Anybody
remember the Swedish 70s band Shaggy? They were formed in in 1972 and released one
LP in 1976 entitled “Lesson For Beginners”, one hell of a record it was. Classic
Uriah Heep style hard rock. It’s now a rare item and it has never been
officially re-issued on CD. But, suddenly, out of nowhere, a new album appeared in 2015! According to the liner notes it was a result of six years of recording.
The songs were written in the late 70s and the album is also a tribute to original
bass player Jan Destner, who passed away the year before the release. The line-up
features original members Fidde Rognås on guitar and Thomas Ryan on keyboard.
The vocals are handled by former M.ill.ion singer Ulrich Carlsson. Listening to
the album, it doesn’t sound dated at all. Opener “All Around” is a mid-league
melodic hard rocker, while the title track is a really good slightly heavier
installment. “Magic Horses” continues on the heavy path, but with a more semi-soft
progressive touch, which made me think of German band Anyone’s Daughter. “Lady
Of The Hill” continues on the same path and I must say I really like this! It’s
definitely a bit different from the debut album, why it’s a bit surprising that
the songs were written in the same era. Thing is, different can be good, and it
IS good for this album. It’s a really nice development into a slightly more eclectic
vein with a more progressive and pomp-oriented genre. Just listen to a
masterpiece like “Poem”. Heavy, proggy and melodic with killer vocals and playing.
The rest of the album continues on the same path and I must say I was
positively surprised! I was expecting… well, I’m not really sure what I expected,
but I thought it would be more hard/heavy rock. Highly recommended!
Janne Stark
Year: 2015
Label:
Self-released
Country:
Sweden
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