CAPTAIN CRIMSON (Dancing Madly Backwards) CD
What would you expect from a band with the name Captain Crimson? Especially when they are that brazen and call their album 'Dancing Madly Backwards'. I mean, I could grumble about this and that. But do I really have to? Sure, the band does not really live up to my expectation from a band that might want to evoke the spirit of early King Crimson or the first Captain Beyond album. But I doubt that anybody can ever live up to those masterpieces. Especially as backward looking as these guys from Sweden are. That is another thing I could criticize. That band somehow sounds somewhat Swedish. I guess that has to do with the way Captain Crimson delivers their brand of Heavy Rock.
There is a certain similarity between them and like-minded bands from Sweden. Do not ask me what exactly it is - it just sounds like that to me. Moreover, Blowback singer Stefan Norén is here on guitar and vocals, too. So I guess by now everybody should know what this album is good for. The four-piece rocks through the typical package of influences. There are proggy parts that might remind of the aforementioned bands. There is is some Grand Funk or MC5 in 'Autumn', a rough rocker without any frills but a lot of 70s groove. We find a good dose of Blues Rock in 'Don't Take Me For A Fool' including vocals reminiscent of a young Bobby Liebling and therefore of country fellows Witchcraft. Add to this some doomy riffs and a even a bold robbery of Black Widow's trademark chorus from 'Come The The Sabbath'.
Of course, with the current retro rock explosion this band (like many others) sounds a bit stereotypical with its old school production, its fuzz-guitars and all. This is hard to avoid I would say if you want to make this kind of music. But do not mistake this for the sound being dull. Just let the album sink in and it is as good as any other current retro rock album I would say. Songs like 'Silver Moon' or the nice and simple little rocker 'True Color' with its jazzy interlude does justice to many of the cult acts from the original era of this music. If you crave new music and have played the shit out of your Graveyard or Witchcraft albums, look no further than Captain Crimson. They will ease your need for new music that sounds like it was old.
(Thorsten Frahling)