10 Most Underrated Progressive Rock Albums Of All Time
4. Moon Safari - Blomljud
In English, the title of Moon Safari's sophomore effort is 'Flowersound'. It's a perfectly fitting name for this blissful, trippy prog adventure.
One of a considerably more recent breed of prog rock acts, the Swedish outfit dropped this criminally overlooked gem in 2008. The group took inspiration from a variety of acts including the multi-chapter storytelling synonymous with Rush and Yes for 'Methuselah's Children' to playing some unusual metre of beats to the bar reminiscent of early Genesis here.
The result is a late '00s rocker that sounds straight out of the acid hazed early '70s era of prog dominance.
Frontman Simon Åkesson shares the vocal duties with the rest of the group, arranging neat choir harmonies from song to song. The use of multiple, distinctive voices provides a grander sense of harmony in the group's efforts and the complicated, just about comprehensible, tales some of the tracks here are telling.
Released at a time where fresh new prog rock was essentially a non-entity, 'Blomljud' sadly fell under the radar. Its retro but inventive compositions and concepts mostly fell upon deaf ears initially outside of Sweden. Considering the colourful, atmospheric delights on offer here, the LP deserves a lot more recognition.