Kaipa Angling Feelings CD

The first album by long-running Swedish prog-rockers Kaipa not to feature lead guitarist Roine Stolt (a major presence since the band's 2002 re-formation, who left in 2006 to concentrate on his own band the Flower Kings), Angling Feelings suffers little from the loss. Stolt's replacement, Per Nilsson, is perhaps less flashy, but his restrained solos are a nice complement to bandleader Hans Lundin's increased flights of keyboard fancy. Fine female singer Aleena Gibson, on the other hand, is sorely underused, her warm vocals a needed counterpoint to the competent but unfortunately faceless Patrik Lundström. Musically, the album tends to focus on concise, poppier material: only the 12-and-a-half minute epic "The Fleeting Existence of Time" and the delicate but noodly "Path of Humbleness" stretch out to old-school prog lengths. More typical is the shimmering, lovely "Liquid Holes in the Sky" and the straightforward, 10cc-reminiscent pop of "Pulsation," tuneful neo-prog for the Spock's Beard generation. ~ Stewart Mason

Kaipa: Aleena Gibson, Patrik Lundström (vocals); Hans Lundin (acoustic guitar); Per Nilsson (electric guitar); Jonas Reingold (electric bass); Morgan Ågren (drums).

Additional personnel: Fredrik Lindqvist (recorder).