Blomljud

Untitled

[Blomljud] is the second album release from the swedish progressive rock band Moon Safari, it's also the bands first double album containing 11 songs of various length. It was released in 2008, three years after their debut A Doorway To Summer. It was released on the independant label Blomljud Records.

Blomljud is swedish and means "Sound of flowers", although the lyrics on the album are all in english. The flowers are a returning theme during the whole album.

Composition

Unlike on A Doorway To Summer, where all words & music were credited to the whole band as a collective force the booklet to [Blomljud] clearly gives credit to separate band members for each song, revealing Petter Sandström and Simon Åkesson as the most creative members.

Music

Most of the music on the album is credited to Simon and Petter. Most of the songs are composed by some of the two guys alone but there are also some songs where they have co-operated and created the musical stuff together, the instrumental Moonwalk as an example. There are also one song (Bluebells) where Johan Westerlund has created the music. Former guitar player Anthon Johansson also gains shared credit for the opener on the second disc ,Yasgur's Farm.

Themes & Motives

During the album, there are a few musical themes and lead motives that can be heard with different lyrics and some musical variations in different songs, making the album more of a great piece of music instead of eleven separate songs.

Choirs

One thing that really is special for Moon Safari's music is the choir arrangements made by Simon. Often these arrangements include four voices or more (note that all five members get vocal credit).

Time Signatures

Just like most other progressive rock acts, Moon Safari's songs often use odd changes and values of time signature, here are some examples found on this album.

• Most parts of Bluebells are in 5/8
• Yasgur's Farm include segments of both 7/4 and 7/8 rounded with 4/4
• Written In The Stars ends with an instrumental section that switches between 5/4, 6/4 and 7/4
• At the end of Child Inside The Man there are another instrumental section in the very unusual 11/8 that leads the thoughts to Apocalypse In 9/8 by Genesis.
• After All begins with a simple 4/4 but with one bar shortened to 3/4 which creates a section of 8 bars with a total of 31 beats.

Track Listing

[ Ka-on I ] - Disc 1

1. Constant Bloom (01:27) - Music & Arrangement by: S Åkesson, Lyrics by: Westerlund
2. Methuselah's Children (15:43) - Music by: Sandström/S Åkesson, Lyrics by: Sandström
3. In The Countryside (05:43) - Music & Lyrics by: Sandström
4. Moonwalk (08:49) - Music by: Sandström/ S Åkesson
5. Bluebells (10:11) - Music & Lyrics by: Westerlund
6. The Ghost Of Flowers Past (09:46) - Music by: S Åkesson, Lyrics by: Westerlund/Sandström

[ Ka-on II ] - Disc 2

1. Yasgur's Farm (08:06) - Music by: Johansson/Sandström/Åkesson, Lyrics by: Sandström
2. Lady Of The Woodlands (03:37) Music by: Sandström/S Åkesson, Lyrics by: Sandström
3. A Tale Of Three And Tree (03:28) Music by: S Åkesson, Lyrics by: Westerlund/Sandström
4. Other Half Of The Sky (31:44) Music & Lyrics by: Sandström
   1. Written In The Stars (06:28)
   2. The Meaning Of Success (07:51)
   3. Child Inside The Man (10:13)
   4. After All (07:12)
5. To Sail Beyond The Sunset (05:18) Music by: S Åkesson, Lyrics by: Sandström/Westerlund

Personell

Simon Åkesson: Lead & Backing Vocals, Piano, Moogs, Mellotrons, Hammond Organ, Piano Accordion, SFX & Choir Arrangements
Petter Sandström: Lead & Backing Vocals, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Occasional Electric Guitar & SFX
Pontus Åkesson: Electric Guitars, 6 & 12-String Guitars, Mandolin & Backing Vocals
Johan Westerlund: Bass & Lead Vocals
Tobias Lundgren: Drums, Percussion & Backing Vocals

Guest Musicians

Anthon Johansson (Founing Member): Electric Guitar on Yasgur's Farm
Anders Pettersson: Pedal Steel Guitar
Andreas Persson: Percussion
Måns Axelsson-Ljung: Violin & Fiddles
Mona Falk: Cello on A Tale Of Three And Tree