The Carpet Knights: According To Life

According To Life is the second release from Sweden's The Carpet Knights whose members have also contributed to Limbo, Bland Bladen and Hooffoot as well as being involved with space rock improvisers Oresund Space Collective. On my first listen to the CD my initial thoughts were of an intricate, progressive take on gentle stoner rock and whilst the band themselves describe their sound as "melodic progressive rock" I would be more inclined to suggest that it's like Jethro Tull jamming with Masters Of Reality, as this album is full of heavy blues soaked guitar however the themes and arrangements are far more convoluted than those of the stoner kings. As that would suggest the majority of the music on this disc is laid back and mid-tempo, however fantastic interlinked harmony vocals and smart guitar work ensure that there's not a moment of tedium anywhere on the disc.

It's The Carpet Knights' ability to throw out a massive guitar solo, whilst keeping a restrained and deliberate plodding beat and add some well thought out vocal patterns, as they do on "Cosmical Mind", that make this album an enjoyable and varied experience. More overtly progressive are the likes of "Lost" which, as do many of the tracks, add flute to the mix along with some more stretched out guitar passages and complex bass and drum weaves that allow the song to wander freely from theme to theme whilst never losing the overall feel of the music.

As the music sinks in, and be warned it will take a little effort to fully appreciate the finer points presented, influences from psych to stoner, or from progressive to folk seep out of the instruments and with them all hung together by some deft musicianship and the tremendous vocals, each and every song is a journey in itself. This is an album that stands up to repeated scrutiny well as instead of becoming tired and familiar, it continues to evolve and challenge as you unravel its secrets. Whether it's the floaty Eastern vibe of "Headcase", the pointed angularity of "Endless Sleep" or the focused multi layered "Why Am I", According To Life is involving and enveloping and The Carpet Knights deserve some recognition for the clever blending of genres that they have moulded into an extremely cohesive set of songs.

Track Listing
1. Headcase
2. Gaze Through The Days I'll Hide
3. Without A Past
4. Eternal Sleep
5. Cosmical Mind
6. Lost
7. If Soon I Will Be You
8. Magical Space - Style
9. Why Am I
10. Forever Is A Long Time

Added: March 1st 2010
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Band's MySpace Page
Hits: 2209
Language: english

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