The
band currently comprises 5 members and they are, Jonas Lindberg (bass,
guitar, keyboards, vocals), Jonas Sundqvist (vocals), Jonathan Lundberg
(drums), Calle Stalenbring (guitar), and Michael Ottosson (keyboards).
The Other Side
is a 5 track mini album which has a total playing time of around 29
minutes, with track 4, *Little Girl,” the shortest at 4:38 minutes and
the final track, “Line No 18,” being the longest at 8:23 minutes.
The Other Side
starts with “Lies” (5:27) which intros with an excellent piano theme, a
little blast of bass and then the voice of Jonas, which is very
powerful. The sound picks up with a very solid bass/drums foundation,
and the song simply flows along effortlessly. Keyboards and guitar
appear here and there and the piano passage from the start reappears,
which means that this opening track has it all. There are memorable
hooks, a silky smooth melody and it successfully sets the scene for the
remainder of this mini album.
The
title track, “The Other Side” (5:26) is a little “heavier” but no less
melodic and interesting than the opener and “Where to Begin” (5:28)
continues the flow of superb music, has excellent harmonies and a
stunning guitar passage. The penultimate track, “Little Girl” (4:28) is
very different with an intro that reminded me of Star Trek, but it soon
turns into a stunningly simple acoustic guitar leading the vocals. This
track shows a very different aspect of Jonas Lindberg and The Other
Side, gently meandering along with a superb vocal making it a standout
track.
The
final track, “Line No 18” (8:23) moves off with a blast, showing this
band can really rock and even the vocals have a grittier feel. There is
no disguising the melodic nature of music on show, as the track simply
flows from one section to the next, pulling the listener deeper into the
music. Opportunities for guitar breaks, keyboard flourishes and
majestic bass lines litter this longer track, giving all the musicians
the chance to step into the spotlight.
My initial impression of The Other Side
was that it was pleasant, but nothing outstanding, however, what a
difference several plays can make to that first impression. I now look
upon this release as simply amazing, and it gets both the “One to Buy”
sticker as well as the “The Experience will last Forever” one. I
wholeheartedly encourage people to get hold of this release and settle
down to enjoy half an hour of superb music.
5/5 STARS
Key Tracks: Little Girl, Line No 18, Lies
Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-MuzikReviews.com Staff
October 26, 2013
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