Ofege: Try And Love 1973 + The Last Of The Origins 1975 + Higher Plane Breeze 1977

 

Ofege was a Nigerian band formed in the early 1970s by a group of teenage hippies at St. Gregory's College in Lagos. Influenced by guitar legends like Carlos Santana and Jimmy Page, as well as African bands like Osibisa, Ofege created a unique blend of psychedelic rock and Afrobeat. Formed

by guitarist Melvin Ukachi and bassist Paul Alade while young students at St Gregory’s school in Lagos, Ofege first found their feet borrowing instruments and supporting school band The Groove Makers. Discovering drummer Mike Meme by chance at a school dance and adding Dapo Olumide on keys and Felix Inneh on rhythm guitar, they met EMI’s resident producer / A&R man, Odion Iruoje who promptly auditioned them. Sneaking them out of school to record their first sessions (Ofege literally means “breaking bounds”),
                    

Their debut album "Try And Love" was recorded while they were still in high school and became a national sensation. Although their career was short-lived, with only four albums released until 1978,

Ofege's music would be rediscovered in the 21st century. Their third album, Nobody Fails, showcased their post-60s harmony vocals and wild guitar solos. The fusion of complex African rhythms with fuzzy psychedelic effects made for an exhilarating listening experience. On their fourth album, The Last Of The Origins, Ofege delved into funk-rock with a psychedelic twist. With catchy rhythms and mind-bending instrumentals, this record solidified their reputation as one of Nigeria's most legendary groups.
                  

Despite limited recognition outside Nigeria during their time, Ofege's music continues to captivate

audiences today.  At the turn of the century (and because of tracks appearing on various psychedelic music compilations) Ofege would receive international acknowledgment for being the first of their kind and the ultimate West-African psychedelic funk band!
                                

LINE - UP

Melvin Noks: Lead Vocals/Rhythm.
Paul Alade: Bass Guitar.
Mike Meme: Drums.
Soga Benson: Lead/Solo Guitar.
Felix Ijeh: Rhythm/Tenor Guitar.
Dapo Olumide: Keyboards.
Felix Inneh: Percussionist. 

01.  OFEGE - TRY AND LOVE 1973

                          

Ofege's debut album Try and Love is the most famous LP by this psych rock band from Nigeria. They're one of the most famous African psych rock groups and it's easy to see why. They were teenagers when they recorded this debut LP of theirs and the result is a strong record in every point of view. Their style is

kinda raw and simple but I really enjoy their fuzz guitar and organ driven sound. The album is an extremely balanced package of high quality psychedelic rock and I could choose any of these songs as a highlight example. Groovy psychedelic soul with moments of jaw-dropping ramshackle brilliance, like on "It's Not Easy" and "Lead Me On." Indeed, life may not be very easy, but Ofege sure makes it seem that way. Dazzlingly good Nigerian rock music from the 1970s from Ofege, whose hybrid psych-funk sound sounds like it hasn't aged a day on this wonderful re-mastering job.
                      

Ofege – Try And Love
Label: Tidal Waves Music – TWM20
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Club Edition, Limited Edition, Bronze
Country: US
Released: Nov 2018
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Funk

TRACKS

                            

01. Nobody Fails   4:24
Written By – Melvin Ukachi
02. Whizzy Ilabo   3:32
Written By – Melvin Ukachi    
03. Gbe Mi Lo   4:15
Written By – Melvin Ukachi    
04. Try And Love   4:19
Written By – Melvin Ukachi
05. It's Not Easy   4:25
Written-By – Alade
06. Ofege   4:00
Written By – Melvin Ukachi
07. You Say No   4:09
Written By – Melvin Ukachi
08. Lead Me On   3:23
Written By – Melvin Ukachi

LINE - UP

Bass – Paul Alade
Drums – M-Ike Meme
Keyboards – Dapo Olumide
Lead Guitar – Berkley Jones
Lead Vocals – Melvin Ukachi
Lyrics By – Melvin
Rhythm Guitar – Felix Inneh
Vocals – Felix Inneh, M-Ike Meme, Paul Alade

Flac Size: 214 MB
    
02,  OFEGE - THE LAST OF THE ORIGINS 1975

                               

"The Last Of The Origins" is a great funk-rock record with a rather psychedelic approach. The rhythm

section is attractive and complex and has African inspirations. The lyrics aren’t particlulary inspired, but the drive is incredible, and they draw attention to instrumental parts wherever they can. The psychedelic organ takes care of the mind-losing groove, while fuzz guitars soar and improvise. The 60s influenced vocals can be reminiscent of the Stones, or just leave themselves flooding with the psychedelic drive. 
                               

Ofege – The Last Of The Origins
Label: Tidal Waves Music – TWM24
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Record Store Day, Limited Edition, Reissue
Country: US
Released: Nov 23, 2018
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Psychedelic, Funk, Afro

TRACKS

                        

01, Mandy   5:08
Written-By – Olumide, Melvin
02, Amayo   5:15
Written-By – Meme    
03, Evil Child   4:09
Written-By – Melvin    
04, Tomorrow   4:48
Written-By – Melvin    
05, Got A Lot To Give   4:49
Written-By – Meme, Alade    
06, Sorrow   6:03
Written-By – Alade    
07, Ofege In Concert   2:24
Written-By – Meme    
08, Everybody Feels The Same   4:08
Written-By – Meme, Alade    
09, Adio   4:17
Written-By – Meme    
10, Devils Work   5:27
Written-By – Inneh, Meme

LINE - UP

Vocals, Gong – Filix Inneh
Bass Guitar, Vocals – Paul Alade
Congas – Philly Foxxy
Drums, Vocals, Percussion – M-Ike Meme
Guitar [1st] – Berkly Jones
Guitar [2nd] – Olushoga Benson
Keyboards – Dapo Olumide
Rhythm Guitar, Lead Vocals, Percussion – Melvin Noks
Strings, Synthesizer [Violin Effect] – Francis Monkman
Synthesizer [Moog] – Johnny Wood

NOTES

Originally released on EMI (Nigeria) in 1976.
First vinyl reissue since 1976.
    

Flac Size: 303 MB

03.  OFEGE - HIGHER PLANE BREEZE  1977

                         

Given the accomplished musicianship and gravity of emotions on display here, it’s hard to believe that

Ofege’s members were all between 15 and 17 during the recording of Try and Love. These Lagos students come off as rock-infatuated youths expressing feelings of love for the first time, and it’s absolutely charming. More strikingly, the songs sound as if they could’ve been the handiwork of London art-school proggers, Arthur Lee’s post-Forever Changes Love, or the filthy funkateers rescued for posterity by 2003’s Chains and Black Exhaust comp.
                       

Ofege – Higher Plane Breeze
Label: Tidal Waves Music – TWM36
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Clear
Country: US
Released: Jul 31, 2019
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Funk, Afrobeat, Boogie

TRACKS

                      

01. Bazooka Bash    3:57
02. To Be Wise    4:04
03. Contraband    4:05
04. Come Right Back    4:48
05. H.P.B.    4:35
06. Our People    5:02
07. Magic Music    3:39
08. It's All Over    3:34

LINE - UP

Bass – Paul Alade
Drums – Mike Meme
Guitar [Lead] – Olushoga Benson
Keyboards – Robert Bailey
Keyboards [Uncredited] – Dapo Olumide
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Kiki Gyan (tracks: A3)
Lead Vocals – Melvin Noks
Percussion, Congas – M-Ike Meme
Strings – Miranda (English Rose) (tracks: A4)

Flac Size: 188 MB

The Vietnam Veterans: 4 Albums 1983 - 2009

 

Garage / Psychedelic Rock band from Burgundy, France. The group was founded in 1982 with its first lineup including Mark Enbatta (vocals, guitar), Lucas Trouble (keyboard), Greg Jones (guitar),

Angelo Jupp (bass), Steve Palermo (drums) and D.D Richardson (harmonica). The name that was they chose for the band referred to men who given a lot and got nothing in return.  Enbatta grew up in France's Basque region and started playing guitar in the late '60's, mostly doing R&B (Otis Redding, James Brown) and the usual British invasion stuff. In one of his bands, he met Jones, who played in a band with his own brother. In the late '70's, Enbatta started writing his own material (some of which appeared on the first Veterans LP) and played mostly on the street and at political demonstrations but also with some other groups. 
                         

Lucas Trouble was also playing in several bands throughout the '70's, the last of which was Tango Lüger. All of his bands played dark stuff, in the style of Joy Division. Jupp played with a band called the Snipers,

who by then had some records out and was crossing paths with other future Vet members at clubs. The first-ever Vet recording was a cassette with a few songs, but it didn't make much of any impact. Their first real album, On The Right Track Now (1983), was recorded in a small expiremental studio called "a l'ouest de la Grosne" where the progressive rock band Gong was also recording. Three different drummers each played on the album and were also at the live shows that followed it but when they found Martin Joyce, he became their permanent skins man.
                           

The record itself was recorded and mixed in only three days.That gave the album a pretty low sound quality (like hearing a radio show made by the neighbor's ten year old twins on a double-cassette recorder

from 1972) but that doesn't changes the fact that this is one of the best albums ever recorded from the post-psychedelic garage scene of the 80's, especially in Europe. Their second album, Crawfish For The Notary (1984), was recorded in the same studio as On The Right Track now, but it was done in three weeks so it had a much better sound quality to it. It also contains some of the bands' best songs: "Children Eyes," "What Are You Hiding," "I Give You My Life" and more.

                        

Peas (and the next two albums) was released by a Dutch friend of Mark named Hans Kesteloo. He also purchased the rights for their first two albums after their first label (Lolita) stole some of their royalties in

order to compensate for the label losing money on another band which Mark brought to them (the Inmates). During this time, the band got quite a reputation on the European scene and because of their growing fame, they almost never played in small places- at a Frankfurt show, they had audience of about 2000 people. In 1986, the band released Ancient Times, a well-produced album which contained one of the band's more stirring masterpieces- "Curanderos," among other brilliant songs such as "Tower Of Babel","Wrinkle Drawer" and "Crooked Dealers" (the first three also appeared on the Green Peas).
                           

Catfish Eyes And Tales was released in 1987 and provide to be the last Vets album. It's a special album which contains a piece that, in the absence of better name, I'll have to describe as "progressive rock"

though it's not what you think of as prog rock. The piece, "Medley," was built out of three connected songs: "Distant Drums," "Sea Horse" and a cover of the late David McWilliams's song "The Days Of Pearly Spencer." After the album was released though, things were not going so well for the group. They decided to disbanded but the real reason was because it was something the members agreed to early on- initially, they had decided to only record a few albums. Since they are still good friends today, it probably was a good decision. The band's last gig was in Bochum, Germany- people came from everywhere (England, Holland, France), knowing it was their last show. 
                             

01. THE VIETNAM VETERANS - ON THE RIGHT TRACK NOW 1983 + CRAWFISH FOR THE NOTARY 1984

                            

On The Right Track Now / Crawfish For The Notary
is a 2008 compilation album by the French psychedelic garage band The Vietnam Veterans, reissuing their first two landmark 1980s albums. It showcases their 60s-influenced garage sound and is considered a staple of European psychedelic punk, blending raw energy with poetic, anarchist themes. 
                                 

The Vietnam Veterans – On The Right Track Now / Crawfish For The Notary
Label: Music Maniac Records – MM CD 66004/5, Way Back Records – none
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: Germany
Released: 2008
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock,Garage

ON THE RIGHT TRACK NOW 1983    

                         

    
01. Don't Try To Walk On Me    3:44
02. Dreams Of Today    3:29
03. I Can Only Give You Everything    3:31
04. You're Gonna Fall    2:46
05. I Walked With A Zombie    2:27
06. Back From Hell    2:04
07. I Walked With A Zombie (Slight Return)    2:07
08. Out From The Night    2:17
09. Critics    3:04
10. That's Love    3:25
11. Dogs    3:15
12. Hey Gyp    2:56
13. Right Track Now    2:12

CRAWFISH FOR THE NOTARY    1984    

                       

14. Is This Really The Time    3:50
15. What Are You Hiding    2:54
16. Masters Of Time    3:45
17. This Life Is Your Life    2:57
18. Gary Cooper's Trip    4:22
19. Burning Temples    4:14
20. I Heard The Wind Blow    2:18
21. I Give You My Life    3:04
22. Children Eyes    2:53
23. My Trip    2:09
24. Liars    2:46
25. Be My Baby    5:16

LINE - UP

Bass – Angelo Jupp
Drums – Steve Palermo
Guitar – Greg Jones
Guitar, Vocals – Mark "Vet" Enbatta
Harmonica – D. D. Richardson
Keyboards – Lucas Trouble
Producer – The Vietnam Veterans

NOTES

This is a reissue of the Vietnam Veterans - On The Right Track Now and Vietnam Veterans - Crawfish For The Notary albums ("2 LPs on 1 CD").
For 'Crawfish...' Side A and B of the original LP have been inverted, and a non-LP track added ('Be My Baby').
Track 7 : "I Walked With A Zombie (Slight Return)" is not listed on the cover. 

After the track No7 my EAC Program denies to convert it to Flac, so take it in MP3 @ 320. Size: 188 MB 

02. THE VIETNAM VETERANS - CATFISH EYES AND TALES 1987

                                          

 

Catfish Eyes And Tales was released in 1987 and provide to be the last Vets album. After the album was released though, things were not going so well for the group. They decided to disbanded but the real reason was because it was something the members agreed to early on- initially, they had decided to only record a few albums. 
                        

Vietnam Veterans – Catfish Eyes And Tales
Label: Music Maniac Records – MM 008
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1987
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock

SIDE A.

                             

A1. Dead Breams Don't Bite    3:21
A2. Southern Comfort    6:11
A3. Maybe You Think    2:19
A4. Time Is The Worst    3:41
A5. Crying    4:14

SIDE B.

                             

B1. Catfish Eyes And Tales   2:59
Written-By – Trouble, Enbatta
Medley    
B2-a. Distant Drums    4:54
B2-b. Sea Horse    5:13
B2-c. Days Of Pearly Spencer   3:53
Written-By – David McWilliams
    

LINE - UP

                          

Bass – Angelo Jupp
Drums – Martin Joyce
Keyboards, Tambourine, Percussion – Lucas Trouble
Rhythm Guitar – Greg Jones
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Mark Enbatta
Voice [Some Redskin Voices] – Lucas Trouble (tracks: B2-a)
Written-By – Mark Enbatta (tracks: A1 to A5, B2-a, B2-b)

Flac Size: 562 MB

03. THE VIETNAM VETERANS AS THE GITANS - STRANGE GIRL 2009
(The Further Adventures Of The Vietnam Veterans) 

                                     

After releasing their compilation album The Days of Pearly Spencer in 1988, they broke up, and some members moved on to other projects. In 2005 The Vietnam Veterans released a single called "I Give You My Life / Children Eyes", and in 2009 a full-length album called Strange Girl (As The Gitanes). The band The Gitanes was one of the projects a few of the former Vets had, and the name is now added to The Vietnam Veterans name, calling it "The Vietnam Veterans (a.k.a. The Gitanes)". Mark Enbatta died 9. 9. 2021.
                           

The Vietnam Veterans As The Gitanes – Strange Girl
Label: Music Maniac Records – MM CD 075, Nova Express – 10127
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 2009
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock, Garage

                           

TRACKS

                              

01. Fishing Song
Written-By – Trouble, Enbatta
02. Girl With The Hairy Legs
Written-By – Enbatta
03. Till You Fall
Written-By – Enbatta
04. Fall In Love Again
Written-By – Enbatta
05. Female Vampire’s Fuzzy Beaver
Written-By – Trouble, Enbatta
06. Malakas Yeah Yeah
Written-By – Enbatta
07. Burn In Hell
Written-By – Enbatta
08. Mercy
Written-By – Enbatta
09. I Don’t Deserve You
10. No Way Back
Written-By – Enbatta
11. Another Life
Written-By – Kiput, Enbatta
12. I'm Alive
Written-By – Enbatta
13. Danger
Written-By – Lenoir, Enbatta
14. Breams Of Today
Written-By – Trouble, Enbatta
15. I Remember The Time
Written-By – Trouble
16. Tartan Miniskirts
Written-By – Trouble, Enbatta
17. Thirteen/When I Was Young
Written-By – Burdon, Dantzig

LINE - UP

                     

Bass, Keyboards – Lucas Trouble (Jean-Luc Taccard)
Drums – Eric Lenoir
Guitar – James "Squirrel" James Kiput, Mark Enbatta
Lead Vocals – Lucas Trouble (tracks: 15), Mark Enbatta (tracks: 1 to 14, 16, 17)
Mandolin – T.B. Noze

NOTES

Full title is "The further adventures of the Vietnam Veterans as The Gitanes"
Released by Music Maniac Records and Nova Express Records
Made in Germany / Printed in Germany 

Flac Size: 502 MB

                       

The Vietnam Veterans: The Days Of Pearly Spencer 1989 On URban Aspirines HERE

Wobbler: From Silence To Somewhere 2017 + Dwellers Of The Deep 2020

 

The band was formed near Hønefoss, Norway, in early 1999 with a desire to recreate some of the

musical expressions of the early 1970s, especially in the use of the instruments of that time and the compositions of the progressive rock scene from 1969 to 1974.  In a few months the basic ideas for the demo and the album Hinterland was created. There was a pause from 2001 to around 2003, until a demo was recorded at Lars' studio, put out on the internet. 
                           

Their debut CD WOBBLER "Hinterland" contains long and complex tracks featuring lush, vintage

keyboard sounds, making extensive use of Mellotron, Minimoog, Hammond C-3 and harpsichord, along with beautiful electric and acoustic guitar playing, a complex rhythm section along with flutes, recorder, saxophones, mandolins and various other instruments providing a very full, symphonic sound.
                        

In February 2009, the band released the second album Afterglow. The album was released on Termo Records. The band released their third album Rites at Dawn on Termo Records in May 2011. Their fourth

album, named From Silence to Somewhere, was released in 2017 and met with overwhelming acclaim. As of April 2021, it is the top rated album of the entire twenty-first century on the progressive rock database Prog Archives, with an average user rating of 4.35 from over 700 ratings, and the website's thirty-second-highest rated album of all time. It also appeared in the top 40 albums of the year on the user ratings website Rate Your Music, being the highest-ranked progressive rock album on the list.
                                    

After the release of Wobbler´s long awaited and critically acclaimed fourth album, From Silence to

Somewhere in 2017, Wobbler hit the road and performed all over Europe as well as Canada in 2017-2019, including the largest prog festival in Europe; Night of the Prog Festival in 2018. Between concerts Wobbler was busy composing new material for a fifth album. Titled Dwellers of the Deep, Wobbler´s new album is due for release worldwide through Karisma Records on October 23rd 2020.  
                      

The band's fifth and most recent album, Dwellers of the Deep, was released on October 23, 2020, and

quickly jumped to the top of the Prog Archives 2020 albums chart within two days of its release. If there is one band who has captured the sound of the golden age of Progressive Rock (1969 – 1975) without sounding regressive or copycat, it is the Norwegian band Wobbler. The band has always had an energetic and youthful approach to the classic prog era, and has managed to blow new life into the genre.Wobbler are highly recommended for fans of the early progressive greats and symphonic prog music.
                        

LINE - UP

                               

Kristian Karl Hultgren - bass, bass clarinet, bass recorder (1999–present)
Lars Fredrik Frøislie – keyboards, backing vocals (1999–present)
Martin Nordrum Kneppen - drums, percussion, recorder (1999–present)
Andreas Wettergreen Strømman Prestmo - lead vocals, guitar, glockenspiel, percussion (2009–present)
Geir Marius Bergom Halleland - lead guitar, backing vocals (2011–present)

FORMER MEMBERS

                   

Morten Andreas Eriksen - lead guitar, mandolin, tambourine, kazoo (1999-2011)
Tony Johannessen - lead vocals (1999-2009)

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS

Tony Johannessen - vocals
Ketil Vestrum Einarsen - flute
Aage Moltke Schou - percussion, vibraphone, glockenspiel
Sigrun Eng - cello
Ulrik Gaston Larsen - theorbo, baroque guitar
Pauliina Fred - recorder

WOBBLER - FROM SILENCE TO SOMEWHERE (OCTOBER 2017)

                  

The epic title track opens the album with majesty, with that uplifting symphonic tempo provided by a

jazzy "on steroids" rhythmic section and accompanied by atoned guitar licks and Hammond? did I already said majestic? Acoustic enchanting melodies arrive to let the unique sounding vocals to make their entrance, and little by little, in the most evident 70s fashion the drumming breaks silence and prog rock kicks in with flutes and everything, craziness making sense? and back to the woods with the enchanting melodies and vocals, and flutes again? Ian Anderson must love this band, what an accurate rendition to classic progressive rock, with that modern approach, bravo! But the best of all? it has only been 9 plus minutes, still 10 more minutes of genius to come! Furious drum and bass display, brutal mellotron and

flute playing with a guitar tone that needs to be emulated for the rest of their recording career!  
Flutes, pianos, far and almost hidden vocals allow the beautiful instrumentation to gain traction and peacefully redirect the the melodies into a brighter fairy tale-like atmosphere?but not for long, because the riffing is back, the drums, the fat bass, mellotron, flutes, more atoned guitar licks (the tone?) and even some medieval folky episode that relieves the listener from the most complex 45-50secs of the entire album, genius chaos indeed!
                               

Wobbler – From Silence To Somewhere
Label: Karisma Records – KAR133CD
Format: CD, Album, Stereo, Digipak
Country: Norway
Released: Oct 20, 2017
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Symphonic Rock

TRACKS

                        

01. From Silence To Somewhere    20:59
02. Rendered In Shades Of Green    2:05
03. Fermented Hours    10:10
04. Foxlight    13:19

LINE - UP

                                   

Andreas Wettergreen Strømman Prestmo - Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Glockenspiel, Percussion, Brass [Bell], Other [Childrens Toy]  
Lars Fredrik Frøislie - Organ [Hammond B3], Mellotron [M400], Synthesizer [Minimoog Model D], Synthesizer [Chamberlin M-1], Synthesizer [Honher Clavinet D6], Synthesizer [Rhodes MKII], Spinet [William de Blaise], Harp [Arp Pro Soloist], Harp [Arp Axxe], Strings [Solina String Ensemble], Other [Wurlitzer 200], Other [Marxophone], Grand Piano, Backing Vocals
Kristian Karl Hultgren - Bass, Bass [Pedals], Woodwind  
Marius Halleland - Electric Guitar [6-12 string], Acoustic Guitar [6-12 string], Backing Vocals 
Martin Nordrum Kneppen - drums, percussion, recorder
Øystein Bech Gadmar - Guest [Crumhorn] (tracks: 4)
Ketil Vestrum Einarsen - Guest [Flute] (tracks: 1,4)
Renato Manzi - Guest [The Part of the Old Man] (tracks: 3)
Other [Audio By] – Jens Petter Nilsen

FROM SILENCE TO SOMEWHERE LYRICS

                                           

[Verse 1]
From the mould, the mother womb, that dark and moist
Dark and moist shield of olde

                               

 

To rise again up from the tomb, and like the fragile sprout in
Twilights gloom
Into the world unfold:
Ancestral gold, the line of blood
A web stretched out so long ago
Built to last

                           

                              

[Verse 2]
Flame of 'morn, upon a face, that jewel of light
Jewel of light, crisp and clear
Released into this starlit place, erected from a secret
Silent space
From silence to somewhere
From a heavy sleep: all things appear
A web designed so long ago

[Bridge]
The footprints of a Heathen God
Entwined around this bone-white, destined rod

[Verse 3]
This now, when everything never dies
Live again
Burst into the scarlet skies
Reshaped, resized

[Instrumental]

[Verse 4]
In this dark hour, I search the cave relentlessly
Pondering grand designs, troubling me
Cloaked in the veil of light, clarity brightens my halls
Proof of the undying truth of these walls

                               

[Verse 5]
Boughs of green, so gently dancing in the wind
Embracing the Earth, my death and my birth
By warms winds, caressed and enclosed in mirth
Here I lie, at peace, in solitude forever
Until I am stirred, from my nest, like a bird
And soar into the world once again

[Outro]
Boughs of green, so gently dancing in the wind
Embracing the Earth, my death and my birth
By warms winds, caressed and enclosed in mirth

Flac Size: 291 MB

WOBBLER - DWELLERS OF THE DEEP (OCTOBER 2020)

                                 

To me Dwellers of the Deep is by far the best album they've ever done. I own all their previous releases so

I got to see them evolve. This album contains some of their finest recordings ever with "By the Banks", "Five Rooms" and the 19 minute "Merry Macabre". Amazing music all around with Lars Fredrik Frøislie providing authentic vintage keyboard including Mellotron (and perhaps Chamberlin, he does own an M1). "Naiad Dreams" is calm and largely acoustic, serving as a breather from the intensity of "Five Rooms". I

usually should refrain from believing this is as great as many of the classics from the '70s but this album very much is that! Five stars shouldn't be something you throw at but the music so amazed me it deserves that rating. I can't believe the heights Wobbler are soaring with. And I'm really amazed at the drumming of Martin Nordrum Kneppen here, he gives his best drumming here (I also own several Tusmørke albums where he's a member of too). No doubt a highlight for 2020 and some of the finest prog in recent years. 
                           

Wobbler – Dwellers Of The Deep
Label: Karisma Records – KAR194CD
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: Oct 23, 2020
Genre: Rock
Style: Prog Rock, Symphonic Rock

TRACKS

 
01. By The Banks    (13:49)
1.1 Part I - Visions From Within    
1.2 Part II - Argentum Ormr    
02. Five Rooms     8:28
03. Naiad Dreams    4:24
04. Merry Macabre    (19:00)
4.1 Part I - The Quarry & The Feast    
4.2 Part II - Beneath The Velvet Shroud    
4.3 Part III - The Bird Of Hermes    

LINE - UP

                      

Andreas Wettergreen Strømman Prestmo - Vocals, Electric Guitar [Fender Stratocaster], Guitar [Oslo Instrumentfabrik No 002], Electric Bass [Chandler Precision Bass], Acoustic Guitar [Nylon And Steel Acoustic Guitars], Percussion, Recorder, Glockenspiel 
Martin Nordrum Kneppen - Drums [Ludwig Drums], Drums [Slingerland Drums] 
Kristian Karl Hultgren - Electric Bass [Rickenbacker 4001 Bass] 
Marius Halleland - Electric Guitar [Gibson Les Paul Goldtrop], Electric Guitar [Gibson Firebird], Electric Guitar [Gibson SG], Electric Guitar [Gibson EDS 1275 Doubleneck], Electric Guitar [Fender Telecaster], Backing Vocals 
Lars Fredrik Frøislie - Electric Organ [Hammond C3], Mellotron [Melltron M400], Keyboards [Chamberlin M-1], Grand Piano [Blüthner Grand Piano], Harpsichord [William de Blaise Spiner], Synthesizer [MiniMoog Model D], Synthesizer [Arp Pro Soloist], Synthesizer [Solina String Ensemble], Clavinet [Hobner Clavinet D6], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes MKII], Electric Piano [Yamaha CP-70B], Marxophone, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Åsa Ree - Guest [Honoured Guest], Violin, Backing Vocals

Flac Size: 290 MB