The Flower Kings "Waiting For Miracles" - new double album - 8 November 2019

[SRS]

The Flower Kings announce studio double-album ‘Waiting For Miracles’

Progressive rock legends THE FLOWER KINGS are pleased to announce the release of their brand new studio double-album ‘Waiting For Miracles’ on the 8th November 2019. The album is comprised of 15 new tracks, recorded over the summer at RMV studio in Stockholm, Sweden – a vintage studio space owned by ABBA star Benny Andersson.

Band leader Roine Stolt comments: “We have gone back to the joyful and playful style that made the band famous in the late 90’s. So here ‘more’ is always ‘more’! At time the lyrics have a bit of a serious concern about the state of our world, but overall the theme is full of joy and colour.”
The band, currently comprised of Roine Stolt, Jonas Reingold, Hasse Fröberg, Zach Kamins & Mirko DeMaio (the most recent live line-up), have crafted an adventurous collection of pure prog-rock. Expect boat-loads of vintage keyboards, odd time signatures and long guitar solos – with elements of pop, symphonic and cinematic music.

The album will be released as a 2CD, Gatefold 2LP + 2CD & as digital album, featuring beautiful artwork by American artist Kevin Sloan. Find the full track-listing below:
Disc 1:
• House Of Cards
• Black Flag
• Miracles For America
• Vertigo
• The Bridge
• Ascending To The Stars
• Wicked Old Symphony
• The Rebel Circus
• Sleep With The Enemy
• The Crowning Of Greed
•
Disc 2:
• House Of Cards Reprise
• Spirals
• Steampunk
• We Were Always Here
• Busking At Brobank

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[SRS]

The Flower Kings also recently announced they would be heading out on tour this December with label-mates KAYAK. Roine Stolt: "We're happy to go on tour in Europe again in December - We will present The Flower Kings music from the early days - concert favourites - plus some brand new music - that is along the lines of the early music of the band - symphonic rock. We're happy to bring our friends in KAYAK along for this proggy double bill - it will be a monumental meltdown of melodic prog - not to be missed."

The two bands will perform 12 dates across 6 countries, and you find the full list of shows below, tickets on sale now:

1st December – Bahnhof St. Pauli, Hamburg, Germany
2nd December – Musikzentrum, Hannover, Germany
3rd December – OK Andaluzia, Piekary Slaskie, Poland
4th December – Klub U Bazyla, Poznan, Poland
6th December – Burgerweeshuis, Deventer, Netherlands
7th December – De Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands
8th December – Scala, London, UK
9th December – Piano, Dortmund, Germany
10th December – Columbia Theater, Berlin, Germany
11th December – Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark
12th December – Brewhouse, Gothenburg, Sweden
14th December – Kraken, Stockholm, Sweden

The Flower Kings started as an outlet for guitarist/singer/composer Roine Stolt in 1994 – a time when prog-rock wasn’t mere history, nor a dirty word. The band quickly gained momentum and was one of a handful of bands helping to revive the progressive rock scene worldwide. Roine has since collaborated with a host of legendary musicians across various projects, including his acclaimed 2015 album with Yes-legend Jon Anderson, progressive-rock supergroup Transatlantic alongside Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy & Pete Trewavas, and a year as bass player with Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett. The Flower Kings however, has always felt like home for Roine and the other band veterans Jonas Reingold & Hasse Fröberg.

TFK former bassplayer,singer - Michael Stolt guest on 4 songs - and there is also real strings on one track by Paul Cartwright; Violin & John “Zach” Dellinger; Viola.

[SRS]

oh - infandous already posted in the other TFK thread. Sorry - but maybe new album require new thread!

Super excited about this and very very interested to see what Zach brings to the Flower Kings sound.

[dgtlman]

So no more Tomas Bodin? Hate to see that. He was such an integral part of this group throughout the years. Still, I'm glad to see new TFK material

[miamiscot]

Psyched!!!

[aith01]

So no more Tomas Bodin? Hate to see that. He was such an integral part of this group throughout the years. Still, I'm glad to see new TFK material

That does bum me out. But I'm still on board to hear how this iteration of TFK sounds.

[tonissive]

The cover with the elephant is very similar to the Isildurs Bane & Steve Hogarth - Colours Not Found In Nature album.

[infandous]

oh - infandous already posted in the other TFK thread. Sorry - but maybe new album require new thread!

Super excited about this and very very interested to see what Zach brings to the Flower Kings sound.

I don't think anyone really noticed that posting, so I think you are correct that this new album should have it's own thread

[aith01]

The cover with the elephant is very similar to the Isildurs Bane & Steve Hogarth - Colours Not Found In Nature album.

How do you figure that?

[LeFrog]

So no more Tomas Bodin? Hate to see that. He was such an integral part of this group throughout the years. Still, I'm glad to see new TFK material

I have always considered, perhaps unfairly, that Bodin's choice of synth sounds was the main bringer of cheese to a significant portion of the Flower Kings' output. I for one am eager to hear how the band will sound without him.

[aith01]

I have always considered, perhaps unfairly, that Bodin's choice of synth sounds was the main bringer of cheese to a significant portion of the Flower Kings' output. I for one am eager to hear how the band will sound without him.

Some of those sounds might have been cheesy, but it always felt like they were knowingly cheesy.

It will definitely sound different without Tomas. Having seen TFK once, I got to talk with Tomas for several minutes after the show. Super nice guy, easy to talk to, but a monster keyboardist as well. I'm sure whoever they have on keys now will be up to the task, but I will miss Mr. Bodin's particular musical personality.

[bill g]

Well how about that!! A return to the joyful 90s sound? That works for me! Yeah too bad no Tomas, who had much of the writing in 'Garden of Dreams', but the Stardust We Are album and earlier albums are nearly all Roine in the writing dept, so I'm not worried, even though I'd miss Tomas' playing and writing. Hopefully they also return to more instrumental music too.

[aith01]

Well how about that!! A return to the joyful 90s sound? That works for me!

This has me hopeful as well.

Granted, I actually really liked Desolation Rose, but it had a definitely different sound for them.

[LeFrog]

Some of those sounds might have been cheesy, but it always felt like they were knowingly cheesy.

I don't really make a difference between knowingly and unknowingly cheesy. It's all cheesy to me

Granted, I actually really liked Desolation Rose, but it had a definitely different sound for them.

I like this one a lot as well, precisely because it has a lot less of Tomas's cheesy sounds (or very low in the mix behind the guitars), with more of the sounds I find cool like some gritty organ.

[Rajaz]

Thanks for posting the exciting news.

I can feel well served and happy having seen them live this year in February in Montreal Canada because this tour only covers Europe.
And having seen and heard how this FK unit plays together, I am certain the new double album will be excellent!

[infandous]

I never thought Tomas' keyboard sounds were cheesy. Not as much as Froberg's vocals, anyway

[bill g]

I never thought Tomas' keyboard sounds were cheesy. Not as much as Froberg's vocals, anyway

Agreed!

[Staun]

This has me hopeful as well.

Granted, I actually really liked Desolation Rose, but it had a definitely different sound for them.

To be honest, the last good FK album for me was Rainmaker. It was different for them but I liked that particular collection of songs. Every album that has followed has maybe a couple of tunes that appeal to me but not much else. And sounds, not withstanding, Bodin is a very good keyboardist. Hope he can get his ear problems at least controlled so he can return to the stage.

[chalkpie]

I never thought Tomas' keyboard sounds were cheesy. Not as much as Froberg's vocals, anyway

Yep. Tomas is always a classy player - great "orchestrator" (if you will) of this type of music. Froberg (vocals) was always the 'bringer of sharp cheddar' for me Roine's voice I do like a lot, very unique.

[bill g]

I think Hasse's voice works well in certain songs, such as when he sings in 'There Is More To This World' and 'Stardust We Are'.

[sergio]

I'd rather see them going darker ways, think Retropolis...

[miamiscot]

Roine has claimed that much of the keyboard parts on TFK's albums were, in fact, from Stolt's own hands.

Downplaying Bodin's influence/importance to the band's sound probably makes sense now that he's not in said band but not sure if that's true.

[miamiscot]

I never thought Tomas' keyboard sounds were cheesy. Not as much as Froberg's vocals, anyway

No!!! I love Hasse!!!

[aith01]

Yep. Tomas is always a classy player - great "orchestrator" (if you will) of this type of music. Froberg (vocals) was always the 'bringer of sharp cheddar' for me Roine's voice I do like a lot, very unique.

I tend to agree that this (Hasse's voice) was where the cheesiness largely came from, for me. Some of Tomas' keyboard sounds were wonky or bizarre, but quite clearly intentionally so for the purpose of serving the composition. And it never felt (to me) like he was taking himself too seriously, which is what a lot of "cheese" results from in prog-rock, IMO.

I do like Hasse -- but I really like Roine's singing the most.

I think Hasse's voice works well in certain songs, such as when he sings in 'There Is More To This World' and 'Stardust We Are'.

Yeah, I agree with you. Sometimes he's a great fit for particular songs.

[progmeister]

Most importantly is that Roine's solo album last year was wonderful. That portends well for the new FK album.