GUNGFLY

(SWEDEN)

ON HER JOURNEY TO THE SUN

(2017)
LABEL:

INSIDEOUT MUSIC

GENRE:

PROGRESSIVE ROCK

TAGS:
Fusion, Melancholic
"An album of inventive, rich and eclectic progressive rock, more for those who prefer to be surprised than lulled by pretty melodies."
CORTO1809 (11.05.2017)  
4/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s)
"On Her Journey To The Sun" is the third album from Gungfly, the chosen code name for the solo project of Rikard Sjöblom, frontman of the late Swedish band Beardfish and officiating in Big Big Train on keyboards and guitars since 2014. Originally, Gungfly allowed Sjöblom to recycle material that didn't fit Beardfish's slightly crazy 70's prog style. That's why "Please Be Quiet" (2009) and "Lamentations" (2011) consist more of fairly short rock or folk songs than long progressive developments. But the 2016 split of Beardfish after their ultimate and excellent album "+4626-comfortzone" changes the game. No more obstacle for Rikard Sjöblom's most progressive impulses to be expressed freely on a Gungfly record, "On Her Journey To The Sun" being a clear proof.

And since Beardfish is no more, why not take the opportunity to repatriate some of its musicians within Gungfly? It's done with the presence of David Zackrisson, on guitar, but also Petter Diamant, a historical drummer of the Swedish band, or Martin Borgh on keyboards, recruited to participate in the last tour of the band. It's not surprising then that this album sounds more prog than its predecessors, evoking of course Beardfish but also emblematic bands like The Flower Kings and Genesis.

It is besides with a very genesian title that the album starts: the long 'Of The Orb', with its elaborated acoustic guitar arpeggios, this theatrical and narrative vocal, these melodies which intertwine, resurrects the English band in its most inspired period, from "Trespass" to "Selling England by the Pound", and the text certainly does not quote 'the cinema show' by chance. The music progresses doubly, on the one hand introducing multiple variations on a given theme, on the other hand changing the theme several times before returning to the initial theme. It is lively without being demonstrative, orchestral without being bombastic.

Of The Orb' is not the only track to exceed the 10-minute mark. 'Polymixia' and 'The River Of Sadness' also have space to develop their themes. The first one, entirely instrumental, serves as a pretext to allow each musician to show his know-how, the juxtaposition of distinct themes working rather well. The second one finds the exuberance and the constant nonsense of Beardfish. It is difficult to find one's way in this very fragmented track where everything changes constantly, melodies, tempos, rhythms and nuances... which nevertheless works very well, everything seems homogeneous in spite of the great heterogeneity and the thousand ideas swarming and never ceasing to intrigue the listener.

But the shorter tracks are not necessarily less rich than these three mini-epics: the album is both very dense and very copious (almost 75 minutes), sometimes very classic ('On Her Journey To The Sun'), sometimes delirious, going from a dark melancholy ('Over My Eyes') to an unexpected euphoria, sometimes bluesy ('If You Fall'), sometimes jazzy and groovy ('Keith (The Son Of Sun)'), often very constructed but not disdaining to let itself go to some improvisations ('Polymixia'), even to a crazy jam ('Old Demons Die Hard').

"On Her Journey To The Sun" resembles the Flower Kings' albums, borrowing from them the eclecticism, the originality, this mix of simple songs and completely crazy tracks... and their generous length to become excessive. Because the record does not avoid some lengths and the overflow of ideas, as on the dispensable 'My Hero' in particular. Nevertheless, this remains marginal compared to the richness of this album, the impeccable playing of the musicians and the vocal interpretation of Rikard Sjöblom, sensitive, sometimes poignant, sometimes eccentric, always right. Combining the delicate progressive of Genesis with the irreverent progressive of Beardfish, this record is a treat, reserved nevertheless for those who prefer to be surprised than lulled by nice melodies.
- Official website

TRACK LISTING:
01. Of The Orb (10:43)
02. On Her Journey To The Sun (05:00)
03. He Held An Axe (04:49)
04. My Hero (07:46)
05. If You Fall (Pt.1) (03:09)
06. Polymixia (11:38)
07. Over My Eyes (04:39)
08. Old Demons Die Hard (05:56)
09. Keith (The Son Of Sun) (05:32)
10. The River Of Sadness (12:02)
11. All A Dream (02:17)

LINEUP:
David Zackrisson: Guitares
Martin Borgh: Claviers
Petter Diamant: Batterie
Rasmus Diamant: Basse
Rikard Sjöblom: Chant / Guitares / Claviers
Sverker Magnuss: Claviers
   
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READERS
4/5 (3 view(s))
STAFF:
4.3/5 (3 view(s))
MY RATING
 
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