Band: Carpet Knights
Band Website: www.myspace.com/thecarpetknights
Label: Transubstans Records
Label
Website: www.recordheaven.net
Release Date: 2009
It’s been about five years since The Carpet Knights released their first recording,
but they’re back with a second release entitled According to life… and it’s a pretty cool disc. The band hails out of that musical
hot-bed country of
According to life… features ten tracks most of which are around five-to-seven minutes with a couple
a little longer. Musically there is almost a retro feel made audible by the driving bass and drums contrasting either the flute work
or some amazing guitar soloing. The tunes have a pretty strong psychedelic influence as well, with dense repeating rhythm patterns
which will suddenly give way to some inspired guitar work. No shredding here however, everything is neatly parceled out and nothing
is overused. The tone of the music still has a hint of moodiness or dark intensity that at times reminded me of some of music of Anekdoten
or label mates Gargamel. Although there are no obvious Mellotrons here, instead the music is very guitar-centric with some great riffs
that charge off in one direction only to stop, turn on a dime, with flutes or vocal chants taking centre stage before the song picks
up energy and the guitars solo out to a sudden, cliff-hanging ending. As is the case many times it’s the longer songs that allow the
band to craft more musically complex compositions and it’s the seven and ten-minute pieces that feature the greatest number of musical
change-ups.
Fans of the slightly somber Scandinavian progressive rock sound will find much to appreciate with the music of The
Carpet Knights. The songs collected on According to life… offer a musical depth that holds up well over repeated listening. In addition
I found the general proggy-psychedelic tone really appealing. This disc plays like a roller-coaster taking you up and down, round
and round for an amazing musical ride.
