LARSEN AND THE COLOURED DREAMS – Bucket List

Spearheaded by Kjell B. Larsen from renowned prog rockers Ruphus and backed by a talented cast of musicians, this brand-new Norwegian outfit using the psychedelic moniker Larsen and the Coloured Dreams has released a rather pleasant and occasionally soothing record in the shape of “Bucket List” The musical blueprint is an interesting one in that blues rock, funk, prog, rhythm ‘n blues, and soul music are skillfully blended to great effect. Larsen’s laidback vocals complement the groovy riffs and catchy melodies superbly and Dionisia Fjelldalen’s voice is beautiful and lends a touch of grace and fragility to the compositions. The quintet keeps things playful and unpredictable throughout, but the songs never lose their direction or purpose, and the lyrics (some of which are charmingly quirky) tell stories and paint vivid pictures in the mind of the listener – two prime examples of this being “Broome Street in May” and “Moody Rudy”.

Easy on the ear and bluesy but with a sound and identity of its own, “Bucket List” is a noteworthy release containing plenty of nuances and surprises. Did I mention that it is also loaded with excellent tunes?