Customer Reviews

Back in the World of Adventures

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sometimes the Flower Kings sound like Yes. Sometimes they sound like King Crimson (and to their credit, sometimes they sound like neither). The advantage the Flower Kings have over both of these groups is CONSISTENCY. You can randomly pick any song from this or any other Flower Kings CD (including the Roine Stolt solo CDs) and it is just as good as the next song. With Yes and King Crimson, the quality varies widely from song to song - some good to great, others miss badly...But enough about Yes and King Crimson. This is the 90s and the Flower Kings rule the world of Progressive Rock, and deservedly so. Roine Stolt is as good a guitarist as I've ever heard; he ranks right up there with all the greats. His dazzling, versatile guitar playing is complemented by swirling, intertwined keyboards and melodic bass lines which create sonic dreamscapes in the mind of the listener. The vocals are very good and the lyrics strong and appropriate to the desired effect, never sounding overly hokey or pretentious as with some so-called "Progressive" rock groups. Finally, the album wears very well - you can play it over and over without getting sick of it and actually discover new nuances and little things going on musically that you missed on earlier playings. These are the marks of an exceptional album.

The Flower Kings has been a difficult band for me. First of all, their music is hard to categorize. Most of their pieces can be considered classic progressive music. They remind me of Genesis and Yes, two of my all-time favorite bands, for their melodic sound and the extensive use of keyboards in their compositions. However they also show influences from many other different genres, like pop and world music. Some songs even have a slightly medieval air, which adds a lot of contrast, character and richness to their sound. Their performances, while not virtuous, are very solid and elegant.
They are also difficult to rate, because is hard to be objective with them. Their music is not particularly conventional and as such it will appeal to some people and frustrate others. In fact I sometimes have mixed feelings about them. Most of their material is very enjoyable, with some pieces being nothing short of masterpieces. But on the other hand, at times they seem to loose focus, drifting away from the original melodies and changing them into strange sounds whose meaning still eludes me. I would give this album a 5-star rating if it weren't for those less than stellar moments.
Back in the World of Adventures is a good introduction to the band if you haven't listened to them before. It contains some of their best and easiest songs, such as World of Adventures, Train to Nowhere and Cosmic Lover. It was in fact my first Flower Kings' CD and I haven't stopped buying their albums. While not quite one of my favorite bands, they are original and interesting enough to keep me coming back for more.

Despite using the standard instrumentation of the old sound, the Flower Kings don't fall into the trap of being self-appointed stepsons of any one band of that era. The title track is a hefty Yes-like number, right down to its ambient "Close To the Edge" intro. "Atomic Prince/ Kaleidoscope" is a deceptively simple instrumental built on a 7/4 time signature. Remember Gentle Giant? This band is definitely not afraid of all-instrumental numbers. "Go West Judas" is one of the hard-hitters here, both in feel and ominous lyrics. "Train To Nowhere" has a decidedly Kansas feel to it-the same sort of heartfelt melody and lyrics. "Theme For a Hero" is another instrumental, definitely in the style of Focus' older material. But they don't stick slavishly to the art-rock template--the title of "My Cosmic Lover" sounds like that of a `70s Carlos Santana solo number and so does the song itself, right down to its ostinato-style bass work. When I first heard of the Flower Kings, I thought they'd named themselves after that old number by The Nice (an early Emerson band) and it didn't strike me as a particularly imaginative name for a group. Don't make the mistake I did and take forever to get around to these guys--this band named instead after the title of its leader's first solo album starts them off very strong for a second semester freshman effort--no wonder they reissued it for American release! Well, now that we know who they are...

It is remarkable that this Flower Kings debut is as mature and fully realised as it is. Perhaps it's success is due to Roine Stolt's solo effort (The Flower King) that preceded it serving as the rough draft. This recording is flawless. There has not been a band as talented as this since Yes reared it's head in the 70's. Thomas Bodin on keyboards is as talented as most of prog's legends. Drummer Jaime Salazar's Jazz background clearly informs his playing here as did Bill Bruford's with Yes and King Crimson. Michael Stolt on Bass is from the Chris Squire/Mike Rutherford(early Genesis-era)school but adds his own touch nicely. Roine Stolt-Guitarist/Composer/Singer is the genius here, his solo's are perhaps the most passionate playing in prog. Where he will expose very brief snippets of Zappa/Fripp/Howe/Hackett influences his style and sound are remarkably unique and inventive. Stolt's compositions are equally inventive and original. Rather than milk the past glories of 70's rock the Flower Kings manage to make themselves sound contemporary and relevant while avoiding the metal-meets-prog trap of most contemporary prog outfits. Stunning work, truly the best in contemporary rock and the past two plus decades. Highly recommended...Simon

The 7'48" bolero track "Atomic Prince / Kaleidoscope" which ends with a most beautiful classic guitar part, the Van De Graff Generator-sounding "Oblivion Road", keyboard and weaping guitar-based "The Wonder Wheel" and most particulary "Big Wheel" (my favorite) with a sound that closely resembles John Wetton fronting mid-seventies King Crimson are samples that easily qualify this production by Flower Kings as a solid prog rock album which is guaranteed to be a favorite of fans of the genre.

Flower Kings never fail to capture the full essence of progressive rock music. The album is complex but beautifully balanced with captivating melodies. Possibly I like better Flower Power, but I have been listening this one in loop fro three days and still surprises me. Buy it!

This was the debut album of the Flower Kings, post-Roine Stolt-solo-project era. How a band manages to make music like this in the 1990s baffles me...music that conveys not just "a good time" or "happiness", but "joy". "Joy" as in C.S. Lewis' "Surprised by Joy" or the hymn "Joy to the World". A band with more tricks up its sleeve than Yes in their prime. Roine Stolt...well, what can I say? He's an EXCELLENT writer and this album actually has some of his best singing. His guitar work is de rigueur "second-to-none". He obviously cut his teeth on Steve Howe of Yes (letting this show in a GOOD way), but his trademark is an emotional, expressive element in his guitar work that defies anything Dave Gilmour or Brian May could ever hope to accomplish. From time to time the fusion muse creeps into the band's music, and it's an excellent thing when it does--Keysman Tomas Bodin was born for this style, drummer Jaime Salazar IS a fusion drummer in the first place (ex JONAS HELBORG?!), and Stolt himself has no qualms about getting bizarre and zany in a Zappa-style way (do NOT leave this man with a wah-wah pedal unchaperoned!). Though his first album was a Yes/Genesis paean, this group effort finds Stolt composing more in a fusion/King Crimson/Beatles motif, with excellent results. Highly recommended. HIGHLY.

"Adventures" was the first true Flower Kings album ("The Flower King" was actually a Roine Stolt solo album), setting the stage for the band to become one of the most important members of the mid-90's prog rock revival. The Flower Kings take their influence from 1970's era progressive rock, but bring the material to the modern era with their own special flourishes and techniques. Most fans of modern progressive rock have probably at least heard some Flower Kings material (they have played just about every prog festival and have toured the US on numerous occasions), and they have become one of the more popular bands of the genre. "Adventures" is a very strong debut release. Several songs that are now considered Flower Kings classics appear on this disc including the title track which clocks in at close to 14 minutes. There is a nice mix of vocal and instrumental tracks on this album with the interplay between Roine Stolt's guitar and Tomas Bodin's keys being the main focus. Every song is good and this album seems to keep a clearer focus rather than the throw everything at the wall and see what sticks, style of some of their later releases. Other highlights include "Atomic Prince / Kaleidoscope", "Theme For A Hero", the almost commercial "My Cosmic Lover" and the 14 minute album closer "Big Puzzle". This album has held up very well over the last decade or so since it's release and I rate it highly recommended for Flower Kings fans or fans of classic progressive rock.

As the apparent flagship for neoprogressive rock, The Flower Kings do their best to tip their hat to those who have paved the way while maintaining their own identity as an original, creative band in their own right. On Back in the World of Adventures, they succeed and then some. The opening track declares their intention with no uncertainty. It's the first of ten tracks that take the listener on musical rides that weave, bump, and sail through themes both stirring and mundane, all driven by infectious melodies and ambitious arrangements that fill the aural spectrum. While you may notice subtle similarities to Genesis, Yes, and maybe King Crimson, they are careful not to borrow from any of them except in the most elusive and respectful way.
The Flower Kings aren't necessarily an acquired taste, but that doesn't mean there aren't moments of frustration mixed in with the undeniable pleasure of listening to their music. For a serious prog fan, an album like this is pure heaven. For casual listeners, it can demand more attention than they're willing to devote. In fairness to newcomers, I'd point out that The Flower Kings' catalog as a whole shows an inclination to let things run a little long. While this is noticable and perhaps even irritating on some of their other albums, Back in the World of Adventures is arguably the quintessential Flower Kings album, solid and thoroughly engaging with very little fluff. Space Revolver and Retropolis fall in right behind it as excellent albums for the same reason.

Like some of the other reviewers, I find the Flower Kings difficult to categorize and thus difficult to write about. I have been a fan for a number of years and have written many reviews of other prog works, yet I always seem to get writer's block when it comes to the Flower Kings themselves. Perhaps its because their music is so varied and complex, or perhaps its because their music very nearly defies description. I don't know. But recently I dusted off Back In The World of Adventures and decided to start with it.
There are few musicians that I know of more prolific than Roine Stolt, and there is no band that more perfectly encapsulates Roine Stolt's musical personality than the Flower Kings. I am not sure of the chronological sequence of all their albums, but this CD seems to follow logically from Stolt's solo outing, the Flower King.
While Back In The World of Adventures is not the best Flower Kings album, you are surely in for a musical adventure when you put it in your CD player. Everything is here: Great harmonies, strong lyrical content, guitar pyrotechnics, and keyboard wizardry. While I like the entire CD, my favorite cuts are the title song, Atomic Prince/Kaleidescope, Go West Judas, Time For A Hero, and My Cosmic Lover.
If you like progressive rock and are unfamiliar with the Flower Kings, this CD is as good a place to start as any. It may take many listens before you truly understand this music, but once you do, you'll be musically enriched beyond what you thought possible. Begin your adventure today!