Flower Kings Official Thread

[RoeDent]

I've really been getting into Back in the World of Adventures recently. Particularly two of the instrumentals, Atomic Prince/Kaleidoscope and Theme for a Hero. My Cosmic Lover is definitely my favourite on the album though. So catchy and rhythmic. I haven't really gotten into either of the bookending epics yet though. Big Puzzle certainly doesn't have anything that I've memorized yet.

Btw, here's the commercial from which that sample at 8:32 of Silent Inferno is taken from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQlpDiXPZHQ

[KevShmev]

I am familiar with that commercial from way back.  That sample being used in the song made me chuckle at first, but I am so used to it now that I don't even think about it.

Big Puzzle is, for my money, a top 5 TFK song.  I love the pace and vibe of it so much.  World of Adventures is pretty great as well.  My Cosmic Loves is a run rocker, and Train to Nowhere is a notable track from that record as well.

[RoeDent]

Onto Banks of Eden now. Damn, Numbers is *awesome!*

[DTA]

I am familiar with that commercial from way back.  That sample being used in the song made me chuckle at first, but I am so used to it now that I don't even think about it.

Big Puzzle is, for my money, a top 5 TFK song.  I love the pace and vibe of it so much.  World of Adventures is pretty great as well.  My Cosmic Loves is a run rocker, and Train to Nowhere is a notable track from that record as well.

Big Puzzle is excellent, though I'd probably take World Of Adventures and Theme For A Hero over it. I love the short little instrumental tracks he used to throw into his albums even though a lot were kind of bullshit. Made it feel more cohesive and some how more fun to listen to straight through.

Onto Banks of Eden now. Damn, Numbers is *awesome!*

Numbers is a great epic. What a great comeback that whole album is. Not a weak moment and For The Love Of Gold is the closest they've come to recapturing that 90's FK sound.

[KevShmev]

Numbers is definitely great.  3 awesome guitar solos. I repeat, 3 awesome guitar solos!!

[darkshade]

Today I realized there is a new Flower Kings album, as well as Spock's, Neal Morse, Tangent, and soon DT. 

Granted I was lukewarm on Desolation Rose, I haven't even checked out the Anderson/Stolt or Sea Within albums, so I had no expectations for Manifesto of an Alchemist. I did go through all the TFK albums recently, not knowing Roine was preparing a new TFK related album. I went online and saw there's only a couple of reviews

So with that in mind, I listened to the new album today and I have to say I enjoyed it a whole lot more than I did Desolation Rose. I still feel like I don't know any of the songs from DR, but I already look forward to relistening to MoaA soon. It sounds fresh.

[RoeDent]

Listening to The Truth Will Set You Free. As much as I enjoy the song, I think I've picked out the main problem I have with it. It repeats the same verse and chorus melody a bit too much. As fine enough as they are as tunes, some of the other epics of that sort of length have larger sections and the "main" verse and chorus often doesn't come back again until the very end. It almost serves as the A section in a rondo form in this instance. Thankfully it stops in the last 10 minutes and we end with new music, including an awesome instrumental break with fantastic drumming.

[KevShmev]

Yeah, it's pretty repetitive for the first half or so.  The mellow part Roine sings around the 18-minute mark or so (I think) is awesome and then when they come out of it with that triumphant-sounding melody...that is great stuff. It's just so much work to get to it.  I have so many really long songs in my music catalogue now that something has to be pretty damn great for me to dedicate 20+ minutes to it, and The Truth just doesn't clear the bar for me. If I am going to dedicate that much time to a single Flower Kings song, it is gonna be Stardust We Are, I Am the Sun or Numbers, most of the time.

[RoeDent]

Sorry I keep bumping this thread, but I keep finding bits in this music that interest me.

The "main" riff in Deaf Numb and Blind from Flower Power reminds me an awful lot of the main riff in Transatlantic's Duel With the Devil. I'm assuming Roine brought that riff with him to the Bridge Across Forever sessions, especially as the two albums were only released two years apart.

[The Letter M]

Sorry I keep bumping this thread, but I keep finding bits in this music that interest me.

The "main" riff in Deaf Numb and Blind from Flower Power reminds me an awful lot of the main riff in Transatlantic's Duel With the Devil. I'm assuming Roine brought that riff with him to the Bridge Across Forever sessions, especially as the two albums were only released two years apart.

I just listened to the first half of DNAB and I'm not hearing any riff similar to DWTD. Do you have time-stamps for both songs so I can compare, because I'm really curious. I just watched the Building The Bridge documentary the other night and a good chunk of DWTD comes from Neal's "Dance With The Devil" demo, so it could be that the riff you're thinking of might come from Neal's original demo anyway (have you heard it?). I know Roine contributed the "II. Walk Away" portion of DWTD from his original demo (labeled "Roine's Demo Bits" on the limited edition second disc).

-Marc.

[DTA]

I hear a slight resemblance. Could be a vague self-ripoff from Roine but as Letter M said, it sounds like Duel was mostly Neal's anyway so that's unlikely. Also, I know Roine had a couple ideas that weren't used in TA that were then just made into FK songs. I believe those songs were Monster Within and I Am The Sun but does anyone know for sure?

[RoeDent]

1:00 into Duel With the Devil

1:10 into Deaf, Numb and Blind

The first half of the riff is the same, just transposed in a different key. I wonder if it was brought into the BAF sessions from DFAB, but then altered.

[The Letter M]

1:00 into Duel With the Devil

1:10 into Deaf, Numb and Blind

The first half of the riff is the same, just transposed in a different key. I wonder if it was brought into the BAF sessions from DFAB, but then altered.

That's very interesting. I listened to both Roine's Demo Bits and Neal's "Dance With The Devil" demo and I didn't hear any riff that resembles the one you posted.

I went back and watched the documentary and it seems like the riff came up during the sessions, most likely by Roine, as it suddenly appears when they're hammering out the intro to DWTD, which cobbles together parts of Roine's and Neal's demos, as well as on-the-floor ideas.

It could be that Roine just subconsciously pulled out that riff as it fit the chords Neal had. Both writers have self-plagarised before, so it's no surprise here. Good catch, either way! Not sure I would've picked up on that!

-Marc.

[RoeDent]

In fairness, I haven't listened to Duel for a while, so less of the riff is similar than I thought, but it's still a decent-enough chunk for me to remember Duel when listening to DN&B for the first time about a year ago.

It was a year yesterday that I bought the first Kingdom of Colours box.

[RoeDent]

Love Supreme really clicked with me today. Man, this song is absolutely fantastic, especially from around 12:00 to the end. I know his voice is something of an acquired taste, but for me Hasse Froberg really adds something special to the band. And Daniel Gildenlow's backing vocals from 15:20 are spectacular!

I was on a train journey today and managed to get through all of Garden of Dreams (60 mins) and Love Supreme (20 mins). It was nice.

[DTA]

Love Supreme is a really cool song, as is Driver's Seat which never really gets mentioned. I like how ballsy they were to release two albums in a row with two epics. Adam & Eve has grown on me a lot recently and I rate it much higher than I previously did. Timelines is also a great song that really slipped through the cracks but is worth revisiting.

Garden of Dreams is always worth listening to if you have the hour to spare. That song is a really great journey and while I like SWA and IATS a bit better overall, I can't deny that Garden is their true masterpiece and the height of Stolt's and Bodin's compositional abilities.

[RoeDent]

I decided to take the plunge and pick up Manifesto of an Alchemist today. I previewed a few tracks recently, and I really enjoyed the big-sounding drums, plus I'm on a big TFK kick lately.

[KevShmev]

I'm about due for a TFK kick. Always happens once spring really kicks in with warmer temps. 

Regarding Love Supreme, I really like the "stream of consciousness" feel that one has; it flows so effortlessly.  And I can even deal with Froberg's voice in that one! 

[The Letter M]

https://www.facebook.com/84014399944/posts/10151758339464945/

August 30: Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion - Parallel Life

 On Friday the 30th of August HFMC will release their fourth and long-awaited studio album 'Parallel Life'. The album has been recorded at Soundfront Productions. Pre-orders from 28/6 2019

Produced by: Hasse Fröberg and Kjell Sandberg
Sound engineers: Kjell Sandberg and Bosse Lindmark
Artwork by: Ed Unitsky - www.facebook.com/Ed.Unitsky.fanpage
Photos by: Tallee Savage - www.savagebeauty.se
Label: GlassVille Records

Tracks:
1. Parallel Life – 22:32 (Music: Fröberg/Strandberg/Haraldsson Lyrics: Fröberg)
  I. A prophet's escape
  II. To change
  III. You and life
  IV. Hand to the sky
  V. An otherworldly purpose
  VI. A choice moment
2. Sleeping with the ghost – 05:27 (Music: Fröberg Lyrics: Fröberg)
3. Time waits – 09:56 (Music: Strandberg Lyrics: Strandberg)
4. All those faces – 04:46 (Music: Fröberg Lyrics: Fröberg)
5. Rain – 09:05 (Music: Fröberg Lyrics: Fröberg)
6. Friday – 05:40 (Music: Fröberg Lyrics: Fröberg)
7. Never alone – 08:20 (Music: Fröberg Lyrics: Fröberg)

I really enjoyed the first three albums so I'm excited to see them make another album!

-Marc.

[Fritzinger]

I had no idea Hasse had a solo project! I will definitely check this out.
Side note: I always thought that Ed Unitsky designed the most hideous album covers.

[Orbert]

HFMC is pretty good stuff, even if the name is a bit awkward.

[The Letter M]

HFMC is pretty good stuff, even if the name is a bit awkward.

I do find it weird that I see HFMC sometimes referred to as "Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion" and other times as "Hasse Fröberg & The Musical Companion", with the acronym HFMC omitting the "and" and "and the". A better name might have been "The Hasse Fröberg Musical Companion", but that sort of comes off as a more side-project-sounding name, when I think the intention was for him to have his own main band, especially since TFK have been pretty inactive over the last 6 years, not counting Stolt's "Revisited" version of the band (which lacks TFK keyboardist Tomas Bodin, who I feel is integral to the band).

-Marc.

[Orbert]

Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion is how I usually see it, give or take the dots over the "o".  I wrote it off to English not being their first language, although I don't know if that's the case.  "The" Musical Companion would make more sense, but it's still a rather awkward name for a band.

[Fritzinger]

Big news! Roine has re-named the band into The Flower Kings and they are about to release a new double album. Unfortunately without Bodin.

Progressive rock legends The Flower Kings are pleased to announce the release of their brand new studio double-album ‘Waiting For Miracles’ on the 8th November 2019. The album is comprised of 15 new tracks, recorded over the summer at RMV studio in Stockholm, Sweden – a vintage studio space owned by ABBA star Benny Andersson.
Band leader Roine Stolt comments: “We have gone back to the joyful and playful style that made the band famous in the late 90’s. So here ‘more’ is always ‘more’! At time the lyrics have a bit of a serious concern about the state of our world, but overall the theme is full of joy and colour.”
The band, currently comprised of Roine Stolt, Jonas Reingold, Hasse Fröberg, Zach Kamins & Mirko DeMaio (the most recent live line-up), have crafted an adventurous collection of pure prog-rock. Expect boat-loads of vintage keyboards, odd time signatures and long guitar solos – with elements of pop, symphonic and cinematic music.
The album will be released as a 2CD, Gatefold 2LP + 2CD & as digital album, featuring beautiful artwork by American artist Kevin Sloan. Find the full track-listing below:
Disc 1:
1. House Of Cards
2. Black Flag
3. Miracles For America
4. Vertigo
5. The Bridge
6. Ascending To The Stars
7. Wicked Old Symphony
8. The Rebel Circus
9. Sleep With The Enemy
10. The Crowning Of Greed
Disc 2:
1. House Of Cards Reprise
2. Spirals
3. Steampunk
4. We Were Always Here
5. Busking At Brobank

Source: insideout Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic/photos/a.427085880438/10157633986765439/?type=3&theater

[SwedishGoose]

Very good news..... I will be seeing them live again in December. A new album a month in advance is perfect.

[Nel]

Ha! Knew I was right to just keep MoaA listed as a FK album. That rename didn't last long at all.

Like the album art. I'll be checking it out day 1!

[Zydar]

Nice! It will be my first new album since I started listening to them a few months ago. Cool album art too.

[RoeDent]

Well this is a pleasant surprise. Also glad the name issue has been solved. More than happy to add Manifesto to the full TFK canon. And now we have brand new music to look forward to.

[The Letter M]

I wonder if Roine and Tomas had a falling out/agreement about the naming of this new album with regards to calling it a Flower Kings album proper. This will be the first TFK album without him, and what's funny is the press release's mention of "boat-loads of vintage keyboards", as if to say, "We know you miss Tomas, but don't worry..."

I'll go in with no expectations, but I'm sure this will sound closer to the luke-warm MOAA than any of the latter-day TFK albums. Hopefully this album has more contributions from Jonas and Hasse to give it the full-TFK-experience. Of course, their first album in SIX YEARS would be a double album - typical!

-Marc.

[RoeDent]

I wonder if Roine and Tomas had a falling out/agreement about the naming of this new album with regards to calling it a Flower Kings album proper. This will be the first TFK album without him, and what's funny is the press release's mention of "boat-loads of vintage keyboards", as if to say, "We know you miss Tomas, but don't worry..."

I'll go in with no expectations, but I'm sure this will sound closer to the luke-warm MOAA than any of the latter-day TFK albums. Hopefully this album has more contributions from Jonas and Hasse to give it the full-TFK-experience. Of course, their first album in SIX YEARS would be a double album - typical!

-Marc.

To me, it's just like "Tomas left the band, and the band carries on." I'm going to assume he was given a chance to join them before they made Manifesto, but turned it down.

And it's their second album in 2 years, counting Manifesto of an Alchemist, which is the same band that toured in 2018, the only difference being Marco Minnemann has left.

[The Letter M]

I wonder if Roine and Tomas had a falling out/agreement about the naming of this new album with regards to calling it a Flower Kings album proper. This will be the first TFK album without him, and what's funny is the press release's mention of "boat-loads of vintage keyboards", as if to say, "We know you miss Tomas, but don't worry..."

I'll go in with no expectations, but I'm sure this will sound closer to the luke-warm MOAA than any of the latter-day TFK albums. Hopefully this album has more contributions from Jonas and Hasse to give it the full-TFK-experience. Of course, their first album in SIX YEARS would be a double album - typical!

-Marc.

To me, it's just like "Tomas left the band, and the band carries on." I'm going to assume he was given a chance to join them before they made Manifesto, but turned it down.

And it's their second album in 2 years, counting Manifesto of an Alchemist, which is the same band that toured in 2018, the only difference being Marco Minnemann has left.

Considering that I've read there were issues between Tomas and Roine in recent years, I doubt that Tomas was given much of a say on whether or not TFK was to continue without him. Perhaps he allowed Roine and company to continue the band name without him, but I don't think Roine will ever open up to what really happened between him and Tomas.

Either way, I certainly don't count MOAA as a proper TFK album, but more as a spiritual successor to Roine's The Flower King, the proto-TFK album.

Regardless of how you feel about counting MOAA as a TFK album, I think having the TFK name back is good for Roine, considering the luke-warm reception that his last three major musical outings (Anderson/Stolt, The Sea Within, MOAA) garnered, having the "official title" on this work might propel it to greater heights. With two discs of music, I hope they put out the best of what they've got, though I'm sure long-time FloKis fans will feel the difference without Tomas on keys.

-Marc.

[KevShmev]

A Flower Kings album without Tomas Bodin is not something I ever wanted to see, but here we are. Will be interesting to see how good it is, after, like Marc said, the last few albums Roine put out being rather blah.  I fear he has lost his fastball, but maybe doing the first Flower Kings album in six years inspired him to really bring it this time. I am crossing my fingers.

[DTA]

Very cautiously optimistic about this. I do miss the upbeat, "joyful" style they had in the 90's but it's tough to believe musicians when they say they're returning to the sound of their most popular era (remember MP said Black Clouds was like having Pull Me Under, The Glass Prison, A Change of Seasons, and Octavarium on the same album??) Plus Roine has really not done anything worthwhile musically since the Kaipa DaCapo album. Invention/Sea Within/Manifesto were all very lackluster and were produced like garbage too. But a double album is a bold statement so I'm hoping inspiration really struck this time and we get something excellent.

[KevShmev]

I will be a little disappointed if the band does not say anything about why Tomas Bodin is not on this album.   This will be their 13th studio album, and when a guy who was on the first 12 is not on the 13th, I don't think it's unfair to get some type of statement or explanation.

[Orbert]

Agreed.  Someone should say something!

In other news, I'm currently listening to a playlist of all The Flower Kings I have on my PC.  22:21:55.  There's some live stuff in there, but even so, these guys have an insane amount of material.  I'm trying to think of any other band in any genre that has as much studio material as The Flower Kings.