The Viking in the Wilderness Blog

Magnolia: Steg för Steg (2010)
1. Alla undrar 4:18
2. Tid att fara 3:26
3. En ny dag 3:50
4. Nu får det vara nog 6:08
5. Arbetar i solsken 3:13
6. Ingen kommer undan 4:01
7. En tanke 3:07
8. Mantra 4:51
9. Jag vandrar 4:07
10. Vad skall jag göra? 4:07

Total time 41:08

Swedish band MAGNOLIA, initially a solo endeavour by composer and multi-instrumentalist Ronny Eriksson, made it's first tentative steps with his home recordings back in 1994. As time passed by this solo vehicle ended up as a regular band, and in 2006 they released their first album. A follow-up saw the light in 2008, and come 2010 and it's time for their third effort: Steg för Steg.

Magnolia apparently pulled their band name from an old Blue Cheer piece, and that band is one of many named as inspirations for Magnolia alongside acts such as Mountain, Free and Black Sabbath. And on this occasion the tracks on the album is almost as varied in expression as the band's listed inspirations, where the common denominator is that anything that sounds like it was made after 1975 or so probably is to contemporary sounding for these musicians. The sound of the late 60's and early 70's is what's extensively explored, ranging from psychedelic hard rock to early doom metal in stylistic expression.

The latter is the type least explored on this disc, with third track En Ny Dag the main representative of the more metal-tinged efforts, while the more distinctly psychedelic flavoured compositions dominating the proceedings. From the uplifting, positive vibes presented on the instrumental Arbetar i Solskin to the darker and more sophisticated territories visited on the disc's second instrumental effort Mantra, the lighter side of the psychedelic hard rock universe is the one given an extended visit. At times with some subtle jazz-tinged flavouring that should appeal to those with a taste for music of a more progressive variety.

The songs tend to be of the shorter variety, and the compositional structure of choice is of the simplistic variety. Finesse, sophistication and variety comes first and foremost in the shape of guitar sound and arrangements, where Hammond, Rhodes, violin and even a trombone is utilized whenever Magnolia has a desire for arrangements that calls for some degree of sophistication.

The end result is a very good album, well thought out and well performed throughout. Perhaps slightly repetitive at times, but as that is a feature of the stylistic expression they have chosen to take on that more or less comes with the territory. Recommended to those who generally enjoy early 70's psychedelic hard rock, and I suspect this is a production that should appeal to those with a soft spot for stoner rock too.


My rating: 82/100