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What a long and strange trip it's been for Swedish progressive rock survivors Kaipa, whose career dates all the way back to the early '70s and actually petered out in the mid-'80s before making a comeback with a slew of releases throughout the 2000s. Keyboardist Hans Lundin has been at the helm throughout this odyssey, but 2012's Vittjar sees him surrounded with whatever new millennium young bucks his reputation can lure -- namely vocalist Patrik Lundström of Ritual, guitarist Per Nilsson of Scar Symmetry, bassist Jonas Reingold of the Flower Kings, and drummer Morgan Ågren of Mats & Morgan. Together, the ensemble paints a rich, often Dali-esque musical canvas, typically placing adventurousness over ready accessibility, and fluid integration of disparate sounds and moods over instrumental showboating -- quite the balancing job, but it tends to work. With its playful interplay between acoustic guitar and violin, "Lightblue and Green" first resurrects the ghosts of Jethro Tull and Kansas past, then welcomes decade-spanning shades of everyone from Yes through Marillion through Porcupine Tree once the organs and heavier guitars kick in; a token of Kaipa's improbable longevity, spanning all these progressive rock eras. And, as additional movements like "First Distraction," "A Universe of Tinyness," and title track reveal, folk music elements figure large in Kaipa's compositional arsenal, broadly inspiring the album's whimsical atmosphere. To that end, the ethereal vocals of Aleena Gibson (backed by lilting flutes) ahead of 20-minute tour de force "Our Silent Ballroom Band" (finally giving vent to virtuosic technique and enhanced by Latin percussion, reminiscent of Angra) ultimately prove that Kaipa aren't ones to sit on their creative laurels, however exotic and accomplished. Rather, Lundin and his willing accomplices seem bent on shape-shifting their music endlessly, impressionistic lyrics in hot pursuit, as though they too know not where this winding career road will take them next. But, based on Vittjar's compelling contents, there's no cause for concern -- wherever it is, they'll get there in style. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia
