Larsen & The Coloured Dreams - 2022 - Bucket List

(45:17; Apollon Records)

Track list:
1. Soulmate 4:35
2. Foodlover 4:11
3. Tokyo Rose 4:59
4. Keep Moving On 4:49
5. The Fiddler 4:13
6. No Trouble, No Pain 4:18
7. Broome Street in May 3:49
8. Mr Fantastico 4:17
9. Moody Rudy 4:22
10. Pandemonium Blues 5:34

Line-up:
Kjell B. Larsen - vocals, guitars
Dionisia Fjelldalen - vocals
Ture Janson - guitars
Tore Wildhauer - drums
Öivind Madsen - bass


Norwegian band Larsen and the Coloured Dreams appears to have been formed as recently as last year, a band formation set up by veteran musician Kjell B. Larsen. Larsen is perhaps best known for his tenure in progressive rock band Ruphus some 50 years ago, but he has explored many other types of music in the years following his role in that band. "Bucket List" is the debut album by this new band formation of Larsen, and is set for release at the end of January 2022 through Norwegian label Apollon Records.

I suspect the wise and the music nerds may well get something of a discussion going in terms of placing this album into a specific genre of music. For my sake I was torn between blues, Country and Americana for this one, but I ended up with roots music being the description I found most suitable in this case. But as the lines in this paragraph indicates, this is a production that appears to have brought in quite a bit of inspiration from the other side of the Atlantic, to the likely joy of those who tend to listen to music within the parameters listed.

Fine and elegant guitar playing, often with a bit of a less is more approach, is a key element throughout this album, and raspy lead vocals with a down to Earth subtle grit to them another defining trait. From what I can hear this is an album that focus on matters such as mood, atmosphere and feel more than anything else, and that we have some passages with a slight touch of soul to them present here too rather fits the premises I think.

Towards the end of this production we are also taken into landscapes with a bit more of a reggae touch to them on 'Mr. Fantastico', and the concluding 'Pandemonium Blues' comes with a few jazz-oriented bits and pieces attached to it as well. So while roots music, blues and Americana arguably are the main dominating elements here, Larsen shows that he certainly has the capacity as a composer as well as musician to explore landscapes of a rather different nature as well.

As one might surmise from the main parts of the description given, this is an album to seek out by those who tend to cherish material described within the context of roots music, Americana and blues first and foremost. For this specific album the key ingredients here are mood, atmosphere and feel, and the approach closer aligned to a less is more philosophy than to an extravagant excursion. Down to Earth and grounded roots music if you like, and I suspect that the majority of those who find such a description intriguing will find this production to be quite the rewarding experience.

Olav M. Björnsen, January 2022

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/larsen51
https://www.apollonrecords.no/