Kerrs Pink are a long-lived Progressive Rock band, formed in 1973 in Trømborg, Norway and still in business. The sounds of the band are an interesting mix between Progressive Rock and Scandinavian Folklore with the keyboards in great evidence. From their formation to date they have released 7 albums, the most recent being “Presence Of Life,” self-produced and released on March 4, 2021. Available on Vinyl, CD and Digital contains 6 medium to long-lasting tracks with very inspired textures and ideas of quality. The mixes between guitar and keyboards are certainly one of the strengths of the album, with a strong reference to the ’70s. An energetic and well-structured rhythmic session and the vocals of Eirikur Hauksson of Magic Pie complete the sound, characterized by a good balance between the hardest and the symphonic parts. The album opens with a track of over 9 minutes titled “Resurrection,” featuring elaborate Prog textures built around 70s-style keyboards, massive guitar riffs and warm, punchy vocals. The rhythmic session is solid and full of tempo changes that increase the technical rate of the piece, very successful even in the long instrumental sections, which highlight the intertwining between keyboards and guitar. This is followed by “Private Affairs” which starts immediately strong with powerful guitar riffs that intertwine with the melodies of the keyboard, creating an Heavy Prog atmosphere of exquisite workmanship. The vocal is firm and is well suited to the various situations that the piece presents, alternating more symphonic openings to harder ones. The rhythm session is solid and always well structured with tempo changes that enrich the piece, as well as the keyboard inserts. “The Book of Dreams” is another long song of over 9 minutes that starts with a background of keyboards and a warm vocal, and then increases in intensity with the passage of time. The great experience of the artists involved is on display, managing to combine the impring of the ’70s with fresh and modern sounds. Very well developed both in the sung and instrumental parts, this track perfectly summarizes their sound concept, mixing harder passages with other symphonic passages with technique and ease. “Away from Shadows” begins with a powerful mix of keyboards and guitar, and then develops an elaborate theme full of tempo changes. The vocal is warm and expressive following the various evolutions of the piece well, including symphonic and dreamy parts and other stronger ones. The solo inserts in the instrumental section are also well executed, taking us back to the 1970s again and with pleasure. The shortest track of the album “Luna” which begins with a soft mix between electric guitar and keyboards on which a warm and sometimes choral vocal is inserted. A softer song, which softens the tones in the midst of the more demanding Prog tracks of the album, which however ends in crescendo in the second part. This work ends with the longest track “In Discipline and with Love,” of over 12 minutes, which immediately offers interesting and elaborate interweaving between guitar and keyboards. A very intense piece that in its long duration does not have dispersive moments or drops in intensity, on the contrary it develops the theme in a very interesting way. Enriched by continuous changes and evolutions, it manages to capture the listener’s attention with a crescendo of emotions and high-level passages, both in the sung and instrumental parts. A delicious disc full of quality ideas, which thanks to the sublime technique of the band makes this listening engaging and intense from start to finish. With the themes developed within the long duration of the tracks, allowing musicians to express themselves and interact with each other. The vocal test is also good, adapting itself to the various situations of the album, giving a personal touch to the singing. This band has managed to maintain a very high quality throughout their long history, proving to be able to keep up with the times while maintaining their own distinctive style. A listening of excellent quality, which shows the band in great shape and will surely be to the liking of all lovers of Progressive sounds.
Tracklist
| 01. | Resurrection | 9:13 |
| 02. | Private Affairs | 5:44 |
| 03. | The Book of Dreams | 9:29 |
| 04. | Away from Shadows | 7:54 |
| 05. | Luna | 4:03 |
| 06. | In Discipline and with Love | 12:28 |
Lineup
| Harald Lytomt | Guitars |
| Per Langsholt | Gass, Taurus Bass Pedals |
| Eirikur Hauksson | Lead Vocals |
| Glenn Fosser | Hammond, Minimoog, Accordion, Keyboards |
| Magne Johansen | Drums, Backing Vocals |
| Hans Jørgen Kvisler | Guitars |
| Lasse Johansen | Piano, Minimoog, Mellotron, Keyboards |
1 thought on “[Review] Kerrs Pink – Presence Of Life”