Karmakanic
(Inside Out)
For at least the past decade, the biggest force in contemporary progressive
rock has been the influx of heavy metal, from the straightforward riffology of
Dream Theater to the complex deathprog of Opeth and the avant-garde madness of
the Mars Volta. So it's refreshing to hear a modern prog band bucking that system.
On its fourth album In a Perfect World, Karmakanic's inspirations clearly come from the ‘70s - Yes, Genesis and Gentle Giant and their 80s neo-prog descendants. There's some darkness around the edges - "We are all prey to dark uncertainty," singer Göran Edman notes in the jazzy, gentle "When Fear Has Come to Town." But for the most part bright melodies, widescreen production and a positive outlook drive tunes like "There's Nothing Wrong With the World" and the epic "1969." That's no surprise, given bassist/composer/bandleader Jonas Reingold's long-running membership in the similarly-inclined Flower Kings - besides, with two keyboard players and a clear tenor like Edman's, how heavy can it get?
Not everything is enamored of traditionalist prog - the chunky "Bite the Grit" follows power chords with dobro, while "Can't Take It With You" interpolates driving rock choruses with Latin rhythmic verses. With an accessible sound that revolves around familiar attributes but pushes the edges at least slightly, Karmakanic has in In a Perfect World one of the most effortlessly enjoyable progressive rock LPs of the year.
DOWNLOAD: "Can't Take It With You," "Bite the Grit," "1969" MICHAEL TOLAND
