Buaas, Anders: Tarot

This slab of accessible and invigorating instrumental progressive rock features 22 musical pieces that sonically describe the 22 Major Arcana Tarot cards -- as interpreted by Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Anders Buaas. I know nothing about tarot cards but still reveled in Buaas’s mastery of both melody and instruments as diverse as mandolin and theremin, banjo and glockenspiel. No two tracks sound the same, yet these 22 songs play like a 77-minute suite. And that’s how this record should be played: In order. (And in awe.)

Songs range in length from 1:19 (“Temperance,� a lush acoustic guitar interlude) to 7:35 for “The Hierophant� -- which begins as one of the album’s more introspective pieces anchored by acoustic guitar and keyboards, then turns into a laid-back hoedown and segues into a finale that echoes a Neal Morse epic.

Although Buaas previously was a touring guitarist for Paul DiAnno (ex-Iron Maiden) and Tim “Ripper� Owens (ex-Judas Priest and ex-Iced Earth), none of the songs here hedge into metal territory. They don’t need to, because they’re already damn near perfect.

Track Listing:
1. The Fool
2. The Magician
3. The High Priestess
4. The Empress
5. The Emperor
6. The Hierophant
7. The Lovers
8. The Chariot
9. Strength
10. The Hermit
11. Fortune
12. Justice
13. The Hanged Man
14. Death
15. Temperance
16. The Devil
17. The Tower
18. The Star
19. The Moon
20. The Sun
21. Judgement
22. The World

Added: January 6th 2022
Reviewer: Michael Popke
Score:
Related Link: Anders Buaas on Bandcamp
Hits: 1320
Language: english

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