On top of that he has made himself a name by working with artists such as The Bellamy Brothers, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Linda Ronstadt and many more. And now this.
PG Stølen and Frank R. Fjellvang are two Norwegian musicians, who have made music together since 1986. Now John Beland has become their producer, and naturally he also plays with them

The sound naturally reminds us of the Burritos, of the time around 1990, when "Beland joined them in the album; Back To The Sweethearts Of The Rodeo". That said, it hasn’t become pure Country music, but has primarily Singer/Songwriter adjustment with a decent Rocky Westcoast flair. The artists are basically from Norway, with one addition, from Texas.

The musicians are high level and sound very professional. The two Norwegians on guitar and vocal are already a bank alone! With the exception of two titles of Stølen, Fjellvang wrote all remaining tracks, and those are all unbelievably warm and harmonious, predominantly compositions held in the acoustic ambience, something for the heart.

Surely Beland’s influence as a producer has added to it, so that a fruitful alliance developed, with the result of passionately spoken music. Stølen has also a suitable voice, which with light melancholy and with a decent smoky touch tells the stories.

However, a disturbing moment to me is the keyboards and the saxophone on " Royal Bengal Indian" , I don’t consider both totally misplaced but this is a piece, which one could have left out. Still other interesting things are used, f ex the klackernde(?)  Country guitars, we know from photos of Carl Perkins  to Johnny Cash to "Up North Of Norway" , in addition a little " Ghost Rider in The Sky" - Atmosphere. Now well, here also the life in the wilderness in northern Norway is described, on the way with horse and carriage, a genuine Norwegian cowboy song!

You hear easy Calypso flair and also Texan 'Outlaw-Element' in " Queen Of The Floor". The song with the sensual sounding  name " Hymn", starts with keyboards and moderate drums and in addition a suggested hard guitar, until one suddenly has, Metallica with " Else Matters" in mind!

" Sound OF The Bell" a fine Country Rocker is one of my favorite titles with its fine pedal steel!

Altogether no packing, no superficial loud-pictorial music, therefore well tuned and very harmonic.

Well done, Mr. Beland!

Back 

   
Webmaster apologizes for the simple translation....