Bjorn Riis
Lullabies in a Car Crash
Karisma Records
2014
Airbag is one of the new bands which have managed to build up their reputation and gain the audience’s appreciation little by little. “The Greatest Show on Earth” was their most mature and complete work to date. After that, the band’s guitarist and songwriter Bjorn Riis decided to release his first solo album. Moreover, his band mates Henrik Fossum (drums) and Asle Tostrup (vocals, guitar) have contributed to this release.
When a member of a band goes for a solo album the logical step is not to play the same music that they play with their band. What’s the point after all? Even to this day I still cannot understand why a musician would release a solo album which could have easily been his main band’s new album! That’s exactly the case here. Bjorn is a vastly Gilmour disciple. He has managed to “assimilate” Gilmour’s guitar and songwriting style, but there’s nothing wrong in that. The “wrong thing” starts becoming evident when the influence tends to be a replica. Airbag are also very much influenced by Pink Floyd, but they have also added some of their own musical personality to their tracks. Unluckily, “Lullabies in a Car Crash” is a wannabe Gilmour, Pink Floyd album. It’s very much reminiscent of Gilmour’s style in every part.
In truth to be told, this album is very well-arranged and well-made. It does miss personality and originality very much at times though; if you happen upon music parts here and there you may think it’s a Floyd track or something like that. That may be a compliment for Bjorn but it’s a drawback as well.
When a member of a band goes for a solo album the logical step is not to play the same music that they play with their band. What’s the point after all? Even to this day I still cannot understand why a musician would release a solo album which could have easily been his main band’s new album! That’s exactly the case here. Bjorn is a vastly Gilmour disciple. He has managed to “assimilate” Gilmour’s guitar and songwriting style, but there’s nothing wrong in that. The “wrong thing” starts becoming evident when the influence tends to be a replica. Airbag are also very much influenced by Pink Floyd, but they have also added some of their own musical personality to their tracks. Unluckily, “Lullabies in a Car Crash” is a wannabe Gilmour, Pink Floyd album. It’s very much reminiscent of Gilmour’s style in every part.
In truth to be told, this album is very well-arranged and well-made. It does miss personality and originality very much at times though; if you happen upon music parts here and there you may think it’s a Floyd track or something like that. That may be a compliment for Bjorn but it’s a drawback as well.