From áMARXE, one of this website’s favourite labels, comes Turist i eget liv (Tourist In His Own Life) from Actionfredag (Action Friday), a collaboration between members of several Norwegian bands with guest contributions from members of other Norwegian progressive acts, altogether encompassing musicians from Tusmørke, Jordsjø, Panzerpappa, Lupa, Meer, the Maria Orieta Band and the Chronicles Of Father Robin.
They are Espen Fladmoe Wolmer, drums; Ivar Haugaløkken Stangeby, keys; Ola Mile Bruland, bass; Martin Hella Thørnquist, guitar and vocals; and Aksel Valheim Lem, guitar, together with a large guest list, too numerous to list in this review. The album was recorded in 2020, and the label released it on Bandcamp at the start of this month – pop along to https://amarxe.bandcamp.com/album/turist-i-eget-liv-expanded-edition to take a listen and part with some pennies. The album is very well performed and produced and is never anything less than wonderfully listenable.
So, seven avant-garde goodies to consider. Let’s go.
The work opens with Pönk på Svenska (Punk in Swedish). Let us pönk away! It is a very solid start, with some riffs washing over you accompanied by a jazzy set of keyboard chords, and I do enjoy the guitar solos, the rhythm section moving matters along boundlessly. A nice fusion of harder rock with Avant Garde, and I love the sweeping clarinet which appears in the closing passage. A nice, solid start to proceedings.
En behagelig durakkord som sier noe om hvordan det er å se uten å bli sett (A pleasant major chord that says something about what it's like to see without being seen) can safely be considered a strong contender for “title of the year” in my 2024 awards presentation. The Bruland bass at the start is delicate and very pretty. As the track develops, it has a sense of furtive fun behind it with more than a hint of eastern mystery and further evidence of the rock foundations underlying the project, so a nice, varied mix. I have embedded it below – it gives you a very strong indication of the talent this collective brings to the table.
Gadgetry cum dystopia opens with a plaintive violin before woodwind, guitars, keys and percussion combine to bring us a pleasant passage, when two minutes in we get words indicating a darker electronic feel which is then exemplified by a passage where the more spartan King Crimson is a strong influence with a powerful revolving set of guitar notes and riffs, the dystopia rearing its head and hitting you full square on before the opening mournful feel reasserts itself. Deeply impressive jazz rock music and a huge amount happening.
Peaches en Ulven (Peaches a Wolf) is a shorter piece which I have embedded below. I love the bright and breezy start, which segues into a mad rush of energy. Keys leading the charge, with the percussion frenzied. It all reminds me of classic 70’s television theme tunes or adverts on amphetamines.
Jesus I Min Bod (Jesus in my Closet) is another “title of the year” contender. It is an altogether darker, more brooding, affair, the bass guitar especially strong, the voices and guitars screeching somewhat. I think there is some anger within this, perhaps raging against organised religion?
Ensomhet er bare en folelse (Loneliness is Just a Feeling) is the longest piece here, over nine minutes’ worth of music, and returns us to a more thoughtful, contemplative theme, with some spacey revolving keys and melodic percussion underpinning it. The distorted guitar solo is very strong, the bassline is beautiful, moments of breathtaking power and a stirring conclusion, this is a class throwback to the classic Canterbury sound this record label seeks to preserve so well.
Tobias closes proceedings and is a bright, sunny song, so I assume said Tobias is someone known to the writer and they are fond of each other. The piece is a strong jazz rock number, the rock exemplified by a simply stunning guitar solo just over three minutes in, as good a burst as I have heard this year before we get a last hurrah with the Hammond leading us out, down & dirty.
I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this album these past few weeks, and must recommend it highly to those of you who enjoy the jazz fusion world of progressive rock.