Detailed Reviews [Kerrs Pink - 1981 - "Mellom Oss"]

Prolusion. Norwegian band Kerrs Pink started out back in 1973, and while the band had spells of inactivity for a bit in the 1980's and onward they are still an active band as of 2023 with a total of 8 albums to their name at the time of writing. Their second album "Mellom Oss" appeared back in 1981, with a remade version of the same album appearing as their third production in 1992. The original version hasn't been available for some time, but that situation was rectified by the crowdfunding project Norske Albumklassikere in 2023.

Analysis. Among the various main categories inside the progressive music universe, Kerrs Pink is a band that defaults to the progressive rock category, and by and large they explore a 70's tradition of the style on this album. Points of reference for the material on this album would be bands such as Camel and Eloy, with perhaps a stronger touch of the former and a lighter touch of the latter being the defining aspects of the landscapes explored here, with a little bit of folk music elements used as seasoning here and there. Hence those fond of gentler landscapes with a borderline pastoral orientation and careful floating keyboards creating dreamladen landscapes as well as those with an affection for gliding guitar solo runs comparable in style and execution to Andy Latimer's craftsmanship in Camel backed by keyboards and organs will have a lot to enjoy here. On occasion the band will lapse into more energetic landscapes too, and it is primarily on these occasions that the Eloy references fits the associations puzzle in this case. We also get a few moments with more of a classic era hard rock tinge to them, complete with a boogie style foundation, although in this case those moments are relatively rare occurrences. The landscapes are expanded by the inclusion of folk music elements, often in the form of single instrument melodies, but with a bit more room given to the folk music legacy on the concluding epic 'Mens Tiden Forgaar'. This is an album experience that pretty much only has two drawbacks to it. The sound quality of the recordings isn't the best, with a bit more noise artifacts present than what would have been ideal. While this isn't a major point, it is an element that probably will be a bit disturbing for the hardcore audiophiles. For others this will only emphasize the vintage nature of the landscapes explored I suspect. The uncredited male lead vocals will be a bit more divisive, as the vocal style for me at least isn't a good fit to the music explored on this production. It is a good thing then, for those who share my sensibilities in this department, that instrumental compositions and songs with long instrumental sequences is a defining trait of this album.

Conclusion. While "Mellom Oss" is an album that comes with a couple of drawbacks here and there, in general this is quite the delightful album for those who like their progressive rock being explored in a vintage and atmospheric laden manner. With a few moments of brilliance too, the recurring motif of title track 'Mellom Oss' is a real treat in that context. Otherwise I'd say that those who believe that a folk-music flavored variety of progressive rock draw upon the legacy of classic era Camel and add in a bit of Eloy spice sounds like an interesting proposition should feel very much at home with the landscapes explored on this album.

Progmessor: April 2023
The Rating Room