For our second matchup of this year's prog contest, my friend Friday is taking us on a tour of the Norwegian fjords, matching up an album from 1974 against one from 2019. Here's the skinny:
Moose Loose - Elgen Er Los
"Moose Loose was a 70s Norwegian instrumental progressive rock and jazz fusion band. I love how dynamic and eclectic this album is. It can both jam out and be soulful. The musicanship is on point and all instruments (guitars and keys very prominently and well-done, but the bass guitar and drums are both still excellent) harmonize very well together. It's a very engaging album all the way through. Also this has to be one of the best bandnames ever." - Pangea
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAo5fZEaXWo&list=OLAK5uy_n__60Ep2-wQJZum4DraOEL-GhEJ2vxscM
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3Zkqtd2SOcPVihEaqQPzNc?si=M20pBDqcTCOgGV7aZl48pQ
vs.
Jordsjo - Battfiolen
"A sweet piece of bingeable Norweigen prog. Replete with synth and flute there’s no hiding the influence of Jethro Tull, but it’s truest ancestry lies in the melodicism of early Camel and Swedish instrumentalist Bo Hansson. For me, good prog tricks the listener into feeling like he’s hearing something playful but familiar while still pushing the experimental boundaries and Nattfiolen is one of the finest examples of that in recent memory. Headphones are the only way to listen, as some of the stereo effects really bring the fairy tale to life." - Inoculaeted
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/54Ooribd5hSPdl2keRxLBT
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qPeIJkyf84
I'm looking forward to just enjoying this round and voting with no pressure on me. Now, from the descriptions of the two albums above, I have a sneaking suspicion I already know which one I'm more likely to vote for. But I'm going to keep as open a mind as I can, give each LP their three listens, and try my best to enjoy my trip to Norway, as it might be the closest I ever get to one. (Damned if I wouldn't love to really sail those Norwegian fjords some day, though.)
See you next week.
