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THE FLOWER KINGS
(SWEDEN)
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LOOK AT YOU NOW
(2023)
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LABEL:
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GENRE:
PROGRESSIVE ROCK
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TAGS:
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"Without reinventing themselves, The Flower Kings deliver an excellent vintage with "Look At You Now", whose pleasure increases with each new listen."
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4/5
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Since their return to business in 2018 with "Manifesto of an Alchemist", Roine Stolt and his mates have not been idle, offering us a new album almost every year. So, 2023 welcomes the Flower Kings' new production, "Look at You Now", with its futuristic, enigmatic cover.
Their previous album, "By Royal Decree", left a mixed impression. Admittedly, it's hard to fault The Flower Kings for being irreproachable, whether in terms of the care taken with their recordings or the quality of their performers. Let's just say that the inspiration was lacking, and the tracks were just pleasant.
"Look at You Now" revives the best of what this excellent band is capable of producing. Admittedly, it's been a long time since The Flower Kings abandoned the experimental digressions of their first albums, and "Look at You Now" will come as no surprise to fans of the Swedes, churning out rather short, melodious tracks bearing all the band's hallmarks. But inspiration seems to be back, and the album promises the listener some great moments.
As usual, the music exudes a certain optimism, as does the opening track, which recalls both 'The Seeds of Love' by Tears for Fears and, of course, Yes. This atmosphere is strongly echoed on the only epic track, the eponymous 'Look at You Now', with its superb dreamlike finale. In between, eleven tracks that alternate energy and gentleness, sunny and melancholy atmospheres, interspersed with beautiful instrumental tracks. As The Flower Kings, for the first time in their existence, do not have a dedicated keyboardist (Roine Stolt, occasionally assisted by Michael Stolt and Marko Demaio, takes care of the keyboards), the numerous soli, all very successful and full of feeling, are the prerogative of the guitars.
The blend of Stolt's soothing vocals and Fröberg's much more incisive and emotionally charged ones plays the "good cop/bad cop" game, and works wonderfully well. On 'Day for Peace', Stolt shares the vocals with Marjana Semkina (iamthemorning), for a melancholy-sweet result. Finally, it would be unfair to overlook the presence of Mirko Demaio, whose precise, vigorous playing breathes a beautiful dynamism into the compositions.
With the exception of the somewhat bland duet 'Mother Earth'/'Father Sky', all the tracks have something to pleasantly tingle the listener's neurons. Without reinventing themselves, The Flower Kings delivers an excellent vintage whose pleasure increases with each new listen. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Beginner's Eyes (04:37)
 02. The Dream (04:39)
03. Hollow Man (05:02)
04. Dr. Ribedeaux (03:04)
05. Mother Earth (04:18)
06. The Queen (05:28)
07. The Light in Your Eyes (05:48)
08. Seasons End (05:27)
09. Scars (05:29)
10. Stronghold (06:46)
11. Father Sky (03:08)
12. Day For Peace (03:14)
13. Look at You Now (11:49)
LINEUP:
Hasse Fröberg: Chant
Michael Stolt: Basse / Claviers (5) / Guitare (5) / Chant (11)
Mirko Demaio: Batterie / Percussions / Claviers (12)
Roine Stolt: Chant / Guitares / Claviers / Percussions
Hasse Bruniusson: Invité / Percussions (3)
Jannica Lund: Invité / Choeurs
Jörgen Sälde: Invité / Guitare Classique (6)
Lalle Larsson: Invité / Synthétiseurs (4,9)
Marjana Semkina: Invité / Chant (12)
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(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
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Top of the page
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
4/5 (6 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (3 view(s))
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IN RELATION WITH THE FLOWER KINGS
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LAST INTERVIEW
THE FLOWER KINGS (OCTOBER 2020)
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The unstoppable Flower Kings took advantage of a creative confinement that allowed them to release a new album, "Islands". Meeting with the leader of the band, Roine Stolt.
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OTHER REVIEWS
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OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT THE FLOWER KINGS
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