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Review Summary: Another modern classic prog album. It has an amazing retro prog sound. “From Silence To Somewhere” is the fourth studio album of Wobbler and was released in 2017. The line up on the album is Andreas Wettergreen Stromman Prestmo, Geir Marius Bergom Halleland, Lars Fredrik Froislie, Kristian Karl Hultgren and Martin Nordrum Kneppen. The album had also the participation of Renato Manzi, Ketil Vestrum Einarsen and Oystein Bech Gadmar.
Wobbler is a progressive rock band which was born in Norway. Formed in 1999, in the small town Honefoss, in our days Wobbler is based in Oslo, the capital of their native country. Their sound is complex, well composed, with interesting melodies and with good roots in the classic symphonic progressive rock of the 70’s. So, fans of the symphonic progressive rock with extensive use of vintage keyboards, such as Hammond, Moog and MiniMoog, in addition to rare instruments, such as harpsichord, dulcimer and glockenspiel, will be certainly familiar with Wobbler’s ultra 70’s sound.
Despite being clearly influenced by the most modern Scandinavian progressive rock, namely White Willow, Anglagard and Anekdoten, the Norwegians have always drawn their strength much more from the classic English and Italian prog crop, with clear influences from King Crimson, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Yes, Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Plamer, Premiata Forneria Marconi and Le Orme, as the fourth studio album masterfully attests, “From Silence To Somewhere”.
Wobbler’s took six years to complete this album. There has been a tendency that Norway threatens to outstrip neighboring Sweden in terms of retroprog. So, in this respect, we would expect from Wobbler’s new album further a confirmation of their own exceptional status in the middle of this phalanx of new prog acts that has emerged in Norway.
The sound on “From Silence To Somewhere” is a bit more aggressive and somewhat darker than of their previous studio album “Rites At Dawn”, released in 2011, and I think it sounds a bit more mature because of the more refined songwriting. Probably that is due to the new approach that Wobbler took when writing and recording this last album. Being much more of a band’s product than its predecessors, I really think this quintet has clearly found a way to bring out the best in each other. The composition of this three-movement progressive symphony is absolutely perfect. It’s consistent throughout, it has a couple of dramatic crescendos and uplifting de-crescendos, along with some wonderful twists and turns and wonderful arrangements that keep the piece endlessly interesting from the first to the last note.
The almost 21 minutes of the title track opens the album with come intensity and strength. As the best post-modern symphonic prog rock, Wobbler knows that can’t waste the tradition. So, the excellence of the track comes from the fact that sometimes at the same time we witness the coexistence of various ways of performing the symphonic prog, something like thinking of Genesis, Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer and several others. The flute lends a folk air for several minutes and right in the middle there is an experimental calm interlude of King Crimson. After a long emotional ride, it’s necessary to downgrade and the mellow madrigal of “Rendered In Shades Of Green” that fulfills its function in its modest two minutes, before rushing into new electrifying sonic torrents. “Fermented Hours” opens in a psych way, with some vocals harmony from Yes and heavy guitar, appealing even for fans of Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath. More or less correctly describes a track that intersperses those heavier prog moments with longer symphonic virtuous ones that bring to our memory some great keyboard work from Genesis, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Premiata Forneria Marconi. The closing number of the album, of more than thirteen minutes is “Foxlight”. It begins with another moment of relaxation for the listener to recover from the previous extravagance. But, it only lasts for about four minutes in a pastoral atmosphere, half heavenly, type Genesis. Then there is a bridge with a big intensity that bring us back to the high level drama of the symphonic prog tortuous and intricate. And in an instant the classic ends and closes the album.
Conclusion: The Norwegian musicians from Wobbler have released a retro prog album. Those who enjoy indulging in the sounds of the early 70’s will be served the very best here. The music is varied, exciting and very melodic, and manages to grab on you. Wobbler’s fans will celebrate this album and so will most fans of the golden age of prog too. From a pure musical aspect, this album is simply brilliant. “From Silence To Somewhere” exceeds all expectations and has everything that detractors of the symphonic prog love to throw in the face of proud fans of the subgenre. Its formal rigor is such a size that it deserves to be enshrined in the rarefied pantheon reserved for works of the caliber of the great classics of the golden prog era, the 70’s. “From Silence To Somewhere” is easily one of 2017’s best progressive rock releases. Glorious stuff from top to bottom and is highly recommended. It seems that Wobbler has done it again.
Music was my first love.
John Miles (Rebel)
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Album Rating: 4.5
After three albums of the Anglo-Saxon prog, let's change and let's go to the Scandinavian prog. As we know the Nordic countries always had a great prog tradition, namely Sweden. So, let's go starting a small journey thru four albums of four different bands. Today, I'm going to begin by an album of a Norwegian prog band, Wobbler.
In relation to the last three bands, Diagonal, The Future Kings Of England and Evership, Wobbler is certainly more known. Wobbler released five studio albums till now, "Hinterland" in 2005, " Afterglow" in 2009, "Rites At Dawn" in 2011, this one "From Silence To Somewhere" in 2017 and the last one released in the last year, "Dwellers Of The Deep". However, in spite of be a band better known, curiously, on Sputnik, they have only one album reviewed till now, the last one, courtesy of our friend manosg.
So, I think it's time for more reviews of them here. The band deserves that. I decided by their fourth album, one of their best and most acclaimed works. I hope you can like it too.
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didn't know there existed a band called Aother
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good review btw, pos'd
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Neither do I. Lol.
I fixed it already. Thanks for the warning and pos.
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Nice one e. Haven’t heard this album but the band are great and I can’t say no to a 21 minute opening track and sounds of the 70s so will dive in.
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"Neither do I. Lol."
i was just being a nut but now I actually want to see a band called Aother, it sounds rad
holy fucking shit this album is definitely prog with these track lengths lmao, I'm not much for classic prog but this is pwetty engaging
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks zak. I think you aren't going to lose your time. I'm sure you'll like it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
You can bet on it rellik. The album is progressive in the same vein of the old times of the 70's. You must be patience with the classic prog albums bro. They're, somehow, in the same vein of the classical music. You must open your mind and listen to them without prejudgement and be 100% focused with the music. And it's most important, in many times you need to listen to them several times. Several times, there are many very subtle things that you can feel with several listenings of them. It's very common that after multiple listenings of an album I can heard things that I never heard before. It's crazy and amazing at the same time. At least, for me.
Cheers, budy and good listenings.
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Really glad someone finally reviewed this one and couldn't think of a better person. pos.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Good to see this get a review, great album by a great band
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks manosg. We both tried to do our best work with this band.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Thanks Sunny. Nice to know they have another huge fan.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Arguably their best. My only gripe with this band is that songs drag too much around a same theme, so it's a bit overlenghted. Would be better if there were more varied, with more different instrumental bridges. They excell in confusing us about the emotions expressed. Do they evoke optimism or desperation...Impossible to detect. My guess is that they show cold atmosphere most of the time.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
The intro to Fermented Hours is so great.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Nice to see a review for this, super cool album with occasional bouts of absolute brilliance.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
"My guess is that they show cold atmosphere most of the time."
Maybe you're right Jethro. Anyway, you mustn't forget that they are Nordic and not Latin. But, I love their style.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Yeah, it's true Yazz. I'm glad you like it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Yeah, they deserved to have finally a review. Thanks for the comment Licht.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
13:20 in the title track is orgasmic
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Good stuff, mate. I was surprised this didn't have a review. Foxlight is great, especially the second half.
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