Pin Up Guru

Pin Up Guru Artist: Tomas Bodin
Label: Inside Out U.S.
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 693723653822
EAN: 0693723653822
ASIN: B00006LJ9U


Release Date: 2004-09-09

Pin Up Guru


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive Rock Progressive Rock
Categories | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
Progressive Progressive
Categories | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. Sodium Regale
  2. What's Going On
  3. Me And Liz
  4. Harlem Heat
  5. My Beautiful Neighbor
  6. New In The 'Hood
  7. Blood
  8. The Ballerina Is Not Getting Closer
  9. The Last Eagle
  10. The Final Swig

Similar Items:

  1. Sonic Boulevard
  2. Paradox Hotel
  3. I Am
  4. Second Life Syndrome
  5. Instant Delivery: The Flower Kings In Concert

Album Description

Pinup Guru is his first solo album and with it he enhances the current prog-rock scene by one very interesting and individual opus. The ten instrumental compositions on the album take the listener on an exciting journey through the long tradition of those rock albums which took their enduring strength from organ and keyboards. Digipak. Inside Out Music. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Recalls Prog's Glory Days.......2006-08-15

Stately, majestic, soaring, adventurous, bold, and dreamy. These descriptions can all be applied to Tomas Bodin's Pin Up Guru.
I have always liked keyboard-based bands ever since I became musically aware. In my youth, piano and organ based Procol Harum was a big favorite and remains so today. Then there were the big prog bands like Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Alan Parsons, and others that made a lasting musical impression on me. But I'd unfortunately never heard of Bodin until I became a fan of the Flower Kings.
I'm generally wary of solo projects by those who are normally "faceless" members of a band. But I was so impressed by Bodin's work with the Flower Kings that I took a gamble and bought the three CDs that were available at a favorite Encinitas music store. Though I like all three, it is Pin Up Guru that really stands out as a CD that instantly recalls the glory days of progressive rock. Sometimes almost churchy or classically-tinged like the best of Procol Harum's Matthew Fisher, sometimes jazzy, sometimes soulful and often with an exotic touch, Pin Up Guru is always interesting. And this is no nostalgic rehash of the 70s. With this CD, Bodin is taking progressive rock to a new level.
My favorites here are Sodium Regale, What's Going On, Harlem Heat, New In The 'Hood, Blood, The Ballerina Is Not Getting Closer, The Last Eagle, and The Final Swig. That's not to say the songs omitted are bad, they aren't, but the ones listed inspire me the most.
I'd give this 4 and 1/2 stars were it possible to do so since I like it much better than Sonic Boulevard which I perhaps too generously rated as four stars when it should actually be at 3 and 1/2 stars.
If you are a progressive rock fan with a soft spot for great keyboard work, then you should definitely become acquainted with the groundbreaking sound of Tomas Bodin starting with this CD.

5 out of 5 stars #1 on my list!!!.......2004-10-18

OK! This is possibly the best solo effort by a keyboardist that I have ever heard. His selection of additional musicians are perfect in my opinion. The recording itself is crisp and clear and an engineering marvel. This CD is filled with wonderful textures and some of the most amazing sounds, and Tomas makes it work. From beginning to end this recording is great. Towards the end of the CD Tomas really picks up the pace, and shows amazing talent as it gets faster and faster, but staying completely tight. This CD gets the most play in my home, which is saying something considering my prog collection. I am also a keyboardist with a good collection of synths, and Tomas has expanded my own capabilities for programming and oscillator set-up. I now have 2 of his solo efforts and enjoy both. I will continue to get the rest of his work. Thank you Tomas.

4 out of 5 stars Terrific second effort........2003-02-10

Tomas Bodin's Pinup Guru is a terrific follow up to the equally outstanding Ordinary Night... Unlike his first recording this is a trio recording with Jonas Reingold on bass and Zoltan Csorsz on drums. These three Flower Kings bandmates play brilliantly together. As with the FK's recent release, Unfold the Future, there are jazzy flavorings throughout but it is still clearly a prog effort. The interplay between these three musicians is just incredible. Bodin's compositional skills are clever, creative and imaginative. This is an instrumental recording with nothing but keyboards, bass and drums to hold one's interest. It does so admirably. Tomas Bodin is well in the ranks of Wakeman, Emerson and Banks. His ability to explore new sounds and directions is reminiscent of his forebearers but he is certainly a unique keyboardist within his own right. I look forward to what is to come in the future. This one is well worth purchasing...Simon

4 out of 5 stars A must for Progressive Rock fans.......2002-12-06

Rick Wakeman, Tony Banks and Keith Emerson should be paying attention to the kind of music that Tomas Bodin is producing and performing, not just as a member of The Flower Kings but, specially, as a trio with Zoltan Csorz (drums) and Jonas Reingold (bass). This is a great instrumental cd. "Me and Liz",alone,is worth the price of this cd. Th interplay between these three guys is awesome. Great keyboard, bass and drums performance. I have not hear his previous effort, "An ordinary night", but after hearing "Pinup Guru",I will be getting it as soon as I finish to write this review. This is the kind of music that the formentioned "gurus" of keyboards should be doing today. The music is original, with a lot of variations, changing of rythms and good melodies (something that is missing in many progressive groups). To all keyboard oriented fans this is a record you must have. Hihgly recommend !

5 out of 5 stars

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