Reviews Vittjar
Reviews: Vittjar
As I hit play, the sun slowly rose upon the meadow, burning away the fog to reveal something truly wondrous. I would officially classify this as progressive folk, but it really is something of its own, too beautiful to be cheapened by label s and terms, for that would force it into a role. This music was created to be free, and to free the spirits of those who listen to it. I consider it a special moment when a piece from a source completely unknown to me immediately goes right to the core of my soul, quite an experience for a first listen.
What makes this album really special to me though is its spirit. It plays, it sings, it dances about the meadows, but it's not the standard type of play we adults are used to. Our play is restricted by rules, regulations, and structure. Way back in our lives though, there was a time before we were ever told to color inside the lines, no one had ever drawn out boundaries or playfields, and we had never heard the dreaded words "that's not possible" or the even worse "you re not supposed to do that." That was true independence, and that is how this album plays out to me, it brings me to that special place of freedom that I thought I had lost so long ago.
Musikreviews.com
The epic Our Silent Ballroom Band (22:11), is simply majestic. There are not many bands that can produce music like this, which literally sucks you into the experiences and reflections that the vocalists are describing, all the while taking you on a journey that weaves here and there, this way and that, and ultimately leaves you as the song fades away in your ears with one over-riding thought..Superb! Initially a quiet start has the crystal clear voice of Aleena Gibson over acoustic guitars and flute/keyboard, but the power of the band builds and recedes constantly throughout the track as it sets images adrift in your mind. Hans Lundin (keyboards) and Per Nilsson (guitars) exhibit superb skills and the contrasting vocals of Aleena Gibson and Patrik Lundstrom and the recorders/violin of the guests adds to the imagery. 5/5
The kings and queens of Scandinavian folklore are back!
This is a great follow up album to "In the Wake..." This band is expanding its abilities and delivering on the promise of mixing modern rock music with the folklore, music and traditions of the past. 5/5
Vittjar, as with most of Kaipa’s recent work, is wildly over the top in many ways but it all works in such a breathtakingly individual way that this can be forgiven and in fact cherished. There is some simply jaw-dropping stuff on this album from all concerned and the writing throughout is superb. This is a very special group that we are lucky to be able to still enjoy thanks to the hard work and talent of Lundin and his cohorts and I think this is the best release they have ever produced. 9,5/10
Heavymetal.about.com
There is a sense of wonder to Vittjar that characterizes every aspect of the album, from the vocals and instrumental flourishes to the subject matter. It's impossible to call the record retro when it is so earnestly, honestly being expressed as if every song and sound is entirely brand new. This dazzled, dappled lens suits the subject matter extremely well, as the album explores the more mystical aspects of the Scandinavian landscape while retelling major points of that culture's folklore.
Those among you who suffer panic attacks when faced with protracted technically-infused compositions may feel that Vittjar is not the album for you, but you couldn t be more wrong! What s truly great about the eight compositions of this album is that they are as much challenging as they are accessible, satisfying both the typical Prog Rock fan but also people who like their Rock to be more straight forward and melody-driven. 4/5
Ytsejam.com
Vittjar represents all of the proper elements of progressive rock through the years, whether it be the embryonic stages through the FM radio years of seventies or up to the anything goes attitude of today - Lundin has been able to adapt to all modernizations of art rock with consistency, yet with unpredictability as well, and album number twelve proves it. 4/5
Progulator.com
The real treat of Vittjar is the epic track, Our Silent Ballroom Band, clocking in at a whopping 22 minutes of what I consider to be Kaipa s finest work in their career.
Bottom line is, in just about every instrument department Kaipa has outshined what they ve previously brought to the table and, compositionally speaking, Vittjar shows the band taking important steps in refining their sound. Wrap that up with the fact that they ve kicked the folk dial up a few notches and we have an album in front of us that should satisfy the cravings of many eager prog fans. Without being what I would call a bold album, Vittjar manages to hit that sweet spot that so many bands are seeking, which is something that I thoroughly congratulate them on. 4/5
Easily one of the most impressive albums this year.
It's certainly no less technically inclined than the classics; your King Crimson's, Jethro Tull's and Rush's, but it's purpose is focussed in a different way, subtly weaving flourishes of masterful musicianship such that it feels merely a means to an end, furthering the track in it's intended direction.
Each member demonstrates their phenomenal capabilities and feels perfectly suited, not for what they bring to the music themselves but for how they work with the rest of the band. There is no singular stand out element because there is no one trying to stand out; there is no one-upmanship with one musician trying to steal the show from another, though I don't doubt most could if they tried. 4.5/5
German
GRANDIOS!!!
Der Vorgänger In the wake of evolution war anno 2010 im damals noch existenten Squealer-Rocks Jahresrückblick mein Album des Jahres , und läuft bis heute ungelogen - mindestens einmal pro Woche mit seinem erhabenen und faszinierenden Sound in meine ungewaschenen Lauscher. Damit dürfte die Erwartungshaltung klar sein.
Und nun sitze ich hier unterm Kopfhörer und heule wie einst im März 2010! Vor allem das gigantische Genie von Kaipa Kopf Hans Lundin ist es, was mir die Pisse in die Glotzer schießen lässt. Wieder - eigentlich wie erwartet hat es der Schwede geschafft, alle Trademarks seines progressiven All Star Projekts beizubehalten und sich trotzdem nicht zu wiederholen.
Our Silent Ballroom Band ist ein Opus ganz in der Tradition der Siebziger. Wunderschöne Melodien begleiten den Hörer auf einer Reise für die Sinne, die ihren Höhepunkt in technisch höchst anspruchsvollen Instrumentalpassagen in der Mitte des Songs finden.
Unter den Strich ist Vittjar ein absolut überzeugendes Progressive-Rock-Album geworden, das Genre-Freunde nicht enttäuschen dürfte. Wobei ich aber auch gerne zugebe, dass sich die Platte in ihrer Gänze erst nach einigen Durchläufen erschließt. Trotzdem ein sehr gelungenes Album.
8/10
Swedish
Extendedmix
Tjugotvå minuter himmelsk vacker musik blir det sedan i den långa och helt underbara Our silent ballroom band , där Aleena inleder så vackert i en akustisk miljö innan låten oerhört försiktigt vaknar till och Patrik tar över sången. Här förs vi genom olika fantasifulla musiklandskap och det är en resa som aldrig blir tråkig och som man aldrig vill ska ta slut. Ett äkta mästerverk och ett bevis på att det verkligen går att skriva verk som är långa, men som man aldrig vill ska ta slut. 9/10
På det hela taget är detta alltså en mycket njutbar platta när man väl lyssnat in sig ordentligt. Musiken är varm och man blir väldigt glad av den här typen av musik. Så det blir en stark 9:a i slutbetyg! Det går knappast att göra mycket bättre musik i den här genren! 9/10
Med en tyngd och en dynamik i låtstrukturerna som spänner från polskekänsla till distad proggmetall. - En nordisk proggrock med rötter i trollskogen. 4/5
Spanish
Manticornio.com
Para mí, no hay mejor rock progresivo que el sinfónico. Me fascina cómo la música rock puede tomar el lado formal de la música de concierto para desarrollarse de manera culta, emocional e imaginativa, conservando su energía pero siendo más grandilocuente desde cualquiera de sus definiciones multi nacionales. Por supuesto, mientras más mejor sea la música :·), menos peor será la escucha y grupos como KAIPA no hacen más que asegurar que pasarás un rato placentero cada vez que escuches una nueva producción de ellos.
Italian
Vittjar è un disco bello, dove per bellezza s intende un gusto melodico capace di colpire cuore e testa: il primo viene rapito (vi è mai capitato d innamorarvi di un disco?); mentre la seconda fa in modo che ogni melodia non venga mai più dimenticata. Quindi diventa tutto molto semplice, anche quando ci si trova di fronte ai ventidue minuti di Our Silent Ballroom Band, ovvero il pezzo più prog del disco, che scorre via con incredibile leggerezza, nonostante la presenza di sezioni strumentali molto più articolate. Impossibile poi non farsi rapire dalle melodie sognanti di pezzi del calibro di Lightblue And Green, Treasure-House o, ancora, The Crowned Hillsides: tutti brani, insieme ovviamente al restante della tracklist, valorizzati ancor di più dall ennesima e incredibile prestazione di due cantanti di razza come Patrik Lundström e Aleena Gibson.
Solitamente un disco progressive vive di contrasti, nel senso di una tensione interna tra tecnica e gusto melodico, e il più delle volte solo uno dei due elementi riesce a imporsi in maniera veramente netta. In Vittjar no, non esiste tensione: tutto è amalgamato alla perfezione, tant è che la tecnica dei singoli elementi, grazie ad un gusto melodico dei più sopraffini, nemmeno si nota, se non ad un ascolto più attento. Quanti artisti con trenta o quarant anni di attività alle spalle possono vantarsi di raggiungere una nuova maturità proprio di questi tempi, quando la crisi d idee sta praticamente immobilizzando l intero mondo della musica? Pochi. E Hans Lundin è uno di questi.
Back to KAIPA
Contact: kaipa@kaipa.info
