The 1980 Listening Post - Bridges - Fakkeltog

 Reviewed by Jim Coursey

Released: 1980 Bridges Fakkeltog Genre: Canterbury-Upon-Oslofjord Rating: 3 out of 5 Highlights: May the Last Dance Be Mine The Melancholic Chevaliers September Scared, Bewildered, Wild Before they joined up with Morten Harket to form A-ha, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen founded a prog rock band called Bridges. And I do mean prog. There is nothing on their debut album “Fakkeltog” that would suggest their future as a US-chart topping 80s Norwegian synth pop outfit. Rather, this album would have fit in well in 1970 in the heyday of the Canterbury scene. Prog is often too wanky or too precise for my taste, but Bridges manages to avoid either failing. High on concept and low on polish, “Fakkeltog” has a pleasantly slapdash quality, sounding almost demo-like, even though the musicianship and songwriting are clearly there. They remind me a bit of early Caravan if they were fronted by a slightly vampiric Jim Morrison (that’s A-ha’s Paul singing). Album sides are divided as “The Coming of Day” and “The Coming of Night”, and whatever the underlying concept, the songs all ebb and flow and wind their way from section to section. The result is always interesting if rarely transcendent. If this style of music is your jam, “Fakkeltog” is well worth a listen. The mood is a bit heavy, thanks to the vocals, and the band doesn’t feel quite there yet, thanks to the overly eager drumming, but the result is lively and varied. That said, the best starting point for Bridges is their never released 1981 record “Våkenatt.” The songs are better, the singing more refined, and the band really gels. What’s more, the recording is greatly benefited by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy’s spacious 2018 mix. Best of all, their sound has taken more influence from the post-punk and goth, while still retaining the prog roots. If “Fakkeltog” felt a bit too 1970, “Våkenatt” sounds completely sui generis and transcends its era. It’s up on streamers too, making it far more accessible in more ways than one. A true Listening Post Discovery had it not been shelved for decades, it’s a wonder they sat on it. While it wouldn’t have garnered them fame, it certainly would have earned them respect.