Retro prog
Latest album: A Drop of Light (2018)
A Drop of Light (2018)
In 2017 when Wobbler released From Silence to Somewhere, it had all the earmarks of an album-of-the-year type recording. As I noted in my review there, that's exactly what it ended up being. And not likely to be surpassed either.
For 2018, All Traps on Earth had all the earmarks of an album-of-the-year type recording. This designation has been trumpeted by many, including by those whose opinions matter to me. And... that's what it ended up being. However, I could see this one being overtaken. But for now, it is in fact the best thing I've heard from 2018.
And why is that? Well... albums such as Drop of Light are so in-the-pocket prog, it makes one wonder why more bands don't do it. The critics of these types of albums - and you see this ALL the time - just throw out that tired trope of "it's been done before". Folks, I have bad news to break to you: everything has been done before. It's just a convenient phrase for saying "I don't like it". That's OK, you don't have to, but don't bother rationalizing it in that way. But for fans of the genre, All Traps on Earth, Wobbler, and Änglagård will always find themselves in the top spot, or close to it. The real reason you don't hear bands do this style much is because it isn't easy to accomplish at all. It's about the substance more than the style. And all us grizzled prog veterans will know instantly when someone is trying to pull the wool over our eyes (or ears). Paul Stanley of Kiss liked to recount that they received the same criticism in their line of work. He would always respond: "Yea, if it's so easy, why don't you do it then?" Well said.
Which gets us back to All Traps on Earth. No matter how hard one is going to try, it's pretty difficult not to think of this as the 4th Änglagård album. And of course that's because it has their direct lineage. Honestly I think if you paired up Johan Brand and Thomas Johnson and they started a new disco funk band named Studio 54, the end result would sound like Änglagård - in 4/4. It's like the Scorpion and the Frog parable. It's the essence of who they are. Joining Brand and Johnson is current Änglagård drummer Erik Hammarström and Brand's daughter Miranda on (wordless) vocals. Plus a host of guests, most notably Matthias Bååth and Magnus Irving Båge on flutes/recorders, with Fredrik Lindborg on various reeds. Also present is guitarist Phil Mercy, leader of the English group Thieves Kitchen, yet another band that Johnson turned into Änglagård.
The opening title track is the most dense and difficult. As a whole, All Traps on Earth are more "rehearsal intensive" than the more swinging Änglagård (who are by no means a jamming groove band either). Miranda's non-lyrical vocals are operatic, offering a dark atmosphere. It's somewhat like Shub Niggurarth in this way. On this point, there are Zeuhl references throughout the album, but in no way is this a Zeuhl album. Johan Brand is no Bernard Paganotti, two bassists performing completely different styles, each defining their niche in the progressive rock world. 'Magmatic Warning' further advertises their love for Zeuhl, and there's some cyclical grooving Fender Rhodes here that is the closest All Traps on Earth get to Magma. Toward the latter half of the song we are introduced to charted tuned percussion and flute - and this is prevalent throughout the third track 'Omen'. And what does that read like? Exactly - Dun's Eros. Wow! Almost no one these days emulating that sound (or even in those days...). So Dun mixed with Anglagard! I know, get a paramedic out here and quick... And finally that gets us to 'Bortglömda Gårdar', where they take off their mask and say "ahh let's give it up - we're Änglagård after all aren't we?"
Full hardbound books have already been written about this album, so if you need a bar by bar detail, it's probably out there. Suffice to say, if you're a fan of retro prog (i.e. 70s complex prog), then it's hard to imagine All Traps on Earth not registering in the red zone. Buy it.
2/28/19 (new entry)
