Dazed #4: 10cc's The Original Soundtrack, Lalle Larsson, The "My Wizard" show

Played The Original Soundtrack by 10cc after a fairly long break. What a marvel; if someone came up with stuff like that today they would be instantly celebrated in the prog community. It wasn't considered prog way back in 1975 but it most likely would be today: long tracks, unusual arrangements, compositions that go this way and that way... The music has a very visual quality all the way through - and isn't that also the theme of album? - which makes it so dear to me :)




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Made an excellent new discovery, thanks to the Prog On facebook group where people share loads of prog videos and streming music - I hadn't realized there is this much prog rock on this planet! So someone shared a track by Lalle Larsson, whose name rang no bells with me. Turned out he's the keyboard guy in Karmakanic, an excellent Swedish band like I a lot (better than the Flower Kings, actually).

Yesterday I checked out two of Lalle's album on Spotify, and they are simply fabulous: poetic, almost translucent at places; romantic in a very Nordic sense, sometimes reminding me of the late Pekka Pohjola - coming from me, this is a *huge* compliment. I definitely will aquaint myself with Lalle's entire catalogue, being pretty sure there are plenty of gems to be found...



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In case you're interested in hearing some of the prog legends talking about the genre and sharing their experiences as pioneering prog musicians, do check out the BBC Radio 4's "My Wizard", a 30-minute special on progressive rock, featuring Ian Anderson, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman etc. Always a pleasure to listen to these British gentlemen :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0076xpc