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Considered today one of the major bands of modern Progressive rock, the line-up led by guitarist and singer Roine STOLT shows a perfect instrumental cohesion and an amazing musical culture. “The Flower King” was issued in 1994 under the name of its leader, with almost all the current members, and its artistic success led the former member of KAIPA to make a group out of this very name. Good idea ! Ever since, THE FLOWER KINGS has synthesized a great deal of the Progressive rock history of the last thirty years, with numerous influences (far too varied or precise to be all named here, but let’s just notice that the main inspirations came from YES, GENESIS and CAMEL, classical jazz rock, classical music, etc…) that are a delight. Also, a certain sense of humour is always present ! The first true albums of that line-up, “Back In The World Of Adventures” and “Retropolis” follow in the same path as the first album, i.e. a warm, colourful and deliberately happy and optimistic music. True to his fame of prolific author (An album a year... And sometimes more !), the band issued “Stardust We Are” almost at the same time, and as a double album !!! This was certainly the most successful work of the Swedish band, acclaimed by the critics. The symphonic rock performed here is full of technique, majesty and energy. If you’re looking for a “Best of Progressive Music” that blends energy, lyricism and sophistication, you have here the (Almost) perfect candidate ! Recorded two years later, “Flower Power” is again a double studio album, once again a masterpiece that includes a suite of… 59 minutes !!! A combination of the now typical characteristics of that band, and sometimes with surprising innovations, this album remains however a logical follow-up to a longer and longer discography… Recorded in 2000, “Space Revolver” goes back to more traditional methods, given that this implicit tribute to THE BEATLES is included on only one CD ! Re-issued by Musea in 2001, “Scanning The Greenhouse” gives us a panorama of the best THE FLOWER KINGS tracks, from 1994 to 1998. Some classic pieces of that band are here re-arranged, such as “Stardust We Are - Part Three” or “The Flower King” finally re-recorded by... THE FLOWER KINGS ! As a bonus track is included the cover of “The Cinema Show” that those Scandinavian had recorded for the tribute album to GENESIS, “The Fox Lies Down” issued in 1998. “Edition Limitee Quebec 1998” presents a recent concert of that band… To be noticed, a splendid version as a Picture LP of the album issued in 1995. At the end of 1999, the bass player was replaced by Jonas REINGOLD. And at this same period, the German label InsideOut Music engaged in the re-issue of the band’s complete discography, something that SPOCK’S BEARD did at the same time…
