I have known Swedish multi-instrumentalist Carl Westholm for years through Carptree and Jupiter Society, although others will probably recognise his name more for his time with Avatarium and Candlemass. I sent out my normal Christmas update email last December and Carl soon responded, asking if I would like to hear the albums from his two new projects, of which this is the first. Carl provides electric piano, organ, synth, bass, Theremin, Vocoder and backing vocals while he brought in friends and collaborators from other projects, so the line-up is rounded out by singers Öivin Tronstad and Cia Backman with drummer Lars Sköld and guitarist Ulf Edelönn.
Carl describes the band as having one foot in Progressive Rock and the other in electronic Art Rock, and I certainly understand where he is coming from as while some of this is Crossover, and some Neo, there are also plenty of Art Rock and Melodic Rock influences which makes this a very enjoyable release indeed. Although this really doesn’t sound anything like any of Clive Nolan’s projects, there is something theatrical here which I found did make me think of the sublime ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ which Nolan delivered with Oliver Wakeman. The use of the two singers definitely adds to that impression, as Öivin has a voice which is both melodic and rough, easily allowing emotion to come through, while Cia’s female clarity provides a wonderful contradiction.
Carl has always had a way of providing arrangements so that it never comes across as a keyboard player’s album, and this shines in songs such as “My Punishment” which is driven by continuous rolls around the drumkit, multiple harmony vocals as the two singers swap leads as well as harmonise, strong guitars and keyboards mostly in the background and providing nuances and holding it all together. It is a very modern sounding progressive album, with electronics providing the lower register, yet also feels vital and never contrived. It is one of those albums which the listener can enjoy on the first time of playing, but the more it is played the more one discovers. I enjoyed it the first time around, but as I allowed myself more time it developed further, and the result is something which is commercial yet thoroughly enjoyable.
