Waiting for Miracles is the first long-player by
the Flower Kings since 2013's
Desolation Rose. It marks a return from exile for
the Flower Kings after 2018's
Waiting for an Alchemist -- which was billed to
Roine Stolt's the Flower King. Here
Stolt,
Hasse Froeberg, and
Jonas Reingold are joined by new members keyboardist
Zach Kamins and drummer
Mirko DeMaio who are not, based on what is here, fully integrated into
TFK's aesthetic. This is a band offering that contains the complex mood, textural, and color changes, intricate melodies, atmospheres, and dynamics that are at the heart of
TFK's musical signature.
Waiting for Miracles clocks in at 85 minutes but showcases
TFK in a more economical mode compositionally. That's not to say the band are writing pop songs; their music remains challenging prog rock that recalls the sound and feel of the band's first five records. It's sonically bright compared to most of
TFK's 2010s output. After the lovely intro that is "House of Cards," complete with field-recorded gulls, waves, and thunder, a piano introduces an acoustic guitar on "Black Flag," a paean to the glories and perils of pirating. Electric guitars, kick drums, Mellotron, and classical piano frame
Stolt's lyrics; its staggered vocal harmonies hover above stinging lead and slide guitar work. "Miracles for America" is the set's longest track at ten minutes. Its lyrics walk a line between political commentary and clever irony. Sweeping Hammond, Mellotron, and analog synths swirl about the foreground as
Froeberg,
Stolt, and guest bassist
Michael Stolt engage in lush yet playful vocal harmonies worthy of
Yes and complex instrumental interplay. The song is built from a series of musical themes that don't recur, but serve to move the melody along. "Vertigo" is an anthem; its lyrics confront fear head on, while the chorus' melody deliberately channels
Pink Floyd's "Learning to Fly." "The Bridge" is a gorgeous ballad that finds
Stolt's protagonist hopelessly intoning that he's "waiting for miracles," though he doesn't expect them. As the song draws to its climax, his wonderfully moving guitar solo changes everything, and signifies that a miracle has been delivered.
Stolt's intuitive soloing is aimed at his accompaniment, not above it, displaying what a fine ensemble player he is. "Sleep with the Enemy" finds his verses dovetailing with
Froeberg's soaring harmony in the chorus. A menacing church organ builds intensity countered by fleet piano flourishes and spiky guitar fills. Disc two commences with a "House of Cards" reprise that bleeds into "Spirals," a tune that further explicates musical themes from "Miracles in America" alongside syncopated, funky asides and electronic effects. "Steampunk" fuses prog and jazz seamlessly with complex rhythms. "We Were Always Here" is offered with layers of rolling tom-toms in the foreground.
Reingold's brilliant bassline is a lead instrument as the spine of the expansive melody guides the band. It's a breathtaking climax; it should have closed the album instead of the throwaway "Busking at Brobank." That disappointment aside,
Waiting for Miracles marks a welcome return for
the Flower Kings. ~ Thom Jurek
