MIDNIGHT SUN - Walking Circles & Midnight Dream [1972 Danish Prog / 2000 edition ]
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Artist: MIDNIGHT SUN (aka Rainbow Band)
Album: Walking Circles & Midnight Dream ( 2 on 1 cd )
Released: 1972-73 Denmark
CD 2000 Free Records ( FR 2009 )
Genre: Progressive - Jazz Rock
Review:
*** MIDNIGHT SUN were a jazz-rock/fusion group from Denmark, whose style is influenced by such acts as TRAFFIC, BURNIN' RED IVANHOE, and later on, BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS. They first started out as RAINBOW SUN, but soon had to change their name, after it was found that a Canadian group had already taken it. They released four studio albums during their career, the first two or three probably being the more famous. Their albums are also of serious value to collectors and were all designed by the famous Roger Dean.
On the next album Mortensen was replaced by Frank Lauridsen (playing also harmonica). This work is less refined than previous ones. First track Can You Hear the Music Play flows into pop-rock but later is much better. Hesselmann plays sax more like Karsten Vogel. It interplays well with sharp sound of Frost’s guitar (A La Turca). There are also more subtle moments like Winds Gonna Blow. It is surely difficult to find comparison to first self-titled album but Walikng Circles is worth listening. The group recorded one more record Midnight Dream that is one step towards easier rock with pop tendencies. For me the best track is Batum that bases on traditional song.
Their entire discography is worth searching out, but "Midnight Sun" and "Walking Circles" are the two that are of the most interest.
Highly recommended for jazz-rock/fusion fans (Prog-archives)
Track List:
Walking Circles -01 - Can You Hear The Music Play (4:04)
Walking Circles -02 - Country Song (5:21)
Walking Circles -03 - A La Turca (4:49)
Walking Circles -04 - The Way Of Zen (3:47)
Walking Circles -05 - I've Got A New Mind (4:28)
Walking Circles -06 - Winds Gonna Blow (5:38)
Walking Circles -07 - Walking Circles (7:18)
Walking Circles -08 - I'm Living A Dream (1:42)
Midnight Dream - 01 - Midnight Dream (5:03)
Midnight Dream - 02 - Country Days (2:08)
Midnight Dream - 03 - Me And I (1:51)
Midnight Dream - 04 - Send Me Flowers Every Morning (3:49)
Midnight Dream - 05 - I-II Love You, I-II Leave You (3:01)
Midnight Dream - 06 - Batum (4:16)
Midnight Dream - 07 - The Same Dream (3:17)
Midnight Dream - 08 - When You Sleep Alone (4:38)
Midnight Dream - 09 - Where Ever You Are (8:44)
Midnight Dream - 10 - How I Lowe You (4:00)
Line-up:
Lars Bisgaard - Vocals
Allan Mortensen - Vocals
Peer Frost - Guitars
Niels Brønsted - Piano
Bent Hesselmann - Sax, Flute
Bo Stief - Bass
Carsten Smedegaard - Drums
Frank Lauridsen - Vocals
Tom Heath - Bass
Quote:
****Denmark's Rainbow Band was formed in late 1969 as a supergroup consisting of Peer Frost (ex-Young Flowers), Lars Bisgaard (ex-Maxwells), Carsten Smedegaard (ex-Beefeaters), Bent Hesselmann and the former jazz players Niels Brønsted and Bo Stief (they had backed American jazz musicians at Copenhagen's Café Montmartre). The idea was to play jazz-influenced progressive rock in the style of Burnin' Red Ivanhoe and Traffic's second album. These influences were strongly evident on their 1970 album. It's a very good effort, still very indicative of the hippie era. The rhythm section still produced the powerful 60s beat, forcing Peer Frost to squeeze out some of his best guitar solos. Lars Bisgaard was replaced by Allan Mortensen (ex-Tears) at the end of 1970. A Canadian group was already using the name Rainbow Band, which forced the Danish group to change their name into Midnight Sun in July 1971. Surprisingly enough, they decided to remake their first album instead of moving on to new material.
The second version of the album is less powerful and stylistically creeping towards Blood, Sweat & Tears, mostly due to the vocals and supplementary electric piano. Only the second version of "Living On The Hill" was on par with the previous recording.
With another new vocalist, Frank Lauridsen, Midnight Sun made two more albums of jazzy progressive rock. (Alex Gitlin)
Quote:
*** Another band from Denmark. I found Midnight Sun (recorded around 1971 I guess, published on Teldec) recently and bought it because of the nice cover made by Roger Dean. The music is great Scandinavian jazzrock/fusion-stuff with a strong rock feel, maybe Colosseum or the compatriots Burnin Red Ivanhoe would be a good comparison. Among the six players (bass, guitar, drums, keybords, sax and vocals) is one Peer Frost who is said to be Denmarks best guitar player at that time (as the liner notes say), and he is really excellent. If you find this one, pick it up! Walking Circles also has a great cover by Roger Dean and is like Midnight Sun, so the best comparison is again Colosseum. (Gibraltar)
Quote:
*** This CD contains the 2 last albums from MIDNIGHT SUN (they made 3 albums). Jazzy progressive stuff that are sometimes reminding of bands like early TRAFFIC, BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS and Danish own BURNING RED IVANHOE. (Recordheaven)
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