Wobbler | Artist
Wobbler is a Norwegian progressive rock band formed 1999 in Hønefoss by Lars Fredrik Frøislie (keyboards, Mellotron, vocals), Morten Andreas Eriksen (guitar, mandolin, tambourine, kazoo), Kristian Karl Hultgren (bass), Martin Nordrum Kneppen (drums, recorder), and Tony Johannessen (lead vocals). Andreas Wettergreen Strømman Prestmo (lead vocals, guitar, glockenspiel, percussion replaced Tony Johannssen in 2009, and Geir Marius Bergom Halleland (lead guitar, backing vocals) replaced Morten Andreas Eriksen in 2011. The group formed with a desire to recreate some of the musical expressions of the early 1970s, especially in the use of the instruments of that time and the compositions of the progressive rock scene from 1969-1974. Bands like PFM, King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Yes, Museo Rosenbach, and Emerson Lake & Palmer were highly influential on the group's sound. For their debut album Hinterland they did not use any digital technology such as MIDI, only pre-1975 vintage instruments were used, such as mellotron, Hammond organ, minimoog, Rhodes piano, clavinet, ARP, piano and harpsichord. The band's commercial breakthrough came with their fourth album From Silence to Somewhere, released in 2017, which met with overwhelming acclaim from critics and fans. The album was lauded by critics and still holds high rankings on many leading charts and music websites. The band's fifth and most recent album, Dwellers of the Deep, was released on October 23, 2020, and quickly jumped to the top of the Prog Archives 2020 albums chart within two days of its release. Wobbler's core sound is driven by Lars Fredrik Frøislie's superb keyboard work, giving drive, energy and complexity to the musical mix. It is unsurprising that the references to other keyboard-heavy prog giants such as ELP and Yes, come so strongly to the fore. Frøislie also has released the excellent solo album Fire fortellinger (2023) which also highlights his keyboard artistry. In terms of their recordings, all five albums to-date are highly recommended: Hinterland (2005), Afterglow (2009), Rites at Dawn (2011), From Silence to Somewhere (2017) and Dwellers of the Deep (2020). Also recommended is their very first release from 2003, the EP Imperial Winter White Dwarf / Leprechaun Behind the Door. Throughout its history Wobbler has always been a band that managed the fine musical balance between nostalgia and something more creative and innovational.
Artist Website: wobblerofficial.com
Featured Albums: Wobbler
Related Artists: Lars Fredrik Frøislie, Tusmørke
