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Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Rain - Norsk Suite (1969 norway, elegant art psych with early prog touches, 2012 Shadoks issue)



Norway's most well kept secret has been betrayed and solved! This great band has only released a very rare 45rpm EP, which was the soundtrack for the Norwegian movie 'Rivalen'. 

Very much like Frank Zappa and The Mothers, RAIN's complex compositions were based on the skills of modern classic composers such as Varèse and Strawinsky. As a strong influence they've mentioned Vanilla Fudge. The album features 10 excellent tracks with horns and orchestral arrangement, great fuzz guitar, Hammond organ and amazing vocals. 

This Norwegian rock band had the strong urge to exceed limits, both musically and technically. Rain's members were Carl Jurgen Kionig (drums), Knut Heljar Hagen (organ, piano, vocals, bass) and Asmund Feidje (guitar, violin, vocals, bass). 

Album was recorded in 1969-'70. Besides 7 own compositions they played mind blowing versions of 'A Day In The Life', 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Isolation'. Their very complex and difficult arrangements required a lot of practice, but the band managed to turn their concerts into a total experience with a spectacular psychedelic light-show and experiments with "surround" sound. 


Tracks
1. A Day In The Life (Lennon, McCartney) - 4:51
2. Whine And Wail (Hagen, Feidje, Kionig) - 5:25
3. Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon, McCartney) - 5:17
4. Norsk Suite (Kionig) - 6:08
5. Join The City War (Kl. Hagerup, Hagen, Feidje, Kionig) - 4:07
6. Ikke Vær Redd Far (Hagerup, Hagen, Feidje, Kionig) - 4:38
7. Have You Seen Your Father's Face (Hagerup, Hagen, Feidje, Kionig) - 3:59
8. Svein's Vise (Hagen, Feidje, Kionig) - 8:26
9. Isolation (Lennon) - 2:49
10.Siste Ordre (D. Hare, T. Bical, N. Bical, Kionig) - 5:54
11.Tapha (Bonus Track) (Hagen, Feidje, Kionig) - 21:03

Rain
*Åsmund Feidje - Vocals, Guitar, Violin
*Knut Heljar Hagen - Vocals, Piano, Organ
*Carl Jorgen Kionig - Drums

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