MEER – Wheels Within Wheels (Album Review)

Three years ago an album reached our ears by an unknown band from Norway made quite an impression. The band was Meer and their album “Playing House” became a favorite as word quickly spread. Boasting eight members including two lead vocalists, a viola, and a violin player, Meer’s arty prog-pop approach was familiar and stunningly original at the same time. Impressively, the new album “Wheels Within Wheels” proves that the band is still evolving as they deliver a collection of songs that maintains or exceeds the quality of “Playing House”.

While bringing to mind bands like The Dear Hunter, Bent Knee, and Leprous, Meer carves out a more earthy, acoustic identity, using their vocal and symphonic arrangements to create dynamic swells of intensity. They have an imaginative and sensitive mixer/producer in Lars Gärtner Fremmerlid, who makes the most of Meer’s brimming talent. As an example, the opener “Chain of Changes” plays like a strong pop single but the arrangement of opening spacious strings, piano, and lush orchestration makes it so much more interesting than anything on the radio today. Offering a bittersweet ode to the innocence of youth, the song makes the listener feel chained yet free at the same time. Oh, world of wonder – this theme will be revisited later in the album.

Knut Kippersund Nesdal takes the lead on the verses of “Behave” until sister Johanne-Margrethe Kippersund Nesdal joins during the chorus: “I’m banging my cage, you’re setting the stage, why don’t you behave. Am I sinful or saved, I’m lost either way, why don’t you behave.” It’s an effective, compact tune in the vein of “Beehive” from their previous album, right down to the wordplay of the title. Why can’t every band write multi-layered, engrossing yet immediate pop singles such as this? Apparently, because every band isn’t Meer. Knut continues with “Take Me To The River”, this album’s version of “Across The Ocean” and almost as anthemic. Wistfully wallowing in nostalgic memories of youth, this dreamy piece is one of many album highlights, amidst acrobatic guitar figures and orchestrated fervor… “Come back to, come back to me.”

Going from one strength to another, “Come To Light” casually enwraps the listener with its piano motif and Johanne’s relaxed vocals at the start, as the song’s lyrics build us up: “Pick your battles, choose to forgive, one step at a time look for beauty, there’s a road ahead, the stars align.” By the latter half, a sense of urgency picks up, and with it, the emotions of the ensemble’s vocals. When you have an 8-member band where everyone sings, the vocal results are impressive! “To What End” ensures that Johanne belting out “…do we bleed?” will be the line that stays with you at the album’s end. The original yet accessible arrangement of this piece makes for another of the album’s choicest moments. The pace of the album’s relentless quality starts to get overwhelming at this point.

Finally, we think we have an emotional breather with the ballad “Today, Tonight, Tomorrow.” Wrong. Knut’s centerpiece turns out to be the peak highlight of the entire album and an intense one at that. This beautifully orchestrated piece is a little hard to follow at first, the placement of the chorus being deceptive with its single-note repeated section of “Dream is all I ever do and all I ever dare.” But once the whole band kicks in the chills and goosebumps will be running down the listener’s arms. Without running out of air, Knut leaves the rest of us gasping as Eivind Strømstad launches into his best guitar solo of the album, surrounded by symphonic strings of glory. This is sonic art, truly remarkable in today’s world. A subsequent mostly-instrumental interlude (much much too short) “World of Wonder” gives us a moment to pause and collect ourselves again, though in truth this brief piece would have made for a better prelude to “Today, Tonight, Tomorrow” than at its end.

“Mother” is yet one more entrancing piece (can this album contain any more highlights?), sung together by the siblings with truly gorgeous melody lines. The orchestrated lines in the latter half are once again spine-tingling. Tell another story…

We’re ready for a final wallop of a closer to the album but instead of one, the band delivers two. “Something In The Water” again basks in Johanne’s deliciously edgy vocals, complimented by intricate backing vocal arrangements. It would be a powerful finale but no, they have one more 9-minute piece up their sleeves, the intense “This Is The End” which delivers the final masterstroke of “Wheels Within Wheels.” Once again, Johanne takes the lead and leaves no survivors with her swooning vocal delivery, obliterating all that has come before. Hope you enjoyed the calm before because a storm is coming and it now truly is the end.

Hats off to Åsa Ree on violin, Ingvild Nordstoga Sandvik on viola, and Ole Gjøstøl on piano and keys of all kinds whose orchestrations make Meer extra special. The rhythm section of Morten Strypet on bass and drummer Mats Fjeld Lillehaug offer just the right balance of support and dexterity for the band’s compositions to breathe and shine, while Strømstad’s guitar hits when it needs to but is careful not to overshadow the other instruments. This is a rare band that can weave together so many textures without overplaying on top of each other. That all songwriting is credited to Meer as a whole is telling.

Get your wheels moving as fast as possible to pick up a copy of this new masterwork when it is released in August. Until then, if you don’t have “Playing House” yet, well, then that’ll pass the time fittingly. Bands like Meer just don’t come along often enough.

Released By: Karisma Records
Release Date: August 23rd, 2024
Genre: Progressive Rock

Musicians:

• Johanne-Margrethe Kippersund Nesdal / Lead vocals and backing vocals
• Knut Kippersund Nesdal / Lead vocals, backing vocals and keyboards
• Eivind Strømstad / Electric and acoustic guitars, electric baritone guitar, additional keyboards, programming and backing vocals
• Åsa Ree / Violin and backing vocals
• Ingvild Nordstoga Sandvik / Viola and backing vocals
• Ole Gjøstøl / Acoustic grand piano, keyboards, programming, electric organ, church organ and backing vocals
• Morten Strypet / Electric bass and backing vocals
• Mats Fjeld Lillehaug / Drums, percussion and backing vocals

“Wheels Within Wheels” Track List:

1. Chains of Changes
2. Behave
3. Take Me To The River
4. Come To Light
5. Golden Circle
6. To What End
7. Today Tonight Tomorrow
8. World Of Wonder
9. Mother
10. Something In The Water
11. This Is The End

Order “Wheels Within Wheels” HERE or HERE.