Kerrs Pink - Art Of Complex Simplicity (1997)

A very decent album from a very good prog folk band. Kerrs Pink was an eighties band that really doesn’t seem to have had a long active history, and according to the liner notes this was actually supposed to be a solo album for founding member Harald Lytomt. But he enlisted friend Jan Håkon Skarpsno to pen lyrics for several tracks and eventually decided to release this under the name Kerrs Pink, although only a couple of former members actually play on the record.

Camel fans will love the easy-going, mild approach in most of these compositions. Lytomt crafts rich musical works that blend Norwegian folk sensibilities with some modern instrumentation (guitars, drums, digital keyboards). The music is enriched as well with tin whistles, cello, flute and organ. The result is a truly folksy sound that avoids the all too common trap of becoming tepid strumming and crooning. This is a modern sound but with plenty of the trappings of classic progressive sounds.

Eight of the thirteen tracks here are instrumentals, and even the songs with vocals mostly emphasize the instrumental aspects of the music. The themes are pastoral, often speaking of tender relationships, memories and longing. Not really music for a wild Friday night, but perfect for sitting around the house watching the buds of spring popping up on the plants on your garden. I suppose I’ve revealed what I’m doing at the moment.

All the tracks here meld together well, with a few standing out just a bit for different reasons. “Linger a Bit Longer” mixes fat C3 organ with solid electric guitar and piano chords, while the ten-minute long “Joie de Vivre” is a classic-styled progressive mini-epic with endless transitions and soaring keyboard passages. The opening “Welcome to the Greenest Forest” is a great introduction of soothing keyboards sharpened with wailing guitar that sets the mood for the rest of the tunes perfectly. All in all this is a worthwhile investment of time for the calming effect it has after a rather strenuous week of toil and the complexities of life. Hence the title I suppose.

I don’t have any other recordings from the band, although it might not make much difference since this doesn’t seem to be in the vein of the group’s earlier work. But as an elaborated solo recording (which it what it seems to be), this is a well-crafted effort that should appeal to most prog folk fans and probably a lot of lovers of classically-styled prog music in general. Four stars might be just a bit of a stretch but I’ve found this to be a soothing repose over the past few weeks I’ve played it since picking it up, so I’ll go with that for now. Well recommended to like-minded souls. KERRS PINK Art Of Complex Simplicity music reviews and MP3

peace

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Welcome to the greenest forest (6:23)
2. Lady of the Lake (2:52)
3. The Hero of the Chivalry (4:03)
4. Fearful Heart (4:09)
5. Never Land (4:20)
6. Lina (2:36)
7. Affinity (8:33)
8. Guiding Light (3:30)
9. Celestial Heavens (3:03)
10. Linger a bit longer (6:46)
11. Days Past (2:15)
12. Joie de Vivre (10:00)
13. A Final Greeting (6:35)

Total Time: 65:05

Line-up / Musicians

- Harald Lytomt / acoustic and electric guitars, bass, flute, vocals, keyboards
- Jan Haakon Skarpsno / drums, keyboards, arrangements (1, 7 & 12)
- Thor Einar Wiik / drums
- Jonny Klemmetsrud / drums
- Knut Ragnar Lie / drums, vocals
- Jostein Hansen / bass
- Per Oeyvind Nordberg / keyboards
- Freddy Ruud / keyboards
- Bjoern Teig / Hammond C3 organ
- Fritz Hunstad / Hammond C3 organ
- Toore Johansen / tin-whistles
- Erik Hageler / vocals
- Geir Morgan Jahren / vocals
- Heidi Drengsrud Jahren / vocals
- Cecilie Ljunggren / vocals
- Tormod Gangfloet / viola
- Liv Frengstad / cello

Kerrs Pink Live 2002 - Sirrus

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Kerrs Pink - Tidings (2002)

This veteran Norwegian prog band has a storied past with both the first self titled debut and the splendid sophomore Mellom Oss being fine prog-folk examples, led by the fluid lyrical guitar of Harald Lytomt. "Tidings" follows two adventurous and well-received releases (A Journey on the Inside and The Art of Complex Simplicity) and suggests a tad more conventional perhaps even commercial approach. The opener "Hour Glass" is pretty standard neo-tinged prog and is accessible enough for any fan but there is no real awe to wildly applaud. The lads do immediately get back to their folkish strengths on the inspirational "Tidings from the Distant Shore", a scintillating nearly 9 minute display of electric folk, with sweeping orchestral themes, delicate female vocals with male interventions, a propos marching violin, sizzling synths and a weeping guitar solo to finish the job. "Shooting Star" is a Freddy Ruud composition and thus strongly favors a variety of massed keyboards, a very deliberate piece that glows gently, set ablaze by a tortuous Lytomt lead solo, full of emotion and effect. The female backing vocals offer a soulful approach to counteract the male vocals that unfortunately grate unconvincingly. The longest cut here , "Yumi Yeda" is a welcome return to their more sophisticated style, showcasing exemplary melodies, allied with some inspired playing by all , even though the lead vocals are somewhat accented and weak. The guitar wails and weaves majestically however, providing another glimpse of how the instrumental prowess can be impeded by unconvincing voice work. "Moments in Life" conjures up strong Camel tinges with more lyrical guitar observations in a dreamy wash of keyboard colorations, again ruined by some wayward "American style funky-groovy" female vocals that plod on totally ludicrously, having little function other than to divert from the instrumental pleasure. Why? Next up, "Mystic Dream" is another near 10 minute piece that sails off at first assuredly, diving quickly into a sedate vocal segment, morphing into lung calisthenics that have no purpose and a fine solo section featuring both guitar and keys. Again, the same attributes apply, great musical parts raped by unpersuasive lead microphone work. Gratefully, the final track "Le Sable S'est Ecoulé" is an instrumental workout (using the oft-used Martin Luther King "I have a dream" quote as well as a JFK snippet) that demonstrates the tonal and technical abilities these vets obviously possess, preferring more experimental orchestrations thus clashing wildly with the previous material. In my opinion, their weakest effort by far, please chuck the vocalists and return to more conventional folk-prog singing and all will be fine tidings from then on. 3 Pink Grains of Sand. KERRS PINK Tidings music reviews and MP3 ( review from progarchivres.com)

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Hour Glass (5:32)
2. Tidings From Distant Shore (8:30)
3. Shooting Star (9:40)
4. Yumi Yeda (10:15)
5. Moments In Life (8:37)
6. Mystic Dream (9:46)
7. Le Sable S'est Ecoulé (5:38)

Line-up / Musicians - Harald Lytomt / lead guitars
- Freddy Ruud / lead keyboards
- Lasse Johanssen / keyboards
- Jostein Hansen / bass guitars
- Knut R. Lie / drums, backing vocals
- Lasse Tandero / lead vocals

Total Time: 57:58

Kerrs Pink Live 2002 - Point Blank

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Kerrs Pink - Mellom Oss (1981)

A delightful album by the scandinavian "Kerrs Pink" which comes across to me like a mix of "Camel" "Pink Floyd"and "Samla Mammas Manna" at there best.

Rich melodies and excellent dialogues between keys and guitars etc make for a magic spellbindingly entertaining listen.

The fabulous scandinavian folk sound is brilliantly integrated with rock and although there are some nice vocals it's the instrumentals which are the most impressive. You will hardly hear the mix described better done than here!

The lengthy "Mens Tiden Forgar" is one of the highlights and has some really nice mellow flute passages and soaring female vocals. the later rockier guitar section for some reason reminds me of "Joe Walshes" "Rocky Mountain Way". Cool!

A fantastic band and album.


Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Mellom Oss / Between Us (5:36)
2. Tröstevise / Comforting Tune (2:56)
3. Tröstevals / Comforting Waltz(1:02)
4. Östenfor Ord / East of Words (6:06)
5. Hvem snakker til meg? / Who's Speaking To Me (5:29)
6. Elegi / Elegy (3:17)
7. Mens Tiden Forgar / While Time Fades Away (17:17)
a. Dråper / Drops
b. Haven / The Garden
c. Adams sang / Adam's Song
d. Fallet / The Fall
e. Evas Sang / Eve's Song
f. Mens Tiden Forgår / While Time Fades Away
g. Etterspill / Aftermath
Bonus tracks:
8. Marius / Marius (3:16)
9. Parademarsj for Jubilanter / The Last of the Sixth Formers (2:36)
10. Den Siste Russ / Ode to Olga (3:00)
11. Hyllest til Olga / Parade March for Jubilants (1:40)
12. Trömborg Samba / Trömborg Samba (3:27)
13. Fredsmarsjen / Marche de la Paix (3:15)

Total Time: 54:28

Line-up / Musicians Vinyl version:
- Harald Lytomt / guitars, flute
- Jostein Hansen / bass, guitars, vocals
- Halvard Haugerud / keyboards, bass, vocals
- Tore Fundingsrud / drums
- Trond Bøhn / keyboards, guitar contributed on two tracks before he quit.
GUESTS:
- Kirsten Hognestad Bøhn / vocals
- Lars-Thore Lande / bass
- Trygve Lahn / violin
- Chris Dankel, family and friends (hand claps and chorus)

Kerrs Pink Live 2002 - Point Blank

Kerrs Pink Live 2002 - Sirrus

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