Lalu - 2023 - The Fish Who Wanted To Be King [mini-review]

(54:03; Frontiers Music)

French project Lalu is out with the album "The Fish Who Wanted To Be King", and progressive rock is the style explored on this production. In this case we have an album that appear to follow the approach of something old and something new, something borrowed and perhaps also something blue. The song structures takes in a lot from classic era progressive rock, with an ebb and flow momentum, shifting, changing and developing sections and themes, and a bit of an inclusive approach to the different orientations and subsets of the form that have been included. But rather than emphasizing the different qualities the differences have been dampened a bit, and are explored and executed in a more accessible and melodic manner. You can hear parts that with more expressive and dominant keyboards would fit nicely into a symphonic progressive rock orientation, and much the same is the case for jazzrock, neo-progressive rock and even progressive metal. Sections based on those traditions are all a part of the total picture here, but approached and executed in more of a melodic and borderline atmospheric laden progressive rock manner. Possible nods in the direction of Genesis, The Flower Kings and Dream Theater as all present, and those with a deeper knowledge about the jazzier parts of the progressive rock landscape will encounter some familiar sounding details too for sure, but on this album and in these songs those aspects are explored in a more understated and accessible manner. If a contemporary and accessible upgrade of the classic era inclusive and expressive variety of progressive rock strikes you as an interesting notion, this is an album that should give you a lot of joy.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, November 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/vivlalu
https://www.frontiers.it/