Victim Of Your fathers Agony is already the sixth album of the Norwegian band Arabs In Aspic. And what a band they are! Jolstein Smeby (guitars and vocals) is responsible for all the lyrics, but most of the songs are composed by the whole band. When the first song You Can Prove Them Wrong starts you are instantly into what this band stands for: classic progrock (I know, this sounds absurd, but still) with big sounds and amazing harmonies. I love an organ that goes over the top and Stig Kvam-Jorgenson gives it his best. Dirty sounds, beautiful melody and a great chorus. Sad Without You begins sweet with acoustic guitars. A really lovely song. The next track One starts loud! Howling organ, pumping bass, classic electric guitar sounds introduce Pink Floyd like vocals. But it's always different. Erik Paulsen (bass) and Eskil Nyhus (drums) form the base for organ and guitar solos and also Paulsen takes the stage with some great soloing! A funky bass opens The Turk And The Italian Restaurant, what follows is a short instrumental track that even has a jazzy feeling. The longest track is God Requires Insanity. Again it proves that this band can write great rock songs. This song has a Led Zeppelin feel to it. TV 3 is a light tune, a bit Frank Zappa in a good way. Two instrumental tracks follow. Flight Of The Halibut has again that funky bass in it. The organ is played by a real master! Smeby's guitar lays beautiful melodies over a strong foundation. I love it! Tasteful acoustic guitars and a lovely choir on Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer Pt.2 brings some rest after those big sounds. The album closes with the title track which gives me a vision of the great music of Canadian (Xavier) Phideaux. But it's Arabs In Aspic! I really love this album. It has the familiarity of the great classics, but they make it new and fresh. It's totally their own way of playing. I have given this spin after spin and keep doing that. It's a real classic! **** Arne van Os van den Abeelen (edited by Astrid de Ronde) Where to buy? |
