Bjørn Riis, Airbag co-founder, songwriter and lead guitarist, has returned in 2022, with a new studio album titled Everything to Everyone. And it is much different and better than Airbag’s last album. Everything to Everyone will be released on April 8, 2022
The six songs deal with “human emotions and the fear of losing ones’ self in the constant effort to meet every, often perceived, expectation”.
“I was inspired by Dante’s Inferno when I started to write. A bit pretentious perhaps, but I’ve always been fascinated by that very personal journey and the search for some kind of piece or redemption, while being both mentored and hurt along the way. Musically, I wanted to take the listener on that journey, experiencing both hope and anxiety.”
Bjørn, sings most of the vocals and plays guitar. He has invited appearances from Henrik Bergan Fossum, (Airbag); Kristian Hultgren, (Wobbler); Simen Valldal Johannessen, (Oak); and Norwegian singer/songwriter Mimmi Tamba.
Once again, Bjørn has teamed up with long-time collaborator Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes, who co-produced the album with Bjørn, and engineered and mixed it. Jacob Holm-Lupo, (White Willow and The Opium Cartel), mastered the album.
Now this is more of what I was expecting from an Airbag album, than what I was greeted with recently. “Run”, turns up the electric guitar notches and almost sounds like something that Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee would have developed for a new Rush album. It is a fantastic album opener that lights the fire well.
Then Bjørn slows it down with “Lay Me Down”. A slower, softer, more deliberate inner-conscious journey through his vision of his soul and a review of his life’s journey, so far. It is a spectacular song sung with immense feeling, and at times some support from Mimmi Tamba. Those sad Gilmour-like guitar riffs set the perfect mood. The strings add emotion and feeling galore. Later, it growls like a heavy edge Rush song again. The deep, sonic keyboards weave a powerful memory. Very Pink Floyd, Animals or Wishing You Were Here, once it turns into an instrumental.
“The Siren”, opens with soft piano and acoustic guitar. Bjørn sings, There is something about her hair. The way she moves. The way she looks at you. She’ll dance alone. She’ll dance for everyone. While your heart is beating, she’ll turn to someone new”. Love for someone, without the return embrace. A difficult song, set well to soft, weeping electric guitar, bass, slow drums, and percussion. A nice, relaxing song.
“Every Second Every Hour”, sounds like more wonderful Pink Floyd, mixed well with the delayed singing cadence of No Man’s Tim Bowness, without the unique sound of his voice. A solid song of patience and the counting of the daily hours of a snapshot of one’s life. “Always doing what you’re told”, like a Roger Water’s excerpt from Pink Floyd. The bass, time ticking effect will take you back to Roger, and many Pink Floyd albums of the past.
“Descending”, is not the Tool modern classic masterpiece, that brought back to life Rush’s “Natural Science” and “The Camera Eye”; together for the first time, at once. It is only 4:33, so how could it ever be. Instead, it is has slow, quiet wonderful keyboards, and a “Wishing You Were Here”, acoustic and electric guitar strum that will take you back to that album. Very ethereal, like Pink Floyd best. The influence is everywhere. The heartbeat, drumbeat, is wonderful. Mimmi Tamba’s ethereal vocals are wonderful. It grinds up a notch, with far off heavier guitar and bass rhythms, before the acoustic guitar returns.
“Everything to Everyone”, continues the “Wishing You Were Here” rhythms of guitar at a similar pace. The lyrics are like Roger Waters, outwardly searching for your inner self. Mimmi Tamba and Bjørn sing, “I need you”. “Will I be lost. Or will I stumble upon a way out of here?” How can he get out from beyond, “The Wall”? Mimi at times sounds like she is trying to re-imagine “The Great Gig in the Sky”, and it is a fond memory, indeed.
If you like Pink Floyd, NoMan or more modern progressive rock, with a harder guitar edge, this is your ticket. A solid performance throughout. Not an album of the year, but a much better performance than Airbag’s last album. I’ll be back for more. I recommend this if you haven’t listen to old Pink Floyd for a while. It will take you back to a wonderful place. This was challenging to write and powerful to hear.
Track List
- Run – 5:56
- Lay Me Down – 11:40
- The Siren – 7:20
- Every Second Every Hour – 13;20
- Descending – 4:33
- Everything to Everyone – 7:28