the second album




Written about the album "II" released by Progress Records 9/26 2005.


On the Rocks
Liquid Scarlet. When I saw these guys for the very first time live last year I was gobsmacked. I already knew their material from their debut album but that evening they also performed live some of the new songs which can now be found on this their second album. What I like about them is their attitude and their very own ‘now’ sound. It still very much remains prog but they do it without looking back to the seventies copying bits and pieces from established names in the genre. Already from the opening song on this new album which starts with solitary and simple piano chords the band grabs your attention. Then singer Markus Fagervall kind of recites the lyrics rather than actually sing them. Bit by bit however the arrangement ‘swells’ as more instruments join in. In a way it’s like an alternative bolero but strong enough to keep you focussed throughout. The band has an incredible ear for interesting hooks and splendid melodies although they tend to deliver both commercial sounding odds and sods and pure progressive epics in one go. The lengthy ‘The carafe (part II)’ begins almost in authentic Anekdoten style before the music is steered into a jazzy direction with Markus’ vocals sounding like an overworked Tom Waits. The same jazzy feeling combined with folky sidesteps and a wonderful vocal melody form the backbone for ‘The marriage of Maria Braun’, a song which I honestly can’t compare to anything that has ever been recorded. Superb how the vocal harmonies settle against the original sound of the Fender Rhodes. Talking of folk, the soft storytelling atmosphere of ‘Rhodedendron’ is spiced up by means of an accordion whilst extra echo on the voice adds a psychedelic touch to it all. Again this long song contains plenty of unexpected twists and turns so that instead of a song it kind of ends up being a mini theatre play. ‘Everywhere’ once again breathes and depicts the original nature of early Anekdoten this time around even incorporating cello. However the aggressive intro is soon shoved aside once Markus’ vocals blend nicely with distant xylophone sounds. Captivating and entrancing. The next song ‘Just like you’, not only uses cello but also adds violin and viola. In fact the only accompaniment comes from a wonderful string quartet. Imagine those heavenly sounds only combined with vocals. This is Art with a big “A” ! Simultaneously with this full album release the band also released a five-track EP. This EP features ‘Killer couple strikes again’ plus four unreleased bonustracks. ‘Killer couple’ also features on the full album and is a great uptempo tune which contains a great melodic Moog as the recognizable hook. I already mentioned the use of accordion and the folky nature of one of the songs. Both ingredients are also part of the lush ‘There’s got to be a way to leave’ which I feel could be an ideal soundtrack. Especially the closing section which sees the piano and accordion unite with the string quartet. It kind of reminds me of ‘Les parapluies de Cherbourg’. Some time after the band’s debut album I received a five track cd-r with new songs. The opening track really blew me away so I’m pleased that it finally has found it’s way onto this brandnew disc. ‘The thorn in your flesh’ contains all the right elements to make this a standout track and without any doubt it contains the strongest melodies you’ll find on the entire disc. Although the band is a fivepiece they are not afraid to use their instruments in a solitary setting which I sometimes find very daring. The piano first mingles with the voice in ‘Lines’ before guitar, bass and drums follow one by one. Towards the end the superb sound of the mellotron leads this album towards a grand finale only Liquid Scarlet is able to create ! Recorded, produced and mixed by the band themselves I guess this is what the Liquid Scarlet sound has to sound like. Although quite young they fully understand they have come to a point where they have to decide for themselves which direction to take. An outside producer might do more harm than justice right now so full marks for taking the decision to keep everything into the Liquid Scarlet family ! This ain’t vintage prog and it ain’t rock. This most definitely is music of a higher dimension. The kind of music which simple souls like us can’t really define. “II” is an out of this world beauty and a strong contender for album of the year !

http://www.boborocks.be


Sea of tranquility
The passionately played opening piano notes on the first song "Lines Are Drawn Again" suggest a great retro prog rock sound that harkens back to the earliest days of the 70's with a singer whose delivery may sound monotone at first but he will reveal incredible depth and expression with each subsequent track. The languid opening slowly leads into a more adventurous piece as various instruments work their way into mix, ranging from subtle guitar chords, a ferocious yet perfectly fitting bass, and numerous classical instrumentation. By its end, we are already introduced to a tremendously impressive band that has yet to offer a lot more on the following nine tracks. Early King Crimson traces unite with Mellotron-supported jazz harmonies before multi-instrumentalist Johan Lundstrom throws in some amazing drum beats producing 70's fills during a brief vocal-free intro. Judging by this one long tune, vocalist Markus Fagervall is an intense soul. He really sings the way his heart dictates here, rather than following the song's pattern as on the other tracks. In a way, I had to think of Anders Jansson's expressive vocals on Tomas Bodin's last album I Am. Similarly, Fagervall goes for raw yet extremely haunting vocal expressions, singing desperately over fluent jazz piano which is then joined by some saxophone and clarinet work, not to mention Joel Lindberg's utterly engaging bass playing. The bass shakes you up, shudders and thunders holding everything together, but it is so perfectly placed into the mix that not even for a moment does it take away from the listening experience. The 10-minute piece is finalised with a mesmerizing string arrangement eventually connecting with the other classically influenced track "The Marriage of Maria Braun". Awesome cello and violin work generates an ethereal atmosphere and the song is once again underlied by a textural bass line that is meticulously placed in the heart of the song. Accordions, dynamic guitars, and 4/4 drum beats are followed by Olle Sjogren's sick jazz piano soloing until the final second. Ropert Fripp-style folk licks are captured on "Rhododendron" where you can also hear a brilliant solo passage for acoustic guitar, as melancholic synths start to float about the track amidst chunks of pronounced bass work and Mellotron effects. Slowly the song develops into a fierce prog anthem where every instrument soars wildly and the composition takes on a cinematic vibe. Footsteps and someone using an old typewriter can be heard in the background if listened attentively, but soon enough, a dirge-like acoustic break is introduced and the song is wrapped up with groovy bass figures. Though most of this album is pretty laidback and dark in nature, the band also knows how to write Beatles style poppy 60's rockers on "Killer Couple Strikes Again" and the happy-sounding "The Thorn in Your Flesh". Some really impressive guitar harmonies are present on the Anekdoten type of song "Everywhere", which also carries a good amount of double bass and classical instrumentation. Although most expressive on the longer songs, Fagervall comes up with the album's catchiest and best vocal melody on the ballad "Just Like You", featuring another awesome orchestral backdrop and crying violin lead. Great production work is another plus. Lots of proggers who want to hear something different should seek this disc out.

Murat Batmaz
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=3172


ProgPlanet (4/5)
LIQUID SCARLET yet onother Swedish superb progband, originally recommended to be, by my dear friend and prog- mate LEO. And quite honestly i had some difficulty in “getting into them”. But after more than a few (any progreviewer should at least hear albums in question, 3 times..but go for five listenings, then even more “doors” will open for you to digest!) things began to dawn on me. LIQUID SCARLET are a fine progband with a different story to tell, musically that is !! What i first found ...ahem.... indifferent...are now refreshingly new,which just goes to show the abowe rules for listening (as a reviewer) are relevant !! There are some very elaborate and fine tuned music on this album ....with the emphasis on beautiful lyrics and very well composed songs. Forget the high soaring guitarsoli.....forget the thundering drums ..forget the loud vocals. But lean back into your favorite chair, let your mind at ease... for this is a journey ínto yet another realm of the beautiful world we call prog!! I dare you, to mention any other proggroup that will have you leaned back so much in wonder and awe. Are these guys for real ?? Oh, yes they are..this is the new world of progmusic! And by the way, they come by way of PROGRESS RECORDS (oh..yes it them again....a label to take note of!!) Whats that? I havent mentioned the music !? NO ? well why dont you, go buy them....i promise..this is the progsurprise of the year. ME ? I havent heard anything like it !! And thats a plus !!

tlarz
http://www.progplanet.com/index.php?categoryid=10&p2_articleid=124


The Dutch Progressive Rock Page (9+/10)
"Swedish quintet Liquid Scarlet return with the follow-up to their highly acclaimed eponymous debut album released in 2004. It is rare these days to be immediately enraptured by a song, but that happened when the first notes of "Lines Are Drawn Again" rang out from my speakers. Beautiful in its simplicity, Olle Sjögren's solitary piano chords blend perfectly with the softly intoned vocals of Markus Fagervall before, gradually, the minimalist sound is joined by gently plucked (by Joel Lindberg) bass notes, cymbals and drums (played by Johan Lundström) and finally a couple of repeated guitar notes (from Olov Andersson). As the music builds in tempo and volume, the instrumentation becomes fuller rounded off with some choral style backing vocals. Imagine if you will a mixture of Sigur Rós and Aqualung and you may come close. Simply stated, this is the most impressive song I have heard all year. After such an immense opening, how would the rest of the album hold up? Thankfully, the answer is impressively well. "The Carafe [part II]" starts with some angular guitar riffs backed by some heavy strumming before the tempo is taken down and filled with some jazzy piano and synth washes supporting the vocals. The overall effect is something akin to the first couple of King Crimson albums and it is no exaggeration to suggest the song is every bit as good as the material on those seminal albums. Jumping styles again, a string quartet is the backing for the introduction to "The Marriage Of Maria Braun". An achingly beautiful song, superbly sung by Fagervall, with the vocals set against a backdrop of Sjögren's electric piano which takes over from the string quartet. Multi-instrumentalist Johan Lundström (in addition to drums and percussion he also sings and plays accordion, harmonica, guitar, violin and keyboards and also writes the bulk of the songs as well as the sting arrangements) opens "Rhododendron" with a rather folkish accordion. However, the listener is duped if they think they are in for a mellow ride as the song is schizophrenic in the extreme. Bouts of frantic Fripperian guitar work and Emerson synthesiser frenzies are mixed with quieter sections replete with sound effects. "Everywhere" is, once again, beautifully sung and instrumentally mixes in cello, violin and vibraphone with the more traditional rock instruments. The string quartet are back for "Just Like You", the most classically orientated song on the album. The melancholy vocals belie the dark nature of the lyrics: "I shot her once, I shot her twice, I killed her fast, she's dead at last, You'll judge me too, but I'm just like you". The darker lyrical theme is continued in "Killer Couple Strikes Again" which is a great song and in more musically enlightened times would be a hit single as it blends a commercial sound with original grittiness (great video too!). "There's Got To Be A Way To Leave" takes on the mantle of the album's epic, albeit not in length but in vision and scope. Grandiose and lush with a very continental flavour, ideal for the closing scene of a film. Combining an accordion with the string quartet is nothing short of inspired. Tempo rises and murderous lyrics, return for "The Thorn in Your Flesh", a more straight forward rocker while closing number "Lines" once again builds on the piano opening to create a stunning keyboard-laden finale, outstanding. Is there a future for progressive rock? It would be foolish in the extreme to state that Liquid Scarlet were the answer to that question. However, with music this good and musicians with this much talent, those waiting for the sounding of the death knell of the rock known as prog had better be patient. Easily contender for album of the year. "

Mark Hughes
http://www.dprp.net/reviews/200558.html#liquidscarlet1


Norra Vasterbotten
"This is something strange. A quintet from Kalix is one of Sweden's top progressive rock bands. "II" is the group's second album. You can hear traces of everything from early Genesis with Peter Gabriel to Rober Wyatt in "Everywhere" to guitarplaying a la Robert Fripp in "The thorn in your flesh". Liquid Scarlet might be the closest we'll get to a swedish King Crimson in 2005 and that says a lot."

Lars Andersson
http://www.norran.se/sektion_c.php?id=574562&avdelning_1=121&avdelning_2=152


Tales of wonder (70/100)
I had described the Liquid Scarlet's debut cd as one of the most interesting release last year. The second album is available now and I must say "II" brings something new and different from the previous stuff, mainly for the lower "progressive" rate level. The new direction keeps some north-european prog clichees, like gloomy atmospheres and an overall lack of pure entertainment ( see "Rhododendron") but it doesn't give up to find a more freedom of expression. The results are songs like "The Carafe (Part II)", a really strange track due to its heavy introduction followed by a free jazz-blues interlude with the rough voice by Markus Fagervall. Going on with the comparisons, "II" is warmer and more confortable, just like the yellow colour on the cover that replaced the white. Yellow is also the colour of "The Marriage Of Maria Braun", strenght of catching melodic vocal lines in Beatles vein, but also of "Everywhere", "Just Like You" and finally "There's Got To Be A Way To Leave". "II" is overall a good come-back by these swedish guys, not always highly inspired, but certainly more mature in sounds and arrangements. Nice job, again.

Luca Alberici
http://web.tiscali.it/talesofwonder/cdliquidsc2.htm


Babyblaue Prog-Reviews (13/15)
"This album tears me back and forth and moves me to tears of joy."

http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/index.php?albumId=6271&content=review


Proggies (4,5/5)
"With their second album this young band from Sweden has me completely convinced. The retro elements are not as concise as on the debut, but "II" sound more independent and, above all, more varied. Liquid Scarlet extended their sound by some facets and therefore stands repeated listenings. Both thumbs upward! "

http://www.proggies.ch/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=115


Strutter Magazine (7,9/10)
LIQUID SCARLET is a Swedish band, which in 2005 has released a new CD + new EP. The new CD is their 2nd full length CD, while the EP contains 1 tracks from this album along with 4 unreleased songs. Musically the band combines the classic 70s Progressive Rock of KING CRIMSON and GENESIS (Peter Gabriel period) with today’s melancholic Britrock/Indie Rock of RADIOHEAD and COLDPLAY. The mixture seems to work well sometimes and might attract fans of both sides, although I can’t help feeling this band will attract mostly the people whom dig COLDPLAY. It sometimes gets quite progressive, but there’s always some sort of modern approach to it, especially in the vocal department, which sounds a bit depressive here and there. Let’s basically call the new CD (and EP) of LIQUID SCARLET a grower for the progressive rockers among us and a winner for COLDPLAY fans.

http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/gk/HOTNEWREVIEWS.htm


Prog-Nose (9/10)
Kortom, Liquid Scarlet heeft weer heel wat interessante muziek voortgebracht, maar het blijft afwachten hoe de prog-goegemeente hierop gaat reageren. Ik vind het alvast uitstekend, en als je de kans krijgt om ze live te zien, ook op de planken weten ze dit perfect naar het publiek te vertalen. Prog is niet dood, bijlange niet!
http://www.prog-nose.org/nederlands/albums_2005/liquid_scarlet_II.htm


Progressia (8/10)
Liquid Scarlet frappe donc fort avec II. L’album pourra rebuter au premier abord mais, comme tout grand vin, il se bonifie avec le temps. Sera-t-il considéré comme un classique du rock progressif suédois ? Seul l’avenir le dira. Mais dans tout les cas, il s’agit d’une des meilleures surprises de cette année 2005, décidément une très bonne année musicale !

http://www.progressia.net/index.php4?rub=chroniques&idchronik=776


L'hymnographe (8/10)
Voilà du bel ouvrage. Ce disque est sobre, mélancolique, presque austère, mais riche en émotions. Un excellent groupe capable de séduire le plus grand nombre avec une musique au carrefour du rock tranquille, du folk et du progressif.

http://hymnographe.hautetfort.com/list/top_5/ii.html



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