Rag And Bone – Strain
This set gets off to a serious, melodic pop-oriented quality with “The World Is Coming Down,” with slight reminders of the late Karl Wallinger’s World Party. Rag And Bone are fine-tuned with their disparate rock voices, guitar riffs & arrangements that cut their own path. Even “The Serf,” while not being the stuff of American songwriters, plods with the attractive Deep Purple allotments if not harkening back to the heaviness of groups like Blue Cheer (“Summertime Blues”). Rag And Bone guitars are a blanket of sound.
In their 20th year, they still keep the motivation in check. “Run” is a blade of grass in the garden of bands like Kansas, Nektar & Slade, but at times has a shading of Germany’s Amon Duul II with Renate Knaup. While not as heavily laden as Amon Duul, they possess that darkness when necessary, in their lead guitar. Progressive rock aficionados may find this an interesting treasure. Amon Duul offshoot Freiheit is closer in comparison (“Keeping the Dream Alive”).
There are 10 deep dives into the well-circulated progressive melodic pieces of Rag And Bone – Strain (Drops June 11/Independent/48:26), produced by Mats Nilsson & Martin Ekelund. It’s their 5th album that captures the intricacies of good prog ala Barclay James Harvest & the aforementioned groups, the music isn’t slapdash rock out to impress ears with soaring guitars & jazzy drums. Instead, these have been arranged into particularly tasteful efforts recorded in Sweden.
They don’t carry the “stain” of ‘70s retro rock or sound dated. The band is clean & creative in their delivery. Instead of chopping through a path already cleared in this music genre, they try to cut through their own road. “Followers – Likes – Leaders” displays an acoustic guitar with some purring brass. Not always a prog rock offering. Lyrics like “I can’t call this world home anymore…” are not lame or terribly intense. Strong messages stab through searing lead guitar.
Another swipe into a catchy riff is “Sisyphus Rock” – with authoritative elements. It wears the colors of both early Deep Purple & Free without sounding retro. This is the skill the group displays consistently. They don’t try to sing to 16-year-olds. Their themes, subjects & situations take a more mature poise. The guitar solos aren’t wild excursions into a netherland. The purpose seems to be an important ingredient.
While closer to roots-Americana, the final tune “Who’s Gonna Grieve” has a Preservation Hall jazz band style with Mats Bengtsson’s accordion, the deep bellowing brass notes & a bright solo mandolin. Impressive switch in musical lanes. Worth exploring.
Highlights – “The World Is Coming Down,” “The Serf,” “Run,” “Followers – Likes – Leaders,” “Sisyphus Rock,” “Anything At All,” (brass arrangements: Mats Nilsson & Isak Brooks), & “Who’s Gonna Grieve.”
Musicians – Mats Nilsson, Lars Magnusson, Pelle Johansson & Thomas Stromberg Jonsson with Maja Jakobsson duet on “Run.”
Color image courtesy of Mikael Lennartsson. CD @ https://hemifran.com/artist/Rag-And-Bone/