THE FLOWER KINGS - Waiting for Miracles (2019) 2xCD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Waiting for Miracles is the first long-player by the Flower Kings since 2013's Desolation Rose. It marks a return from exile for the Flower Kings after 2018's Waiting for an Alchemist -- which was billed to Roine Stolt's the Flower King. Here Stolt, Hasse Fröberg, and Jonas Reingold are joined by keyboardist Zach Kamins and drummer Mirko DeMaio. This is a real band offering that contains the complex mood, textural, and color changes, intricate melodies, atmospheres, and dynamics that are at the heart of TFK's musical signature.
Waiting for Miracles clocks in at 85 minutes but showcases TFK in a more economical mode compositionally. That's not to say the band are writing pop songs; their music remains challenging prog rock that recalls the sound and feel of the band's first five records. It's sonically bright compared to most of TFK's 2010s output. After the lovely intro that is "House of Cards," complete with field-recorded gulls, waves, and thunder, a piano introduces an acoustic guitar on "Black Flag," a paean to the glories and perils of pirating. Electric guitars, kick drums, Mellotron, and classical piano frame Stolt's lyrics; its staggered vocal harmonies hover above stinging lead and slide guitar work. "Miracles for America" is the set's longest track at ten minutes. Its lyrics walk a line between political commentary and clever irony. Sweeping Hammond, Mellotron, and analog synths swirl about the foreground as Fröberg, Stolt, and guest bassist Michael Stolt engage in lush yet playful vocal harmonies worthy of Yes and complex instrumental interplay. The song is built from a series of musical themes that don’t recur, but serve to move the melody along. "Vertigo" is an anthem; its lyrics confront fear head on, while the chorus' melody deliberately channels Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly." "The Bridge" is a gorgeous ballad that finds Stolt's protagonist hopelessly intoning that he's "waiting for miracles," though he doesn't expect them. As the song draws to its climax, his wonderfully moving guitar solo changes everything, and signifies that a miracle has been delivered. Stolt's intuitive soloing is aimed at his accompaniment, not above it, displaying what a fine ensemble player he is. "Sleep with the Enemy" finds his verses dovetailing with Fröberg's soaring harmony in the chorus. A menacing church organ builds intensity countered by fleet piano flourishes and spiky guitar fills. Disc two commences with a "House of Cards" reprise that bleeds into "Spirals," a tune that further explicates musical themes from "Miracles in America" alongside syncopated, funky asides and electronic effects. "Steampunk" fuses prog and jazz seamlessly with complex rhythms. "We Were Always Here" is offered with layers of rolling tom-toms in the foreground. Reingold's brilliant bassline is a lead instrument as the spine of the expansive melody guides the band. It's a breathtaking climax; it should have closed the album instead of the throwaway "Busking at Brobank." That small disappointment aside, Waiting for Miracles marks the welcome and artful return of TFK to active duty.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist 1:
1    House Of Cards 1:58
Bass – Michael
Electric Guitar – Roine
Grand Piano [Fazioli Grand Piano], Synth [Synths], Mellotron – Zach
Written-By – Kamins
2    Black Flag 7:39
Bass, Vocals, Synth [Moog Bass] – Michael
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Roine
Grand Piano [Fazioli Grand Piano], Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Organ [Hammond B3] – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
3    Miracles For America 9:57
Backing Vocals – Michael
Drums, Timpani, Vibraphone – Mirko
Electric Bass – Jonas
Electric Guitar, Vocals [Vocal] – Roine
Electric Organ [Hammond B3], Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Synthesizer [Minimoog] – Zach
Vocals [Vocal] – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
4    Vertigo 9:59
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, Sequencer [Sequencers], Vocals – Roine
Fretless Bass – Jonas
Synth [Synths], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Mellotron, Synthesizer [Minimoog] – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
5    The Bridge 5:32
Drums – Mirko
Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass – Jonas
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar [Nylon String Acoustic Guitars], Vocals – Roine
Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Organ [Hammond B3], Piano – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
6    Ascending To The Stars 5:41
Drums, Percussion [Orchestral Percussion], Timpani – Mirko
Electric Bass – Jonas
Electric Guitar – Roine
Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Guitar, Electric Organ [Hammond B3], Orchestrated By [Orchestration], Synthesizer [Minimoog] – Zach
Viola – John
Violin – Paul
Written-By – Kamins
7    Wicked Old Symphony 5:47
Bass, Vocals, Synthesizer [Moogbass] – Michael
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Roine
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer Piano], Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Organ [Hammond B3], Grand Piano – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
8    The Rebel Circus 5:50
Bass, Bass [Fuzzbass] – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, Percussion, Pedalboard [Taurus Bass] – Roine
Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Organ [Hammond B3], Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Yamaha GX1] – Zach
Written-By – DeMaio, Stolt
9    Sleep With The Enemy 6:02
Bass – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Organ [Pipe Organ], Strings, Percussion, Vocals – Roine
Synth, Mellotron, Grand Piano, Electric Piano [Rhodes Piano] – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
10    The Crowning Of Greed 4:50
Bass [FuzzWha-Bass] – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, Ukulele, Mellotron, Vocals – Roine
Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Minimoog], Marimba, Glockenspiel – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
Tracklist 2:
1    House Of Cards Reprise 1:21
Bass – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar – Roine
Piano, Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Synthesizer [Minimoog] – Zach
Written-By – Kamins
2    Spirals 5:06
Bass [FuzzWha-Bass] – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, Ukulele, Mellotron, Vocals – Roine
Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Piano [Rhodes], Synthesizer [Minimoog], Marimba, Glockenspiel – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Reingold, DeMaio, Stolt, Kamins
3    Steampunk 6:31
Bass – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar, 12-String Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Vocals – Roine
Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Synthesizer [Minimoog], Electric Piano [Rhodes] – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
4    We Were Always Here 7:35
Bass – Jonas
Drums – Mirko
Electric Guitar [Electric Guitars], Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic Guitars], Synth, Vocals – Roine
Grand Piano [Fazioli Grand], Synth [Synths], Mellotron, Electric Organ [Hammond B3] – Zach
Vocals – Hasse
Written-By – Stolt
5    Busking At Brobank 0:52
Acoustic Guitar – Roine
Bass [Upright Bass] – Jonas
Harmonium, Mellotron, Theremin – Zach
Instruments [Table & Plate] – Mirko
Written-By – Stolt
Credits:
Artwork [Album Artwork] – Kevin Sloan
Bass – Jonas Reingold
Drums, Percussion – Mirko DeMaio
Keyboards, Guitar – Zach Kamins
Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals – Roine Stolt
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Hans Froberg
Musician [With], Backing Vocals – Michael Stolt (tracks: 1-2 to 1-4, 1-7)
Musician [With], Bass, Pedalboard [Taurus] – Michael Stolt (tracks: 1-1, 1-2, 1-7, 1-10)
Musician [With], Viola – John "Zach" Dellinger (tracks: 1-6)
Musician [With], Violin – Paul Cartwright (tracks: 1-6)