The Flower Kings – Islands (Insideout Records, 2020)
The Flower Kings continues its journey as one of the top progressive rock bands with a superb album titled “Islands.” It’s a double set with relatively short tracks. Although this may disappointment fans of long epics, the album is meant to be listened to as one very long piece. Furthermore, Islands contains what I would describe as mini epics that will satisfy anyone’s thirst for state of the art progressive symphonic rock.
Every piece contains exciting layers. You’ll hear masterfully intertwined guitars, outstanding bass lines and fantastic keyboard work. The current lineup includes a rising progressive rock star, versatile American keyboardist Zach Kamins. He is a talented composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who leads his own progressive rock band, An Endless Sporadic.
Islands contains the familiar sing-along vocal hooks that made the Flower Kings so popular. However, the majority of the arrangements and stellar instrumental performances are solidly in the progressive rock area. As usual, the prolific and multifaceted guitarist Roine Stolt and his colleagues incorporate other elements such as blues, folk-rock and classic rock.
The title of the album refers to the isolation and “fear of being disconnected” that has affected millions throughout the globe due to the pandemic.
The line-up includes Roine Stolt on vocals, ukulele, guitars, and additional keyboards; Hasse Fröberg on vocals and acoustic guitar; Jonas Reingold on bass and acoustic guitar; Zach Kamins on pianos, organ, synthesizers, mellotron, and orchestrations; Mirko DeMaio on drums, percussion. Guest artist: Rob Townsend on soprano saxophone.
Buy Islands