Imaginary Friends [Extra tracks, Import]

A.C.T., Act | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 23, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: Marquee Inc. Japan
• ASIN: B00005HWBE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #661,886 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Take It Easy

2. Hip Pest Flop

3. Supposed Tour

4. Biggest Mistake

5. Imaginary Friends

6. She / Male

7. Relationships

8. At The Alter

9. Svetlana

10. No Perspective

11. Second Thoughts

12. Mr. Unfaithful

13. Gamophobia

14. Little Beauty

15. Happily Ever After

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent Second Effort, June 19, 2004

By 

Dave_42 "Dave_42" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Imaginary Friends (Audio CD)

"Imaginary Friends" (March 23, 2001) is the second CD from A.C.T; a Swedish progressive metal band. This particular release is the Avalon release which was the Japanese release of their second CD. This CD has 15 tracks, including six regular works, and then a longer work titled "Relationships" which includes the next eight tracks, which also have the hidden track "Catherine". Lastly, there is a bonus track, "New Age Polka", but unlike the bonus track included on the Avalon release of their first album, "Today's Report", this bonus track doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album. It is simply a demo which was recorded in 1996.

As with their first album, this one is musically strong and it is the vocals that are the weakest part. The album opens with several strong numbers, including "Take It Easy", "Hippest Flop", "A Supposed Tour", "Biggest Mistake", and the title track "Imaginary Friends". However the longer piece, "Relationships" (The Long One), is significantly weaker than the opening numbers of the album. Even with Tomas Erlandsson's wonderful hidden track "Catherine" (his swan song to the group), I have to rate this album as slightly lower in quality than their first album.

The band includes Jerry Sahlin (synthesizers, vocals, backing vocals, Vocoder, synthetic drums on "Mr. Unfaithful"), Ola Andersson (electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals), Peter Asp (bass, percussion, backing Vocals), Herman Saming (lead vocals, backing vocals, silent trumpet), and Tomas Erlandsson (drums, percussion, backing vocals, lead vocals and keyboards on "Catherine"). Their co-stars for this album are "The Acting Orchestra", which includes Anna Blomkvist (violin 1), Karolina Sjöholm (violin 2), Diana Crawford (viola), and Lisa Fagius (cello). They also have Pelle Saether who provides some vocals on "Imaginary Friends" and backing vocals on "Biggest Mistake".