Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

The Chronicles of Father Robin — The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book 3
(Karisma KAR262, 2024, CD / LP / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2024-03-12

The Songs & Tales of Airoea – Book 3 Cover art

Book 3 of The Songs & Tales of Airoea completes the trilogy that began in The Chronicles of Father Robin’s Books 1 and 2. The subtitle here is Magical Chronicle (Ascension), and it moves the story into the sky. In my subjective perception, this section of the epic leans a little more towards the Yes side of classic progressive rock than the Genesis or Canterbury sides, which seemed more dominant on the first two parts. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the quality of the compositions and arrangements. It’s clear that the members of this collective are all seasoned pros who have honed their craft over decades, and bring that experience to fruition in this project. These six tracks are brimming with great ideas, and the flow from section to section and track to track is very evocative. “Cloudship” is a beautiful acoustic tune in the classic mode of “Turn of the Century” and “Wonderous Stories,” complete with wonderful vocal harmonies and lovely acoustic guitars. On the other hand, “Empress of the Sun” is an energetic symphonic rocker. “Skyslumber” has some interesting ambient moments featuring weird electronics, providing intriguing contrast to the more song-oriented pieces. Now that the epic story of Father Robin is complete, I’m not sure what the future holds for this group of musicians — and certainly they all have other bands they can devote their attention to — but if this is it, Book 3 puts a satisfying cap on one of the greatest concept albums of the sixth decade of progressive rock.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Alwanzatar (Kristoffer Momrak), Lars Fredrik Frøislie, The Chronicles of Father Robin

More info
http://fatherrobin.bandcamp.com/album/the-songs-tales-of-airoea-book-iii

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.