The Flower Kings, Chapter 5: Space Revolver

5) Space Revolver (2000)

Now, I'm at the peak, never forget what I tell you...

This is the one. My gateway drug into The Flower Kings, my gateway drug into progressive rock as a whole and therefore a difficult album for me to look at objectively. When I was fifteen, it had a profound impact on me and I've never been quite the same since. Here's my account of that story. Now, I am intimately familiar with every note on this album. I think Space Revolver is really good, but then, of course I would think that, right?

The Flower Kings: Scanning the Greenhouse & Alive on Planet Earth

Scanning the Greenhouse (1998) & Alive on Planet Earth (2000)

Two albums this week! I want to talk about the live album, but we haven't discussed the compilation album yet. I'll do that one real quick.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 4: Flower Power

4) Flower Power (1999)

I'll conduct a circus out of nowhere, I'll create a kingdom out of dust...

1998 marked the first year since the formation of the band that The Flower Kings didn't release any new material, but it was anything but a lost year for the band. The success of Stardust We Are opened some new international doors for the band, and 1998 saw the band – minus Tomas Bodin, who fell ill – embark on their first American tour (we'll talk more about that next time). Roine Stolt also released a solo album that year, the instrumental and very TFK-esque Hydrophonia. Amidst all this excitement, the band worked on a worthy successor for Stardust, and if you think they'd go small for this one, you haven't been paying attention.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 3: Stardust We Are

3) Stardust We Are (1997)

!siht gid annog uoy wonk I

Stardust We Are. The Flower Kings' third album (fourth if you count The Flower King, which I do). This is the one where The Flower Kings shoot for the stars. The first double album under The Flower King's banner – not the last. Home of some of the band's truly legendary tracks, and consistently voted one of their best albums, if not the best. So – do I agree?

The Flower Kings, Chapter 2: Retropolis

2) Retropolis (1996)

...And after all, it's so good to be alive!

It's 1996 and The Flower Kings are beginning to get into their comfort zone. Since The Flower King, Roine has made one album each year in that vein, and this is going to continue for some time. The result will be a mighty streak of albums, all in more or less the same style. Newcomers may find it daunting, naysayers might say that all of them are interchangable. There's a point there, somewhere. From day one, The Flower Kings found a style and stuck with it. If you dislike one TFK album, it's unlikely that another will change your mind.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 1: Back In The World Of Adventures

1) Back In The World Of Adventures (1995)

Prepare to fly!

Back In The World Of Adventures is considered to be the first album by The Flower Kings, which is technically true, but in many ways, this album feels like the second part of a duology with The Flower King. That's why we're “back”. The crowned figure from the cover art returns, underlining the continuity between the two. Also, Back feels much more like a “second effort” after the unexpected succes of the true debut.