Lykantropi – Tales to Be Told
Stage #1 : Gentlemen of a certain vintage (no discrimination intended; the following applies almost exclusively to that gender), transport yourself back to the late 60s & early 70s when you would listen to early prog rock and pop on a ropey record deck/ crackly radio/ hiss-laden cassette tape ("jazz" cigarettes are optional).
Stage #2 : Recall the styles of Curved Air, Jethro Tull, early Yes and Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas & The Papas (meeting Psychedelia head on), Fleetwood Mac, Blue Oyster Cult et al.
Stage #3 : Imagine an amalgamation of all of the above modernised and recorded in a hi-fi manner and played on your 21st century system of choice, in all its digital or analogue glory (jazz cigarettes remain optional).
If the prospect of the above intrigues, or piques your musical interest, then you should love Swedish band Lykantropi and their third album, Tales To Be Told.
There are also echoes of fellow Scandinavians Opeth (the trad. folk elements) but the delicate edge to Lykantropi’s music eschews any heavily distorted or overdriven guitar sounds (no straying into heavy rock/ metal territory for the Värmland woods based sextet).
This restrained approach suits the style of singer My Shaolin who contributes vocal lines redolent of Jon Anderson in both pitch and delivery.
There is also an undercurrent of early Black Sabbath through both the lyrics (which often touch on the occult) and the music (unison bass/guitar lines). However, don’t expect any Iommi-esque riffage.
Opener ‘Coming Your Way’ is a fairly representative and gentle introduction to the band with some lovely vocals and harmonies a la Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac.
This is followed by the stronger title track (inspired by the romantic vampire film Only Lovers Left Alive) which sees the band stretching out with a rockier edge.
'Mother of Envy,' featuring the flute of Ia Öberg, reminds of early era Jethro Tull and not just because of the inclusion of that instrument; such influences are also heard across the middle section of the slower and atmospheric 'Kom Ta Mig Ut' (Come Take Me Out), a song that has been beautifully constructed from several parts blended together (there’s even the subtlest hint of very early YES in the mix).
Singer/ guitarist Martin Oslund takes lead vocal duties on 'Kom Ta Mig Ut,' accompanied by the delightful harmonies of My Shaolin; the song also features an excellent guitar solo, stretching the song to prog-friendly six and a half minutes…
Stage #2 : Recall the styles of Curved Air, Jethro Tull, early Yes and Jefferson Airplane, The Mamas & The Papas (meeting Psychedelia head on), Fleetwood Mac, Blue Oyster Cult et al.
Stage #3 : Imagine an amalgamation of all of the above modernised and recorded in a hi-fi manner and played on your 21st century system of choice, in all its digital or analogue glory (jazz cigarettes remain optional).
If the prospect of the above intrigues, or piques your musical interest, then you should love Swedish band Lykantropi and their third album, Tales To Be Told.
There are also echoes of fellow Scandinavians Opeth (the trad. folk elements) but the delicate edge to Lykantropi’s music eschews any heavily distorted or overdriven guitar sounds (no straying into heavy rock/ metal territory for the Värmland woods based sextet).
This restrained approach suits the style of singer My Shaolin who contributes vocal lines redolent of Jon Anderson in both pitch and delivery.
There is also an undercurrent of early Black Sabbath through both the lyrics (which often touch on the occult) and the music (unison bass/guitar lines). However, don’t expect any Iommi-esque riffage.
Opener ‘Coming Your Way’ is a fairly representative and gentle introduction to the band with some lovely vocals and harmonies a la Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac.
This is followed by the stronger title track (inspired by the romantic vampire film Only Lovers Left Alive) which sees the band stretching out with a rockier edge.
'Mother of Envy,' featuring the flute of Ia Öberg, reminds of early era Jethro Tull and not just because of the inclusion of that instrument; such influences are also heard across the middle section of the slower and atmospheric 'Kom Ta Mig Ut' (Come Take Me Out), a song that has been beautifully constructed from several parts blended together (there’s even the subtlest hint of very early YES in the mix).
Singer/ guitarist Martin Oslund takes lead vocal duties on 'Kom Ta Mig Ut,' accompanied by the delightful harmonies of My Shaolin; the song also features an excellent guitar solo, stretching the song to prog-friendly six and a half minutes…
A bit of (folk) boogie with prog breaks then enters proceedings courtesy of 'Spell On Me.'
Another song to feature a great vocal arrangement from My Shaolin, 'Spell On Me' again references the band’s penchant for occult themes in the lyrics.
A complex riff introduces the album’s up-tempo single, 'Axis of Margaret.'
One of the strongest and most personal songs on the album (lyrically, in part, recalling how the band’s bassist Tomas Eriksson found his mother dead – "I saw the figure that used to be home. No sounds, only a song from when I was a child."), 'Axis of Margaret' provides another good example of the band’s tight guitar/ bass unison parts.
Following number 'Life on Hold,' which lyrically explores loneliness and isolation (in part influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic) includes another complex riff and a strong vocal part – this six-strong band are tight.
Closing number 'Världen Går Vidare' (The Wolrd Goes On) is described by Tomas Erikkson as being "about life and everything in nature that wants to grow. Everything must have arisen from nothing… consequently, we should be able to suspect that even nothing strives to become something. For if nothing aspired to become something, reasonably nothing would have existed at all; there had still been nothing."
On second thoughts, perhaps the jazz cigarettes are mandatory, not optional.
Joking aside, and in truth, 'Världen Går Vidare' is an album highlight with a very atmospheric opening and middle section, which is beautifully recorded; the extended instrumental section is memorable and shows the band playing to their strengths.
It's also an beautifully sculpted reminder that, despite a 2020 we’d all rather forget, the world does indeed go on (with or without us one suspects).
Detractors of vintage rock/ folk psychedelia will no doubt point with derision at the hippy-drippy lyrics and dated instrumentation and arrangements, but if bands such as Lykantropi float your folk-prog boat this is a worthwhile nay, essential, album for your collection.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Tales To Be Told will be released on Friday 6th November.
Another song to feature a great vocal arrangement from My Shaolin, 'Spell On Me' again references the band’s penchant for occult themes in the lyrics.
A complex riff introduces the album’s up-tempo single, 'Axis of Margaret.'
One of the strongest and most personal songs on the album (lyrically, in part, recalling how the band’s bassist Tomas Eriksson found his mother dead – "I saw the figure that used to be home. No sounds, only a song from when I was a child."), 'Axis of Margaret' provides another good example of the band’s tight guitar/ bass unison parts.
Following number 'Life on Hold,' which lyrically explores loneliness and isolation (in part influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic) includes another complex riff and a strong vocal part – this six-strong band are tight.
Closing number 'Världen Går Vidare' (The Wolrd Goes On) is described by Tomas Erikkson as being "about life and everything in nature that wants to grow. Everything must have arisen from nothing… consequently, we should be able to suspect that even nothing strives to become something. For if nothing aspired to become something, reasonably nothing would have existed at all; there had still been nothing."
On second thoughts, perhaps the jazz cigarettes are mandatory, not optional.
Joking aside, and in truth, 'Världen Går Vidare' is an album highlight with a very atmospheric opening and middle section, which is beautifully recorded; the extended instrumental section is memorable and shows the band playing to their strengths.
It's also an beautifully sculpted reminder that, despite a 2020 we’d all rather forget, the world does indeed go on (with or without us one suspects).
Detractors of vintage rock/ folk psychedelia will no doubt point with derision at the hippy-drippy lyrics and dated instrumentation and arrangements, but if bands such as Lykantropi float your folk-prog boat this is a worthwhile nay, essential, album for your collection.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Tales To Be Told will be released on Friday 6th November.