Have Ever Heard Of Isolation Years?

Exactly one month to the day after 9/11, I got on a flight to Berlin to visit my former roommate, Kim who had returned to that city after a year of studying abroad in Toronto. On the itinerary along with visiting Kim and the half dozen of his Berlin friends who had come to visit him in Canada during his stay, was to attend Stickman Records' Festival in Hamburg.

The showcase concert featured six bands signed to the label, including The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, six months before the former Union Carbide Productions took North American music critics by storm. The headliner was Motorpsycho, who were touring Europe in support of their latest album, the brilliant Phanerothyme. Kim had introduced me to this long-time favourite European prog-rock band that have since become one of my favourites — that band I have inflicted on all of my friends when they drop by to socialize.

The opening band that night was an unknown new Swedish quintet that had never played outside of their home country. They were called Isolation Years and I had received from Stickman an advance of their debut album, Inland Traveller a couple of weeks before my trip. They were a bit nervous during their set, partially due to the fact that they had not played in front of so many people coupled with the fact that they were playing for their new label for the first time, as told to me by Stickman head, Rolf Gustavus, just before the band hit the stage.

Musically, Isolation Years were a cross between a northern folk-rock with obvious psychedelic intonations. On Inland Traveller, there were some interesting studio tricks escpecially on "Talking Backward Masking Blues" as well as some traditional instruments including the musical saw and the accordian along with some tasty use of brass instruments "New Start." The focal point is singer/guitarist Jakob Nyström, who is the main songwriter of the band. His voice is a wonderful mix of anguish and beauty, most notably on "Melting Minds." it's sweet and a touch off-kilter. But the true highlight of the band are their impeccable harmony and interweaving background vocals, on "I'm Gonna Flip" and "Light The Torch." It's a brilliant debut album and since the band has released three other great discs. 

Friends of my wife hearing the Isolation Years occasional song on her MP3 player in the car are always asking who was playing...they are that catchy. Have a listen to the performance on Swedish TV of their latest single from 2008's Sign Sign, "Landslide".