Review Summary: Tending to the progressive rock heart…
The prolific Swedish progressive rock act returned with another double album in less than a year since their comeback affair,
Waiting for Miracles saw the light of day. Whereas its predecessor felt stiff or by the numbers at times,
Islands finds the group more focused and eager to further develop their sonic universe. These 95 minutes of music can be taken as one massive entity or separate tunes. Luckily, most of them don’t pass the 6-minute mark, becoming very easy to digest by The Flower Kings standards. Sound-wise, Roine Stolt has always maintained a classic approach, steering clear of modern tendencies to go prog metal at some point. For those not familiar with the quintet’s output, they have been carrying the torch of ‘70s style prog since 1995. Main influences include Genesis, Yes, Camel or Rush among others classics. Nevertheless, fans will cherish the familiar tones and melodies, due to several elements added from their entire discography in the mix. Also, the playfulness and good energy are sprinkled all over the knotty tracks. Although the lyrics occasionally touch less enticing subjects such as loneliness, death or loss, light always shines through.
As expected, the main impediment is
Islands'length. This is a recurring matter in the band’s catalog, despite offering a certain charm to it. Each time I know I’m going to be flooded with new material, yet I want to explore it. Roine & Co. have become an underrated force in the genre and usually, the music speaks for themselves. The attention to details is impressive and trimming the songs kept them immediate and fun this time. For example, ‘Black Swan’ combines synthesizer leads and piano chords with lovely, powerful choruses. The obligatory instrumental detour is short and doesn’t drag, opting instead for a return to the main rhythm. Meanwhile, the subdued ‘Morning News’ harkens back to the early ‘00s jazzy touches of
The Rainmaker. Stolt’s soft croon nicely plays along the smooth, campy beat and acoustic guitar licks. Moreover, ‘Tangerine’ boasts a warmer tone, melding sequencers, synth bass and funky guitars, resulting in a slightly different, straightforward tune, a rare move for The Flower Kings. The contrasting ‘Solaris’ follows, opening with an orchestral segment, which beautifully tags along during the second half as well. The Hammond organ and wandering bass lines are the foundation of this centerpiece, whereas Roine and Hasse bring forth the trademark, epic progressions. This number excellently builds-up into a resonant cut, it should become a favorite for fans.
At some point, it inevitably becomes hard to keep up with
Islands. The second half of the album tends to the heart of the progressive rock genre, displaying each member’s music prowess on instrumental marathons such as ‘Man in a Two Peace Suit’, ‘A New Species’ or ‘Looking for Answers’. They are fine ditties, the short length is a plus, ultimately passing off as fan service. ‘Telescope’, on the other hand, is a pleasant ballad with lounge-like bass lines and soothing melodies. Again, the catchy vocals further enhance the song’s appeal and thankfully, the guitar solo sticks to the main theme for the most part. Towards the end, ‘Fool’s Gold’ nicely pushes forward with a cool drum pattern and bass groove, alongside wobbly keyboards and wah-heavy leads. It feels like one last driving moment before the epic title track closes the record in a grandiose way. Objectively, The Flower Kings could have taken 10 or 12 of the tunes here to present a brilliant, focused 45-minute album. Still, by progressive rock terms,
Islands is the equivalent of a fat, juicy burger waiting to be slowly consumed by the right listener. Patience is required, but after multiple listens you will realize most of the compositions are solid at the very least. It’s not
Stardust We Are or
Banks of Eden, however, I’d personally place this odyssey up there with the most enjoyable ones in the band’s career.
