This 2CD/DVD release serves the band so well and truly demonstrates how good they are.

In Issue #73, I reported on one of the best gigs I've attended which paired this band with Enchant. Both bands were terrific that night, however, it was a shame so few people were there to witness it. I'm therefore delighted to report that some months later, Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion saw fit to record and film their show, along with some additional material for posterity, and jolly good it is too with the filming being unfussy and well edited – you almost feel as if you were there.

Hasse Fröberg is synonymous with The Flower Kings, and as such many will immediately pigeonhole Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion in the Prog genre. However, whilst there are certainly Prog elements, the band blends these with Rock, Blues and even a touch of Metal, thus providing a diverse palette of sounds. The thing that runs across all of the songs is tremendous melodies that are earworms of the highest quality. The band also comprises of superb players who really deliver.

A case in point is opener 'Can't Stop The Clock' which is heavy in places, yet whimsical in others, and has a chorus that is both wonderful and catchy. As I listen to it, I can't help but think of an amalgam of The Flower Kings, 10CC, Queen and Dream Theater; that sounds mad, but boy does it work! 'Everything Can Change' has Pop sensibilities with both 10CC and Queen cropping up as comparisons once more. The jazzy break is unexpected but superbly integrated. 'Something Worth Dying For' has Europe style vocal inflections and Hard Rock passages, whilst the epic 'Pages' is simply a tour-de-force.

Of particular interest to fans will be the two previously unreleased tracks, 'Valleys And Fields' and 'Chasing A Dream', but the bulk of the show is made up of tracks from their most recent album with only a smattering of numbers from their previous two releases and a Flower Kings cover. 'Valleys...' is a short Folky instrumental that serves as an intro to 'Song For July', while 'Chasing...' mixes a Flower Kings style opening with a heavy bridge and a catchy chorus. Apparently, it's one part of a future epic.

The footage on the DVD mixes both live and studio scenes. It's certainly a worthy addition to the band's repertoire. 'Genius' lives up to its title and 'Something Worth Dying For' is truly awesome. This 2CD/DVD release serves the band so well and truly demonstrates how good they are. Some of the between-song banter may be in Swedish, but that doesn't detract whatsoever, it only adds to the atmosphere. I could spend ages going through each track, suffice to say it's a great show.

Gary Marshall