Record Reviews

SOFT FFOG ~ SOFT FFOG IS IT JAZZ? 230 (Barcode: 7090008312307) ~ NORWAY ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Norwegian quartet Soft FfogFind albums by this artist, comprising of guitarist Tom HasslanFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Vegard Lien BjerkanFind albums by this artist, bassist Trond FronesFind albums by this artist and drummer Axel SkalstadFind albums by this artist. The album presents four lengthy tracks, all composed by Hasslan, timing altogether just over half an hour – not really a full album but rather an EP. The album is the first release on the Is It Jazz?Find albums on this label Records, a division of KarismaFind albums on this label Records. The music is straightforward Hard Rock, based mostly on the guitar work of Hasslan, with steady rhythm section pulse and minimal keyboards background support, mostly inaudible when the guitar is playing but can heard when the keyboard player is soloing, supported by the rhythm section alone. I am the last person dealing with labeling music, but I suppose that the label’s name (question mark included), is a kind of irony, as this music has very little to do with Jazz, if anything at all, which of course is perfectly ok. However, the real problem is that the compositions are really pretty sketchy and the lengthy improvisations don’t really go anywhere. Following fifty plus years of electric guitar explorations, it is extremely difficult to be able to demonstrate anything innovative in that area, and this music certainly doesn’t even come close to it. But it is definitely loud enough. Overall, this is a pretty mundane Hard Rock album, with limited melody content and overlong guitar solos, that become hard to bear as the album progresses. Not my cup of tea, but perhaps some guitar freaks might find something here to like. Good luck!

Updated: 10/04/2022Posted: 10/04/2022

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