It's still very good progressive that the Swedes of 'Hasse Froberg Musical Companion' offer us with their 6th album, 'Eternal Snapshots', after 'Parallel Life' in 2019 and 'We Are the Truth' in 2021. And for this latest opus, they remained quite concise because, unlike the latest studio recordings which easily exceeded the listening time, this new baby from the Swedes clocks in at 47 minutes. Nevertheless, the quality is still there and we are embarked on a series of compositions which will undoubtedly remind the oldest of the formations of the beginning of progressive with a clever mixture of 'Genesis', 'ASIA' and 'Styx' and for the younger, groups like 'The Flower Kings' ('Hasse Forberg' being one of the pillars of the group), 'Spock's Beard' or even 'Big Big Train'.
Part 1 of 'All I Wanted To Be' begins the album with an introduction reminiscent of the sounds of 'Genesis' to continue in varied progressive with a magnificent sung part extended by a delicious guitar solo, the melody coming to rock you delicately, then, 'Deserve To Be Happy' is also a wonderful title which continues in these progressive influences of the seventies with a jumping piano which has an air of 'Supertramp' alternating with more relaxed sections with new catchy melodic lines . Beginning in a delicious acoustic atmosphere, 'Wherever You May Go' takes us into a title which exudes a beautiful serenity, the melodic theme recalling in certain places 'Turn It On Again' from 'Genesis', then 'No Messiah', introduced by very beautiful choirs, highlights the rhythm section led by the drums of 'Ola Strandberg' which offers numerous rhythmic breaks which makes it a must for refined progressive while keeping this immediate melodic hook, 'Hasse Fröberg' alternating its singing still captivating with his superb guitar solos. Follows the catchy 'Once in a Lifetime' which shows an optimistic and endearing face with its little radiant instrumental prank at the start of the second part. After the two short titles 'Only For Me' and 'The Yard', the first being a gentle ballad on which 'Hasse Fröberg' gives a beautiful, restrained vocal performance and the second featuring bassist 'Sampo Axelsson' on a sustained rhythm, 'Searching For The Dark' is a ballad with magnificent vocal arrangements and with guitar accompaniment bringing a feeling of harmony, the bass bringing a beautiful depth of sound in the second part. 'A Sorrowful Marriner' is an interlude with keyboards with the sounds of church organ and then harpsichord ending with aerial choirs, then, 'Blind Dog' takes us back to the beginnings of hard rock in the 70s (some will see 'Deep Purple', others 'Led Zeppelin') but with a progressive approach highlighting remarkable changes of intensities, including this magnificent guitar solo in the middle of the title which brings out guitar tones in the 'Santana', and it is with the second part of 'All I Wanted To Be' that the album ends on an epic note with a magnificent refined finale, the singing of 'Hasse Fröberg' gently evaporating on the final note.
In summary, it's another pearl of progressive which is added to the numerous releases of this year and which will certainly make 2024 a great vintage in this style and the Swedes of 'Hasse Froberg Musical Companion', led by a 'Hasse Fröberg' in great form, strike another blow and offer us a new album with impeccable production which, for my part, fits directly into my ideal progressive discotheque... | |
