Detailed Reviews [Laughing Stock - 2019 - "Sunrise"]

Prolusion. Norwegian band LAUGHING STOCK consists of members that have worked with each other on and off in various constellations since the 1980's, but it wasn't until 2016 that the three members decided to join forces and make their very own band. They self-released their debut album "The Island" in 2018. Since then the band have hooked up with Norwegian label Apollon Records who released their second album "Sunrise" in the fall of 2019 on their Apollon Records Prog imprint.

Analysis. Laughing Stock describes themselves as neo-progressive rock, and while I can understand why they feel that way - alongside ther website Progarchives. For my sake I'd rather place this band inside of an art pop context I guess, due to the very accessible nature of their material and not all that many ties back to symphonic progressive rock in the keyboard arrangements. But this, like so much else in life, will be a matter of personal opinion. The one aspect of this band that struck me fairly soon is that these guys are another example of a band that can be compared with the more accessible aspects of later day Pink Floyd. The compositions tends to orient towards or step deep inside a gentle, dark melancholic landscape, with careful guitar and keyboard motifs leading the way. The acoustic guitar and a clean electric guitar are the driving instruments of choice, paired up with the piano, keyboards and what I'd guess is a digital version of the Mellotron, and if I'm not mistaken the organ makes an appearance as well. The lead vocals are mainly careful, with both darker and lighter parts of the register used, and we do indeed get vocal harmonies as well. These ingredients are used in compositions mainly gentle and careful in nature, the melancholy of a late summer evening the main type of mood and atmosphere throughout. Laughing Stock does add a few addition touches to the proceedings too. Some of the songs gets an ever so slight tip of the hat in the direction of folk music, especially the ones where the flute is in action of course, and more exotic world music details are used to good effect in a song as well. And while perhaps accidental, some nice details of the kind I'd describe as post-rock overlays were used to good effect here and there too. As far as other aspects are concerned, the cello makes an appearance, or possibly an emulated version of the instrument, as well as what sounds very much like a banjo. In addition, the darker, gnarlier and beefier guitars used on the song 'Darkest Hour' merits a mention as a welcome broadening of their sonic palette too. While not too many of the songs here gave me a grand impression the best songs here are worthwhile creations, while the rest of the album is more of the kind I'd describe as pleasantly compelling as far as my own taste in music is concerned.

Conclusion. While I'm unfamiliar with this band's first album, this second full length production of their is one that I suspect those who are fond of accessible, mainly gentle and melancholic progressive rock should find it intriguing to investigate. Fans of the most accessible parts of later day Pink Floyd strikes me as something of a core audience, but also those favoring the material of fellow Norwegian artist Bjorn Riis may well find "Sunrise" to be a production that merits a check at some point.

Progmessor: May 2020
The Rating Room