Norway (Pottittskiver Label) 44 mins

https://kerrspink.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kerrspinkofficial

Rating 85/100

Note: This CD reissue includes all tracks (1 to 7) from the second album Mellom Oss (Pottittskiver POT 03) 1981, and six bonus tracks, of which five are previously unreleased.
Tracks 1 to 6 are re-recorded versions of Mellom Oss tracks.
Track 7 is the original LP recording in a remixed version.
Tracks 8 to 12 are previously unreleased bonus tracks.
Track 12 was recorded on 30th November 1980 at Halvard’s place.
Track 13 is a re-recorded version of the compilation track from the LP album Jomfrutur (POT 04) 1982.

Here rediscovered for our listening pleasure is a reissue of yet another wonderfully melodic progressive rock album from Norway. In this case, it is from the Trømborg based band ‘Kerrs Pink.’ A band that initially got together in 1973 and despite several breakups were still treading the boards in 2014. From their still active website the discography within mentions the issue of seven studio albums.  It is at this stage that their second album ‘Mellom Oss’ has been selected for reissue. An album which, apart from the most serious of vinyl collectors, would be virtually unknown, especially as only 1000  vinyl copies were initially released.

In their album ‘Mellom Oss’ ‘Kerrs Pink’ cleverly fuse together lashings of ‘Scandinavian folk’ music with the melodic guitar and keyboard symphonic sounds attributed to the British progressive rock scene of bands such as Camel &Pink Floyd. Particularly beautiful is the way that the multilayers of guitars have been organised such as to integrate instrumental passages seamlessly fusing together large sections of delightful melodic music. The entire affair is saturated with multitudes of varying guitar-drenched musical sequences that ebb and flow building up to mini crescendos. Such sequences ranging from an Eastern Greek feel to full-blown sections of progressive delight

In such a delightful fashion all of the vocals are sung in the Norwegian language, beautiful they are too with emphatic character and much charm.

Summary: A totally superb album is an intriguing mixture of (mainly) 70s-style melodic prog embellished with an injection of folk. Intriguing simply in the way that the two genera are seamlessly fused together.

Kerrs Pink Line-up

Harald Lytomt (guitars, flute)
Jostein Hansen (bass, guitars, vocals)
Halvard Haugerud (keyboards, bass, vocals)
Tore Fundingsrud (drums).
Trond Bøhn( keyboards, guitar) contributed on two tracks before he quit.

Guests:
Kirsten Hognestad Bøhn (vocals)
Lars-Thore Lande (bass)
Trygve Lahn (violin)
Chris Dankel, family and friends (hand claps and chorus)

 

Tracks:-

  1. Mellom Oss / Between Us (Lytomt)
    2. Troestevise / Comforting Tune (Haugerud)
    3. Troestevals / Comforting Waltz (Haugerud)
    4. Oestenfor Ord / East of Words (Lytomt-Haugerud)
    5. Hvem Snakker Til Meg / Who’s Speaking To Me (Lytomt-Haugerud)
    6. Elegi / Elegy (Lytomt-Haugerud-Fundingsrud)
    7. Mens Tiden Forgår / While Time Fades Away (Hansen)
    a. Dråper / Drops
    b. Haven / The Garden
    c. Adams sang / Adam’s Song
    d. Fallet / The Fall
    e. Evas Sang / Eve’s Song
    f. Mens Tiden Forgår / While Time Fades Away
    g. Etterspill / Aftermath

Instrumental bonus tracks:

  1. Marius (Lytomt)
    9. Den Siste Russ / The Last of the Sixth Formers (Lytomt)
    10. Hyllest til Olga / Ode to Olga (Hansen)
    11. Parademarsj for Jubilanter / Parade March for Jubilants (Hansen-Lytomt)
    12. Trømborg Samba (Lytomt-Bøhn-Solås)
    13. Fredsmarsjen / March de la Paix (Lytomt