2025 Number 4: Jonas Lindberg

Gemma's Top Ten Albums of 2025

Number 4: Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side -  Time Frames

Neal Morse hasn’t been on my year-end list for ages. Last year, he made an album with young men, this year he made an album with old men, next year he’ll make an album with his regular band and it all goes in one ear, out the other. 

I’m much more interested in the impact he’s having now that a generation of musicians influenced by him are coming of age. Jonas Lindberg is one, tomorrow’s featured artist is another. Jonas Lindberg, just like Monika Roscher, started his band as a school project, and has gone from strength to strength since.

Everything that’s good about Neal Morse is what’s good about Jonas Lindberg. It’s catchy, it’s enthousiastic and energetic, it rocks and grooves and there’s no shortatge of instrumenal freakouts and great, spacy keyboard solos. As a musician, I notice that this guy sure loves his lydian mode… just like Neal. It all sounds very open and inviting, it’s instantly enjoyable but rewards repeat listens. And, of course, you have to have that big old epic at the end.

Is it the most original thing ever? I don’t need every single album I listen to to be on the bleeding edge of avant garde, man. I’m just glad stuff like this is still being made by people other than the old guard. This is the kind of music I fell in love with as a teenager, and now I’m falling in love with it again. Lindberg brings his own youthful energy to the table, an effortless fluency that makes it all sound easy. He’s got the right voice, too. The well of Swedish prog talent still has far from run dry.