The Carpet Knights - "Lost And So Strange Is My Mind"

Transubstans Records
This is the first album by the Swedish The Carpet Knights, although the band has been
around for years and have previously released a few demos. Based on this album, their group's music is guitar-driven 70's styled, rather progressive rock with great vocal harmonies
and little psychedelic tinges. Magnus, the singer of the group, also plays some flute,
and the opening track All Be The Same does sound rather like Jethro Tull.More
often I'm reminded of Wishbone Ash, since the guitars are quite high-flown, beautiful
and melodic. Also the spirit of King Crimson hovers somewhere above the album,
especially what comes to the vocals, and there's a bit of Gentle Giant in there, as well. The
music isn't progressive just for the sake of being progressive, although the time is usually
other than 4/4. What separates this band from the other Swedish prog bands of the moment is
that they don't have a keyboard player, so for example the Mellotron layer that now seems to
be compulsory to the Swedes is missing. There are some analogue noises(Moog?) and Fender
Rhodes in the last track though, which is nice. I think my favourite is still Fools and
Silent Callers
, the most psychedelic track on the album with a rather hazy middle part,
nice percussions and psychedelic, screaming guitars. All in all, this is pretty nice album
with the sounds of the 70's.

12.10.05 by Dj Astro
www.unimeri.com/PsychotoropicZone