Permanent Vacation (Galleon, 1994)

Taken from the album "Heritage And Visions", this epic is one of the longest and most diversified tracks by Swedish band Galleon. Even if some of its passages seem to me uselessly long, I must admit there are so many good melodies and so many beautiful changes that I couldn't miss this track in my blog. Relaxing pianos and fast keyboards, strong vocals and ethnic glimpses, shocking contrasts and irregular rythms... what else should I ask for?

"Heritage and Visions" was the second studio work by Galleon.

Last but not least, the listener will admire some difficult guitar solos and even a hard-like riff. But what I die for are the themes the band wrote and I daresay this is a trademark of Galleon. In short, if you're searching for adventurous and experimental music skip this one, but if you like highly dynamic and passionate prog rock, get a try to this one.

In The Wake of The Moon (Galleon, 2010)

Galleon like to change and even if their music always keeps its more or less traditional neo-prog path, they know how to diversify the moods, the tempos and the sounds too. Here, in this 2010 album title track, they choose a melodic, slow, rather melancholy way, making the most of a beautiful theme and following a lunar inspiration both in music and lyrics.

This is the ninth studio album by Galleon.

 

Nostalgy and sweet sadness rule the song and I rarely listened to a more beutiful track into such a dark mood. A million light years from the bombastic prog rock of Galleon's first CDs and even so a fully Galleon song, with all the intense and keen keyboards / guitars interplays they are famous for. Please listen to this at night, in a cosy room, looking out from the window at a starry sky. If you don't have the cosy room nor the starry sky, well, close your eyes...

Art Gallery (Galleon, 1998)

I read somewhere that Sweden has some 7 millions inhabitants and I'm convinced that half this number must be involved somehow in prog rock music, if only I consider how many bands and musicians I know (and appreciate) from this country. Galleon is an important part of this movement and the 14 minutes opening epic of their album "Mind over Matter" is a good example of their kind of prog, even if they changed somewhat during the years.

One ofthe best cover arts in Galleon's discography, IMHO.

I really like this song apart, maybe for the strange electronic intro: it's a dynamic, variated and classic prog song, not so original, that's true, but so fresh and pleasant that it seldom finds its way to my CD reader. The changing tempo and the instrumental sections (especially the melodic keyboards solo around minute 10) are excellent, but I also recommend the sung main theme, let alone the performing skills of the band. The lyrics are intriguing, exploring the esoteric side of art. What else? Well, try it!