago -- and how time files -- I wrote a mini review of an mp3 I'd downloaded from MP3.com called "Where's The Fire?" from a band called Prime Mover. Liking what I heard, I made a note to explore further. That review appears in my editorial from December 1999. This track appeared on their demo CD Mr. Zingelmann. Fast forward to 2001 or so, and in my mail arrives Put In Perspective, the band's debut full-length album. The music from this Finnish quintet is an interesting mix of rock and progressive rock structures underneath the most mournful of voices in progressive rock. As energizing as the music can get, vocalist Dennis Nordell's delivery runs counter to it. It's understated, a characteristic we'd expect from a dark metal band. Maybe it does have something to with the Nordic region, the seasons and weather there. I like every song here, but Nordell's delivery can get a little wearing, however. It is recorded a little dry at times.

The interesting thing to note here is that the depressed delivery belies a sometimes-positive message (as in "Why Do You Think You Are"). In trying to come up with a sounds like, since I kept thinking, "that sounds like..." I went from the "eerily like the late Kevin Gilbert" comment that I seem to make all too often (though appropriately) to sounding a bit like Roine Stolt (for example, the mellow "Sunrise, Again."). But, in reading the bios, and Nordell's in particular, his mention of Pearl Jam as a "musical inspiration" makes it all snap into place: yes, Nordell sounds like a sedated Eddie Vedder. Musically, well the comparisons come not from the prog rock list, but from the roots rock list, and yet, there the band play with these textures to get a foot or two on the prog side of the line. If you think of prog version of The Byrds, or Tom Petty, or even REM (as I thought during "Never Like It Seems"), then that's what I'm hearing. If you don't think of that, well, that's what I'm hearing anyway. :- )

Prime Mover isn't just Nordell, though. It's Roger Nyman on bass and vocals, Michael Karlsson on guitars and vocals, Sebastian Teir on keyboards, programming and vocals and Kenneth Langerström on drums. It is in the instrumentation that they really shine, an interesting rhythm here, some percussion over there, a guitar lead (though there aren't a lot of solos), etc. Really nice stuff.

The album opens with "Why Do You Think You Are?" which for those first few moments sounds like they are going to break into the Yardbird's "I'm A Man." "The Experience," which ends the album, throws in a few other textures, that being some programmed percussive sounds, some Wakeman-like keyboard pyrotechnics, a touch of metal-esque chugging guitars, but sound we are back to mid-tempo proggish rock. Alan Parson's Project kind of come to mind here at times, too, as it could easily be something from a late 70s-early 80s APP album. But even that changes, becomes more mellow... it typifies this album as no track is really any one thing, though it doesn't shift so much as to become eccentric -- except here, for one segment. There are some sections that are actually warm, where the band come in on backing vocals, adding some depth to Nordell's delivery.

"Laughable" is another highlight track, and compares with what I recall from "Where's The Fire." "See It Yourself" is different, not for the jangly rockness of it, but the odd sound effects in this humourous "sci-fi" tale which includes horny little green men from outer space...

Overall, I do like this release. As I said, the montone delivery from Nordell will get wearing after repeated listenings, but the music often sparkles, the rhythms are catchy, and it is an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable listen. The music will move you. Warmer production and more dynamics in Nordell's delivery are what's needed for the follow up.

Tracklisting:
Why Do You Think You Are (8:06) / The Agenda For Instant Truth (6:00) / Pitiful (5:12) / Never Like It Seems (3:30) / Sunrise, Again (5:38) / Laughable (5:30) / See It For Yourself (4:50) / The Experience (11:47)

Musicians:
Roger Nyman - bass
Michael Karlsson - guitars
Sebastian Teir - keyboards, programming
Dennis Nordell - vocals

Guest musicians:

Kenneth Lagerström - drums

Discography:
Mr Zingelmann (CDR) (1999)
Put In Perspective (2001)
Alias Drivkraft (2004)
Imperfekt (2007)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin FI

Added: November 17th 2002
Reviewer: Stephanie Sollow
Score:
Artist website: skivkraft.com/primemover/
Hits: 1885
Language: english