Coste Apetrea - "Trickster" Review

Artist/ Band: Coste Apetrea
Title: Trickster
Label: Lion Music
Year of Release: 2006
Artist/ Band Link (click for details/ ordering)

The Review:

So who is this Coste Apetrea? Well some may know him from being involved in the Swedish progressive rock band, Samla Mammas Manna. He also has released other recordings that varied between Zappaesque quirky prog, to acoustical jazz and further into fusion territories.

For those outside of the Progressive rock realm, he remains a mystery. Hopefully with his latest solo album Trickster, being released on Lion Music, that will all change. Lion Music also reissued one recording from the 70's that Coste was involved in, De Gladas Kapell. Personally I haven’t heard his music until now and I’m liking the diversity of his solo album Trickster. It borders on styles covered by Mahavishnu, Zappa along with more modern bands such as Liquid Tension Experiment & Planet X, to name a few. This makes it easier from old and new audiences to enjoy his musical output.

This CD has been a surprise for me and is by far one of the best non-metal albums to surface from Lion Music. It also is one of the best albums so far of 2006. Not to elevate his ego or anything but Coste brings back something to guitar playing that’s been missing. Coste does something that most guitarists don’t do, he has restraint which allows for the music to do the talking. I would recommend this to fans of heavier progressive rock and fusion as well as to those that want something different.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on April 18th, 2006

Tracks:

1. Rites Of Passage

2. Romana Lucia

3. Bagdad Boogie

4. Daily Deja Vu

5. Trickster

6. Conversation With Santiago

7. Bohumils Bolero