01	Nucleus						05:08
	02	Harvest						06:50
	03	Book Of Hours						09:58
	04	Raft						00:58
	05	Rubankh						03:11
	06	Here						07:26
	07	This Far From The Sky						08:56
	08	In Freedom						06:27

Peter Nordins - percussives
Jan Erik Liljestrom - bass, voice
Nicklas Berg - guitar, Rhodes, clavinet, pumporgan, mellotron, voice
Anna Sofi Dahlberg - cello, mellotron, voice

with special thanks to:
Helena Kallander - violin
Tommy Anderson - Rhodes on "Harvest"

All words and music by Anekdoten
Produced by Tommy Anderson and Anekdoten
Engineered by Tommy Anderson and Roger Skogh

Nucleus reviews

Phil Kime, Gibraltar Digest Initial reactions I came across were mildly disconcerting as they seemed akin to the rather, in my opinion, unthinking laudation that, in certain quarters, has come to be applied to anything from the environs of Sweden. The recent White Willow release, for example, being subject to far more encomium than it deserves. Thus, fearing an inverse correlation between eulogy and worth in this case, I forced more listens before committing to print. I must admit to being too sensitive on this point: there is hardly anything amiss with this release, given its scope. Anekdoten have certainly, as promised, defined their approach and reduced their explicit debt to _Red_-era King Crimson, although it is still to be found in abundance to the attentive audience. They have, in certain respects, moved towards the melodic ambience of Landberk, notably on "Here" and in the vocal lines of "Harvest." The vocals are, as before, generally quite weak but innocuous enough. The album is redolent with their noted post-Crimson thick bass tone, brought out far better in the mix this time. It really comes to the fore in the heaviest track on the album "Rubankh." Some nice percussive guitar overlaid on this track. "Raft," a short quiet mellotron noise interlude, leads into this much in the way that _Thrak_ opens. Turning the volume up to hear it is not a good idea. Anekdoten have adopted the mellotron to the extent that Anglagard reached in their second album. It is good to hear people using it as an integral instrument rather than a gratuitous retrospective nostalgia trigger. There are some very tasteful hand drums in "Harvest." The percussion overall is good and, at times, quite poignant. There are some satisfyingly interesting odd beats added in appropriate places. A nice pastoral falling figure opens "Book of Hours" which later contains a guitar line almost verbatim from Crimson's "Fallen Angel" but is otherwise a nicely constructed song with slightly overdone mellotron support. "This Far From the Sky" opens abruptly with guitar culled from _Exposure_ and a rolling bass line decorated with nice frills. The percussion here is a little too monotone. The second subject arrives with a tritone laden guitar part that sounds tantalisingly like Doctor Nerve. The mellotron has been produced to sound extremely ancient on this track and thus recalls _Lizard_ considerably. A slightly weak ending that sounds as if nothing else could be thought of except a rather clichd fade and restatement close. Quite experimental in places and with much more texture overall, this moves Anekdoten the closest they have come to Anglagard's masterful _Epilog_. "In Freedom" has a nice melody delivered in male/female harmony. The cello is largely homeopathic. The mellotron production is noticeably hiss-laden towards the end. In all honesty, I cannot say that Anekdoten receive much credit for originality as their debts are obviously still overwhelming. However, this is not relevant to an assessment of musical worth, merely the partitioning of credit between possible areas. I would not laud the members overmuch for their creativity but the music is fine and highly recommended.

Martin Hudson, Wondrous Stories (Points: 5 out of 6) After hearing this new album once, I thought Malcolm Parker was losing his marbles describing it as "the best album I have heard in years", but never take anything simply on face value. To delve further into this album of eight tracks prove to be quite an adventure. It is not conventional prog, but progressive is a word that must surely apply to Anekdoten as they meander through a world of heavy riffs to then drift on to make psychedelic pretty patterns. I felt as if I had heard Nirvana, the Ozric_s, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree and Japan all on the one album after several plays. The best album for years may be going over the top a little but for the heavier minded prog fan or a rock fan who enjoys music with balls, Anekdoten have it. Even a mellotron and a cello! This is Swedish rock that will continue to enhance the countries reputation in music. It will simply appeal to young and old rock fans but play it more than once kid! Think I_ll have another listen to the first album "Vemod" now.

Sean Worrall, Organ As near perfection as its possible to get... dirty filthy distorted clavinets... disgustingly beautiful raunch... they've done the almost impossible and left their vital debut album Vermod [sic] light years behind. This really is unique, and you can't say that about many albums. It can be compared to King Crimson and Van Der Graaf Generator at the very best but it's even more dirty and analogue and downright grungy - a melancholic Primus with wailing mellotrons.. it's so distorted and in your face, it sounds like Iron Butterfly at the most excessively distorted... rich.. ferocious in a youthful Fripp way. The drama of the vocals are right up there with Peter Hammill and VDGG. There are the 70's influences but they're about sound texture, the writing is very much to the point... there's as much Tindersticks as King Crimson in here... some of it's wonderfully subtle, and it's a lot more genuine, somehow, than Tindersticks could ever hope to be...Very, very highly recommended

Rob Walker, Expose Anekdoten's eagerly anticipated sophomore effort proves to be a masterful development and refinement of their heavy and driving progressive sound. While Nucleus certainly adheres to the essence of the band's musical character as defined on Vemod, Anekdoten have, much to their credit, distanced themselves somewhat from the more overt King Crimson stylings found on their first album. The writing has matured as well, with excellent use of dynamics and contrast, and a plethora of solid musical ideas carrying each of the songs along. The heavy riffs and melodies that serve as the foundation for many of the tunes find an even more effective home among the various keyboard and guitar countermelodies which give Nucleus an element of musical intricacy much less prominent on Vemod. The stark and poignant melodic sensibility displayed by some of the quieter sections may remind one of Landberk at times; the musical understatement working because of the busy and aggressive sections framing it. Though still drawing at times on the '70s Crimson sound, Anekdoten have injected a larger dose of originality and creativity into the recipe on Nucleus; but one of many exciting and promising signs for their future. All in all this is an extremely powerful and well conceived album. Nucleus should live up to any and all expectations fans had placed on it.

Darren Bergstein, i/e Anekdoten's second album doesn't downplay the fire and brimstone that so imbued its predecessor, but the fragmentation down to more traditional song structures is quite a diversionary sea-change. Aside from the lengthier "Book of Hours", which recalls edgier symphonic rock moves more than hoary Crimson chestnuts, the band feels inclined to make their presence known in fits and starts instead of epics. Boiled down, the album possesses a tighter version of the galvanizing power vented to chaotic extremes on Vemod. Tranquillity rears its denuded head as well, as on "Here", where some measure of grace works it way through the labyrinthine stretches of mellotron and seared guitar fuzz. Nucleus is a scorching, dynamic work, but by adopting subtler aspirations, Anekdoten's broadened the 'prog' horizon for wider explorations.



Anekdoten - Nucleus

Released: 1995
Label: self-released
Cat. No.: Virta 002
Total Time: 47:18


Review courtesy John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, July 2000
To be on the safe side one can always place this album next to King Crimson's Red yet this album will not only please lovers of avant-garde but songs like "Nucleus," "Rubankh," "Harvest" and "This Far From The Sky" will certainly score with fans of grunge as well. Like Happy Family, Anekdoten knows how to create a surprisingly aggressive sound. From a fierce sound Anekdoten suddenly switches towards modest parts as in "Here" where next to a wall of mellotron sound real violin and real cello bring the calm back bit by bit. If you see what an important role a band like King Crimson has played over the years then you certainly have to take a note of Anekdoten.

[Read also Stephanie Sollow's review -ed]

More about Nucleus:


Track Listing: Nucleus (5:08) / Harvest (6:58) / Book of Hours (9:58) / Raft (0:58) / Rubankh (3:07) / Here (7:23) / This Far From The Sky (8:47) / In Freedom (6:27)

Musicians:
Peter Nordins - percussion
Jan Erik Liljestrom - bass and vocals
Nicklas Berg - guitar, Rhodes, clavinet, pumporgan, mellotron, and vocals
Anna Sofi Dahlberg - cello, mellotron, and voice
Helena Killander - violin
Tommy Anderson - Rhodes (2)

Contact:


Website: www.anekdoten.se
Note: will open new browser window

Email: anekdoten@anekdoten.se

Discography

Vemod (1991)
Nucleus (1995)
Official Bootleg: Live in Japan (1998)
From Within (1999)





Anekdoten - Nucleus

Released: 1995
Label: self-released
Cat. No.: Virta 002
Total Time: 47:18


Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, October 1999
With a new release imminent, I thought it to be a good time to catch up on Anekdoten's past, beginning with 1995's Nucleus. While I've had their first album Vemod since its initial release, I only recently picked up Nucleus. Having not played Vemod in a while, my memory of their sound was hazy, thinking of them more in line with their brethren Landberk.

Nevertheless, I was surprised, pleasantly, in listening to Nucleus for the first time. More aptly categorized as Swedish progressive metal perhaps, the album starts out deceptively sparse and decidedly angular, with a few notes of tinkling piano and discordant draws across Helena Killander's violin (or is Dahlberg's cello?). But shortly, heavy bass and guitars come to the fore, grinding authoritatively. There are hints of King Crimson in the sound, heavier, though, than I think of as Crimsonian.

The vocals on the title track are high and operatic during the verses, harsher for the choruses - and sounding better during those choruses. But, for the most of the album, they are understated.

Despite the metal tendencies in the sound, there are also early-Genesis-like devices, if Genesis were a bit crunchier. And, in what I think is almost a standard in Swedish prog, there are those moody moments, like Landberk. It's a diverse album, full of shifting textures and colors.

The long instrumental part to "Book of Hours" is at first low key, shimmering just below the surface, but slowly builds, only to taper off when the vocals begin - on the one hand gentle, on the other mournful.

While this might put some off, if one were to take a bit of grunge, a bit of metal, and a bit of avant-prog, you'd come close to describing Anekdoten. In some ways, in a lot of ways, this has the rawness that Marillion (for example) should have had on Brave - to be true to the subject matter (as great as I think Brave is, a less clean sound would have increased the impact). Nonetheless, if you're looking for smooth prog you're not going to find it here.

This isn't a beautiful album; it's gritty, dirty, harsh and used. But, it does have it's moments of beauty - Killander's violin being but one of them. Despite its dichotomy of moody atmospherics and driving, angular rock, the album grows on you. It is another album that doesn't reveal itself all in one listening.

[From Within was released Nov '99, see also John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg's review of Nucleus -ed.]

More about Nucleus:


Track Listing: Nucleus (5:08) / Harvest (6:58) / Book of Hours (9:58) / Raft (0:58) / Rubankh (3:07) / Here (7:23) / This Far From The Sky (8:47) / In Freedom (6:27)

Musicians:
Peter Nordins - percussion
Jan Erik Liljestrom - bass and vocals
Nicklas Berg - guitar, Rhodes, clavinet, pumporgan, mellotron, and vocals
Anna Sofi Dahlberg - cello, mellotron, and voice
Helena Killander - violin
Tommy Anderson - Rhodes (2)

Contact:


Website: www.anekdoten.se
Note: will open new browser window

Email: anekdoten@anekdoten.se

Discography

Vemod (1991)
Nucleus (1995)
Official Bootleg: Live in Japan (1998)
From Within (1999)