Bleak Seasobs

The Vision Bleak return in grand style: The German duo's seventh full-length "Weird Tales" constitutes a monumental tribute to the eponymous American pulp magazine and other tales of mystery and dark imagination. The album consists of a single track that is divided into internal chapters, which are each inspired by weird tales, poems, and other literature of horror and the macabre. On "Weird Tales", The Vision Bleak are referring to eminent writers of the legendary magazine such as H. P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, but also allude to authors that were never featured in the magazine, for example Edgar Allen Poe and Lafcadio Hearn, whose "Fantastics and Other Fancies" was very influential for this album. The Vision Bleak are pulling every register of their enormous musical prowess…

Despite the title, this is some very warm and friendly early jazz-rock work from the brilliant Norwegian guitarist/composer. (This album originates from prior to Rypdal joining ECM, and is on Polydor Norway.) Recorded in 1968 with longtime collaborator Jan Garberek on sax & flute, this music features a large horn section, excellent bass work, and lots of rich/tasteful Hammond playing. Though only 21 at the time, Rypdal was already making incredibly mature, smooth and sophisticated music which - though sounding very 60's - still plays well today. Light-Latin and blues influences are heard; along with big-band arrangements that are by turns tightly arranged and charmingly loose.