Vestamaran - 2021 - Bungalow Rex

(41:43; Apollon Records)






















Track list:
1. Error Come Save Me 4:20
2. Risky Pigeon 3:32
3. Swag 3:52
4. Cutest Offender 4:03
5. My Finest Eye 4:08
6. Solitude 3:30
7. Grustak 4:53
8. Salt Chair 4:36
9. Follow Me 3:23
10. Only For You 5:26

Line-up:
Kristian Nicholas Lindseth - guitars, bass, piano, keyboards, vocals
Jon Bolstad - drums, percussion
Kjartan Ericsson - guitars, keyboards, vocals
Kjell Arne Kjaergaard - vocals, synths, gleckenspiel, percussion
Endre Aasebö - guitars, bass, piano, synthesizer, percussion, vocals
with:
Michael Barnes - saxophone
Eirik Marinius Sandvik - keyboards, vocals


Norwegian band Vestamaran is, to my understanding at least, a fairly new band that hails from the western parts of Norway. It would appear that the band started their activities sometime around 2019, at least that is indicated by the band logo, and in the summer of 2021 they released their debut album "Bungalow Rex" through Norwegian label Apollon Records.

Vestamaran is one of those bands that will have quite a few people grasping at straws in terms of placing them inside a specific context I surmise. The good, old umbrella term classic rock will obviously do the trick, but it's not really saying all that much about the music apart from possibly being a tad retro in orientation. In this case rock is the key word, as this is a band that rarely if ever ventures over to either the harder or the poppier side of the rock music universe. Steady, calm and collected rock music is the case here.

Influences from late 60's rock music is a part of the totality here, and some gentle inclusions of instrument details from country and country rock is an important part of the totality presented to us here too. Not quite inside the reference frames for country, Americana or even roots music, but details from all of these broadly defined definitions make their way into the landscapes explored by Vestamaran. A slight touch of what may be garage rock can be added to the list too, and that some gentle sounds that have a slight psychedelic touch to them sneaks in here and there merits a mention to get a clearer view of the picture too.

The vocals are calm and collected, with something of a restrained emotional surge added on occasion. For the latter aspect one of those cases where the tone and intensity shifts to convey emotions, but the power is by and large maintained in level rather than surging along with the changes in tone and intensity. Which in sum makes the vocal aspects of this production as calm and collected as the music is, but not to the point of being flat or lifeless. Just controlled.

The main rise in tension and intensity comes by way of the verse parts as a general rule being more sparse and careful in nature and execution, while the chorus section and often the instrumental sections too sports additional layers and an arrangement with a more forceful and majestic expression and orientation. This creates a natural ebb and flow in the songs, and obviously helps maintain tension and interest.

"Bungalow Rex'' is one of those albums that for me is caught somewhere in the middle between being good and solid. Some of the songs make a strong impression, others are more pleasant excursions for my taste in music, and as a whole the album for me sounds just a little bit generic really. A production of the kind that from me, I guess, will be damned with faint praise. In my view, those who tend to enjoy artists that add slight elements from Americana into a foundation of calm, classic era rock music should be the ones who gets this album easier and better than others, and a certain fascination for rock music that is a bit more restrained in execution than the norm should also come in handy in this case.

Olav M. Björnsen, November 2021

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Vestamaran-104479057619001
https://www.apollonrecords.no/

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