| Artist: | Par Lindh & Bjorn Johansson |
| Title: | Dreamsongs From Middle Earth |
| Label: | Crimsonic CLSCD 108 |
| Length(s): | 64 minutes |
| Year(s) of release: | 2003 |
| Month of review: | [07/2004] |
| 1) | Dream One | 5.19 |
| 2) | Dream Two | 6.04 |
| 3) | Dream Three | 4.19 |
| 4) | Dream Four | 11.22 |
| 5) | Dream Five | 7.19 |
| 6) | Dream Six | 8.29 |
| 7) | Dream Seven | 5.32 |
| 8) | Dream Eight | 3.12 |
| 9) | Dream Nine | 3.55 |
| 10) | Dream Ten | 8.07 |
The album is centered around ten dream sequences moving through the story. As often with instrumental music based on a story, the liner notes are badly needed to find out what part of the story is represented by a piece of music.
The music is mostly peaceful. Mainly instrumental, but regularly with female wordless one person choir (you get the drift). Aside from the obvious drums, guitars, bass and synths there are such instruments as piano, harp and bassoon, flugelhorn even, making for a fitting atmosphere. The guitars remind me of Mike Oldfield quite often, and I guess the overall atmosphere does fit in with some of Oldfield's seventies material, although the ending of Dream Four is very much Focus. And now that we're on the track of semblances: Dream Seven contains a section pretty reminiscent of a track on an older Steve Hackett solo album. Dream Nine is a bit more challenging. Not simply laid back, but more complex melodically.
In general the tracks are rather laid back. Even though the guitar sound may be sharp at times, only occasionally does a spark ignite. Just as rarely do we get some symphonic episodes, with heavy synth sounds.
On a technical note: the drums at times sound as if recorded in a plastic bag, especially when asking for attention.