GibraltarEPR: Pär Lindh has long been involved with the Swedish progressive rock scene, working for a couple of years with an early formation of Manticore and also helping Änglagård on pipe organ at Progfest '93. More importantly, Lindh founded The Swedish Art Rock Society in 1991. Festivals sponsored by this society are an important part of the '90s Swedish prog scene, of which Änglagård, Anekdoten and Landberk are a part. Previous to this decade, Lindh spent much of his time involved with various prog and rock bands in the '70s and pursuing a career as a classical keyboardist in the '80s. Most of the music on Gothic Impressions was written by Lindh in the '70s but the music had to wait until the '90s, when Lindh established the Crimsonic Label, to be released. Lindh eschews digital synthesizers, prefering instead to create his music on piano, church and Hammond organs, harpsichord, Mellotron, Clavinette and various analog synths. Lindh also plays bass and drums on several of his songs. On various cuts, Lindh is helped out by a cadre of Swedish musicians, including four members of Änglagård (no more than two appear together on any one song), Roine Stolt (of Kaipa/Flower Kings fame), various guitarists, vocalists and the Camerata Vocalis choir. With a title like Gothic Impressions, you can imagine the style of music heard on this album. "Dresden Lamentation" opens the album with a somber statement about "what once was Europe's most beautiful baroque city." Lindh's haunting keyboards are supported by bassoon, flute and tubular bells. After two minutes, the pace rapidly and seamlessly shifts into "The Iconoclast." Using church organ and an arsenal of synths, Lindh blends classical artistry with the driving force of rock, influenced as much by Bach as by ELP (but without the over-the-top pyrotechnics of the trio). Speaking of ELP, Lindh pays an (intentional or otherwise) homage to "Tarkus." One section of "The Cathedral," the album's 20 minute centerpiece, runs quite parallel to "The Battlefied" section of ELP's epic. Elsewhere in this song, Lindh alternates dazzling displays of dexterity with tender passages of subtlety and sensitivity. The bass and drums, provided by Johan Hogberg and Matthias Olsson of Änglagård, provides listeners with a certain familiarity, and are an excellent foil for Lindh's more intense keyboard work. Vocals are heard on three of the six songs. The vocal passages of "Green Meadow Lands," sung by Mathias Jonson and punctuated by flute and Mellotron, invokes comparisons to the Moody Blues. In contrast, vocals by Ralf Glasz on "The Iconoclast" and "The Cathedral" tend toward gothic classicism. Another feature of the album, one that also reflects Lindh's classical training (and perhaps an indirect reflection of Emerson's influence), is his rendering of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bare Mountain." More faithful (and less adventurous) than Emerson's reading (some would say butchering) of Mussorgsky's "Picture's at an Exhibition," Lindh's interpretation of this classic work fits in well with the overall flow of the album and is an appropriate and welcome inclusion. Gothic Impressions should appeal to all who enjoy the marriage of classically-styled keyboards in a prog-rock setting. -- Mike Taylor Pär Lindh Project is a talented Swedish band who have released one full-length album called Gothic Impressions and a mini-CD called Rondo. The band which has changed from alot to five people has a unique style. As a Swedish band they have a Swedish touch, but blends both early Baroque, Bach as well as postromanticism, avantegarde and the symphonic rockbands of the early seventies. Pär Lindh writes and play the keyboard in the band (includes Mellotron, Hammond organ, churchorgan, old LSE Syntheziser). He has a long career as church-organist, a solo harpsichaordist, touring classical pianist and much more. The music are on a very high class. I think the debut-CD by this band is the best to come out from Sweden in a long time, although I prefer Änglagård. But the to bands have much incommon. Except the likeness in music, four Änglagård-members play on the first record, including Mattias Olsson which do some exelent drumming. There are many other talented people on Gothic like: Roine Stolt, Bjorn Johansson and Jocke Ramsell. The two highlights on Gothic Impressions are the song "The Cathedral," a epic 20 minute symphonic masterpiece and a rework on Mussorgsky's "Night on Bare Mountain." Superb and very mighty. Just thinking about that piece makes me shiver. Rondo is a mini-cd including four songs. First "Rondo," the classic song played by the Nice. Then there is a drum solo-song by Pär, that shows us that he can handle the drums as well as the keyboard. The third song is a staightforward jazz song. The last song is inspired by Tarkovsky's dynamic film "Solaris." A mellow Mellotron musicexperience. I love it. We have to watch out for this band in the future. -- Tobias Broljung
Keyboardist Pär Lindh uses analog instruments (organ, Moog, Mellotron) to capture the essence of the '70s sound. He is joined on Gothic Impressions by various Swedish talents on vocals (in English), bass, guitar, drums, harp flute, choir, lute and bassoon. The compositions, as well as the performances, show deep classical root (various era) and themes suggest Gothic or medieval inspiration. Arrangements vary from acoustic folk to heavy symphonic rock in a style that necessarily evokes the acrobatics of a Keith Emerson. A brilliant tribute to an era where just about anything was possible for a keyboardists. The Bilbo collaboration Lindh and Björn Johansson features a versatile duo that uses a great variety of instruments. To the multiple keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, percussions and bassoon are added guests on oboe, flute and female vocals (in English). The music is inspired by fantastic themes with a strong medieval flavour (Lord of the Rings) and shows varied but very appropriate arrangements. A disc where the constant symphonism of the keyboards compliments the baroque sound of the woodwinds as well as the more imposing sounds of electric instruments. A production with strong classical influences where the stronger moments are not always the most explosive ones. -- Paul Charbonneau Gothic Impressions is a very good symphonic progressive rock album with Pär Lindh playing a lot of church organ and Mellotron. Some Änglagård members plays on this album. -- Gunnar Creutz Pär Lindh Project played at Nearfest 2000, and were backed up on guitar and bass for this concert by Joe and Bill Kopecky. Bill subsequently joined the band on bass. PLP has been on hold for a few years now due to the illness of vocalist Magdelena Berg, but she has now rejoined the band and they are recording a new album for release sometime in 2005. -- Fred Trafton
01 - Adagio 0:56 02 - Veni Vedi Vici 7:57 03 - Gradus ad Parnassum 13:55 04 - Tower of thoughts 5:01 05 - River of Tales 3:13 06 - Juxtapoint 4:17 07 - Le Grand chambardement 2:14 08 - Adagio con flauto et clavicembalo 0:55 09 - Hymn 4:56 10 - The Premonition 7:34
Pär Lindh - keyboards, bass on 6 Nisse Bielfeld - drums, vocals Magdalena Hagberg - vocals, violin Jonas Reingold - bass John Hermansen - guitar Jocke Ramsell - guitar on 10 Marcus Jäderholm - bass on 10 Niclas Blixt - horn Eric Ullman - bassoon Jens Johansson - flute
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