It was at the 1995 ProgFest that a good friend from Florida and I were talking with someone - can't remember who now - that informed us that Algarnas Tradgard had a second album in the tank that had never been released. And it would be coming out soon. A few minutes later my friend deadpanned to me: "Did you hear that? A second Algarnas Tradgard? That gives me a whole new reason to live." Which got a belly laugh out of me, and I still use that phrase on occasion. But I could certainly see his point. Well it wasn't imminent, but finally in 2001 that story held true. I bought the CD as fast as I could upon release. Thought it was great, but different than the debut, filed, and...
..20+ years later I'm hearing it for the second (and 3rd) time. I didn't remember anything about my initial encounter. Yet another reminder that I might just have too many albums here. Because records like this need to be more known before I exit this mortal coil. I enjoyed a full +1 listen last night, something that happens rarely anymore but is always a pleasant surprise when it does. And as I mentioned before, there's very little to tie this with the debut, excepting maybe the haunting closer 'My Childhood Trees'. Otherwise it fits the overused - but underutilized - tag of "psych prog". Very few bands in 1974 were still heavily influenced by the psychedelic movement, but Algarnas Tradgard did not let it go, especially notable in the guitar work. At this point the band are very much in the same boat as Group 1850, except far more together and professional. Unfortunately they couldn't keep the band going past this, like so many other groups of its ilk. The mid to late 70s were a completely different beast, one that didn't have a place for Algarnas Tradgard. Too bad they never reformed, as they seemed like the type of band who could have picked up where they left off, as if the last 20 to 40 years never happened.
Ownership: CD: 2001 Silence. Acquisition story above. Jewel case release with a way too short history. Disappointing from that perspective (be sure to obtain the Subliminal Sounds 2xLP of their debut for a much better historical perspective). If you somehow missed out on this release before, don't fret, there's still plenty of inventory to be found on the cheap. Don't go looking for the LP though, as it doesn't exist.
1//02; 9/23/22 (new entry)
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