[blomljud]

If I mention bands like Yes, classic Genesis, Gentle Giant, Camel and Starcastle and it definitely grabs your attention then definitely read on! [blomljud] is the second album from this Swedish band after there truly stellar first offering, A Doorway to Summer released a couple of years back. Moon Safari is a side project of a group of friends but has taken a lot of patience, dedication and personal financing to get it off the ground. The band includes Simon Akesson from Nightscape who provides keyboards and shares lead vocal duties with Peter Sandtrom (guitar). The result is a dual lead vocalist approach that rivals the classic rich vocal-fired progressive rock of bands like Klaatu and The Alan Parsons Project.

Lush acoustic guitar work, soaring two and three part vocal melodies as well as a virtual sonic cornucopia of instrumental passages, soaring lead guitar and sythesizer all help shape the sound of Moon Safari. Their music is so uplifting and powerful that it is the perfect accompaniment for our (hopefully) warm summer weather that is fast approaching. Some of the vocal harmonies have Crosby, Stills and Nash like qualities and also brings the listener back to other 70's prog rock icons like Starcastle and Firefall with their truly "angelic" vocals. Almost every track on this 2 CD set is a true prog rock gem from the a capella opener Constant Bloom through to tracks like Methusela's Children, a Yes, Spock's Beard influenced song that features soaring Rick Wakeman like synthesizer as well as heavier riffing over Steve Hackett (Genesis) inspired lead guitar work. The "flowery" Crosby, Stills and Nash style oozes through In The Countryside with the voices and bright, clean acoustic work as well as haunting vocal and melodic refrains. Moonwalk is quite simply the best track that this band has ever done...Building and dramatic in nature, it chronicles man's quest to explore space and takes on a rather heavier Uriah Heep edge with heavier riffs and swirling Hammond organ. The Camel-like sudden tempo changes, soaring Steve Hackett style lead guitar work and outstanding melodic refrains help to create a prog rock masterpiece...Goosebumps here!!! Bluebells finishes the first CD and with it's traditional almost "folk" like vocals and vocal rounds, it reminds me of Yes' We Have Heaven from their Fragile album.

The second CD continues with a celebration of summer rituals with The Ghost Of Flowers Past. Big and dramatic with soaring Steve Howe (Yes) like slide guitar work and strong mellotron string effects also bring classic 70's Strawbs to mind. Yasgur's Farm takes on a more rocking and up-tempo Klaatu feel and deals with the spiritual "awakening" that was a by-product of the Woodstock generation. Lady Of The Woodlands takes on Kansas like qualities with its heavy riffing, keyboard and violin mix and A Tale Of Three And Tree offers a short acoustic intro before the over 30 minute opus Other Half Of The Sky. With a classic Yes-like structure, this song encompasses everything that was great about 70's prog rock with endless melodic refrains and instrumental passages; all loosely based on a recurring theme in true classic Yes fashion. Tracks like Yes' Close To The Edge and Genesis' Supper's Ready come to mind when listening to this one. The second disc finishes with To Sail Beyond The Sunset; a quiet piano/voice flavored track that slowly brings the listener back to earth and back to the realities of everyday life.

As I stated in my review of A Doorway To Summer, Moon Safari's music is a breath of fresh air on a warm sunny day. With this 2 disc set, the listener is taken away on an almost 2 hr journey to a time when music used to be positive and uplifting. Their music encompasses everything that was once great in the progressive rock genre with not a single note resembling anything newer than the late 1970's in sound (no modern influences here!). The average age of the band members suggests that most of these guys weren't even born yet when their main musical influences were in their prime. Moon Safari is helping to resurrect an almost dead and forgotten genre of progressive rock and if by nature of a lack of exposure, distribution or major label support that fans of this type of classic progressive rock never get to hear this band, that truly is a tragedy. A masterpiece of progressive rock that everyone should make part of their collection.......

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