VARIOUS REVIEWS ALBUM NO.1 - MOTIONS OF DESIRE 2005

Progbeauty.com - July 2007
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.....Some call this one of the best 25 prog albums of all time, and on early listen, I'd have to agree. (5/5)

France - Metalchroniques September 2006
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............Large size. This Norwegian group of prog hardware has really mush to like: an impeccable technique, song with rhythmic, compos full with ideas and strong melodies, punch, energy, and the potato shape which makes it possible to avoid the enchylose 70' S...
Complete review (French)

 

USA - Music Street Journal  August 2006
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............They are purveyors of the latest trends in progressive music. Their album offers everything you'd expect to find on display from all the modern day greats plus various jam band antics and amenities. They are true anthropologists to this genre. To miss this release would be low down dirty shame.
Complete review (English)

 

Norway - RockOfNorway August 2006
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............One of the most worthwhile purchases I've come across in a long time, I can wholeheartedly recommend "Motions of Desire" - the same goes with regards to seeing this band live in concert! 9/10
Complete review (English)

 

USA - ProgressiveWorld April 2006
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............Well, I can well understand why there's a buzz about this band; the magic is in the music they create - a mix of great vocals, performance, mix of styles and execution of those styles. In fact, they create a musically exciting mix that makes you just want dive in and enjoy. Eat up. 5/5
Complete review (English)

 

Mexico - Manticornio Rock Progresivo January 2006
(CD - Motions of Desire)
..............it's like ELP and YES had begun playing in 2005....an album infected by most selections of progressive and classic metal of the decade of the ' 70, interpreted with masters and present power. A magnificent debut and Manticornios candidate for best CD 2005.
Complete review (Spanish)
(Norwegian translation)

 

Denmark - Progplanet December 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............looking for a new top prog-guitarist? He’s here in the flesh: Kim Stenberg. He can, with no problem at all, play the… of any guitarist today, in prog. Absolutely awesome  “vintage” modern prog-rock.... .....an album filled with extra-ordinaire tracks.....an album, that could easy make it to be one of 2005 best records...
Complete review (English)

 

Norway - Ectagon December 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............a very successful interpretation of the classic progressive heritage, with heavy organs and modern guitardriven rock-feel. A definitive "must have" (5/5)
Complete review (English)

 

Netherlands - Aor Dream Zones  November 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............I'd go as far as to say this is one of the prog rock highlights of 2005, and when you think of the great albums released in that genre this year you may begin to be curious as to just how good Magic Pie are. (90/100)
Complete review (English)

 

Netherlands - Progwalhalla  November 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
the sound of Magic Pie is firm and go smoothly with powerful song.....strong teamwork of organ with fat gitar-riffs....the fans of what firmer prog (Dream theatre, Kansas, Deep Purple) but also which of Spock's Beard will appreciate this CD. FIRST CLASS! (4/5)
Complete review (Dutch)


 

Norway - HeavyMetal.no  November 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............The cream of melodious prog..."Change" is brilliant....."Dream Vision" is some of the best  songs I've heard within the playful part of this genre (8/10)
Complete review (Norwegian)

 

Spain - La Caja de Música November 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............Tremendous...as if they were already veteran of the genre...Magic Pie has managed to complete a great progressive and powerful work without arriving at the metalic end (8/10)
Complete review (Spanish)

 

France - Harmonie Magazine November 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............their first album, it is dynamite, a true bomb and this group is an enormous revelation
Complete review (French) (PDF)

 

Netherlands - The Dutch Progressive Rock Page October 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............I can't say this album has really one weak moment, from start to finish your ears are treated to some spectacular variation of sounds; this album won't bore you easily!.....Magic Pie have truly managed to deliver a brilliant debut album (8,5 of 10)
Complete review (English)

 

Poland - Metal Hammer Magazine October 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............Let's return to Europe now, to Scandinavia in particular, which for some unknown reasons is always a guarantee of the best quality art rock music. It is exactly like that in case Norwegian band Magic Pie , who released through Progress Records their album entitled "Motions Of Desire". This album is full of the atmospheres taken from 70's. It consists of long multipart compositions and its style and high quality class can be compared only to the best musical achievements of the current top neoprogressive bands like The Flower Kings and Spock's Beard.  

 

Italy - Tales of Wonder  October 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............Believe me, I couldn't find any weak tracks among the eight featured here, but I give my preference to the long lasting opener "Change" where you can find the actual musical dna of the band: symphonic art-prog and several touches of hard rock and blues. (85/100)
Complete review (English & Italian)

 

USA - Sea of Tranquility  September 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............one hard-hitting platter of epic tunes loaded with melodic vocals, crisp & technical guitar work, and outstanding Hammond organ. Combining the accessibility of some of today's modern acts like The Flower Kings, Magellan, and Spock's Beard, with the technical expertise of Dream Theater, and throwing in some references to 70's icons like Deep Purple, Yes, Atomic Rooster, and Uriah Heep, Magic Pie have put together a real winner here....Highly recommended! (4,5 / 5)
Complete review (English)
Interview

 

USA - Progressive Ears  (JB) September 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...................overtly melodic symphonic progressive ROCK with accessible lyrics, lush vocals and vocal harmonies, Hammond-heavy keys, a tight and talented rhythm section, and some pretty incredible guitar acrobatics...I actually found my eyes rolling into the back of my head as the first seconds of this disc unfolded...These guys can actually SING! Hallelujah!!
Complete review (English)

 

Canada - Progressive World  (JB) September 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...............They are purveyors of the latest trends in progressive music. Their album offers everything you'd expect to find on display from all the modern day greats plus various jam band antics and amenities. They are true anthropologists to this genre......I was completely knocked head over heels when listening to this debut release....To miss this release would be low down dirty shame.
Complete review (English)

 

Canada - Progressive World  (JT) September 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...............fans of splendid vocal harmonies will be treated to the fullest whilst from a musical perspective you can expect a more rocking cross between Flower Kings and Karmakanic with some Beatles and Deep Purple magic thrown in for good measure.
Complete review (English)

 

France - ANTITHETIK  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............ a digest of talent in 75 minutes.....This album make me almost feel the same way as at the time I discovered Spock's Beard's "The Light"! Simply excellent!!! (9/10)
Complete review (French)

 

Italy - Arlequins  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
........a winning album .... graceful musical topics.... in comparison with Spock' s Beard
Complete review (Italian)

 

Canada - Prog Archives  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........an excellent addition to any prog music collection
Complete reviews (English) 25 reviews (average 4,33)

 

USA - Kinesis  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........Magic Pie’s greatest success may be that they capture the spirit of earlier bands without copying the style of any of them, and the album has a positive vibe that will restore the spirits of those whose hearts are in the 70’s.
Complete review (English)

 

Belgium - Prog-Nose  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...................you won’t find anything more progressive than this ‘Motions of Desire’.....seldom you will hear such an amazing debut album...This band can already get the title of ‘revelation of the year 2005’. (9,5 of 10)
Complete review (English)

 

Belgium - Rock Report  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
..............The cover of this debut album shows us a fresh apple, inviting us to take an immediate mouthful. Can the same be said about the music? Definitely! What this Norwegian band serves up, is a fresh mix of 70s and present-day progrock, reminding us of bands like The Flower Kings and Spock’s Beard. Starting with the longest track on offer - the 20 + minutes “Change” - the listener gets an immediate idea of the qualities of this six-piece: good songs with enough complex parts to keep the prog lovers satisfied, interesting harmony vocals, skilful performances etc. Surely more than enough for the fans of the above-mentioned bands. Great debut!

 

Netherlands - ProgWereld  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...............an appealing tasty debut....an admirable varied piece of music which explores all angles of the symphonic spectrum...the composities are of such quality that the auditor innumerable turn the plate....
Complete review (Dutch)

 

France - Progressive Waves  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............a perfect control of the subject....the unit is really pleasant and very promising. One awaits the continuation impatiently....
Complete review (French)

 

England - Audion Magazine  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............The 20min opening track Change is
perhaps one of the best beginnings I have heard from a neo-progressive group in many years and is a sweeter for the rest of the CD....the lead vocals are extraordinarily good and harmonious..
Complete review (English)

 

Netherlands - Background Magazine  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............Magic Pie sometimes tastes like The Flower Kings or Yes. But I also could taste ingredients of Spock’s Beard, The Little River Band, Deep Purple or The Beatles.....they are certainly one of this years real surprises.
Complete review (English)

 

Belgium - On The Rocks  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
............fans of splendid vocal harmonies will be treated to the fullest whilst from a musical perspective you can expect a more rocking cross between Flower Kings and Karmakanic with some Beatles and Deep Purple magic thrown in for good measure.
Complete review (English) (Album of the week)

 

Belgium - Music in Belgium  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...................Cet album sera un régal tant pour les amateurs de progressif seventies que pour ceux qui flirtent maintenant avec les Flower Kings ou Spock's Beard.
Complete review (French)

 

Japan -  1969 Progressive World  August 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
................(Japanese"

 

Hungary - Passzio Interaktiv Rock Club  July 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
..............den ærefulle tittelen” årets album” kan påventes inntil videre i Progressiv Rock kategorien! Deres spilleglede minner om en tidlig Spock’s Beard, melodirikdommen deres om Flower Kings, og det storartede Hammond- spill minner om Deep Purple ved presentasjonen av en bukett uforglemmelige komposisjoner. I fagkretser er man besvimelsen nær, og bruker superlativer som ”absolutt brilliant”.. ”uunnværlig i enhver popentusiasts samling”…”Mesterverk”…

 

Norway - Tarkus Magazine  July 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........colorful arrangements....resilent and rich raids...impressing technical guitars, copious keyboard textures and advanced vocal arrangements...skilful workmanship based upon thorough prog principals
Complete review (Norwegian)

 

Norway -  Musical journalist Jørn Aasen  July 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
................Frisk pust fra nytt norsk progband.....Rett og slett noe
av det bedre jeg har hørt fra norsk rock i år.
Complete review (Norwegian)

 

France -  Big Bang Magazine  July 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
................Magic Pie possède un charisme musical éclatant (en attendant de les voir sur scène...) et se joue des clichés prog avec une aisance et une maturité remarquable.
Complete review (French)

 

Germany -  Ragazzi Music  July 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.............spirited and exciting harmonies how they live were delivered in the 70's.....one loses the feeling for the moment and sinks entirely in the floods of the instrumental orgy.
Complete review (German)

 

Japan -  Blogerhome  July 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
(Japanese)

 

Norway / Brazil / Finland - IMHOTEP  June 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........I have problems accepting that this is not an album released by one of my favourite labels, InsideOutMusic, since it doesn’t stand back from the finest moments of The Flower Kings, Kaipa and TransAtlantic. But hey, the title track could easily have been done by Pink Floyd around their “The Wall” era. (9/10)
Complete review (English)

 

France -  Passion Progressive  June 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........Magic Pie avec cet album d'inspiration 70's, nous fait musicalement penser à Spock's Beard , Flower Kings , voire Deep Purple.....et plus que recommandable !!!!

 

France -  Progpulsion  June 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........MAGIC PIE est de ceux-là, avec son progressif 70’s évoquant tour à tour SPOCK’S BEARD, FLOWER KINGS ou
DEEP PURPLE!
Complete review (French)

 

USA - Proggnosis.com  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........Magic Pie are all excellent musicians, and as a unit, their music is sincere, original and truely enjoyable to sit and listen to......majestic, very vintage sounding...Kim Stenberg, plays some of the most inventive guitar I have heard in a true progressive rock band in a good long time..
Complete review (English)

 

Norway - Echos Hill Dream Theater Fan Club  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......the norwegian answer to a fusion between Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Flower Kings, Ayreon, and x numbers of 70's proggers...Motions of Desire sets a new standard for Norwegian melodic progrock
Complete review (Norwegian)

 

Sweden - Missing Piece  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...The illegitimate child of Deep Purple, Flower Kings and Spock's Beard!...the album of the year (10/10)

 

Greece - Skylight -  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......a mixture of The Flower Kings with Spock's Beard and some Symphony X elements in the band’s personal sound ....a very good progressive rock CD (8,5/10)
Complete review (English)

 

Germany - Just for Kicks Music  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...norwegischen Flower Kings in Rock
Complete review (German)

 

Norway - Groove.no  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...70's prog meets neoprog and creates something new (6/7)
Complete review (Norwegian)

Germany - Babyblaue-seiten  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...der "norwegischen Flower Kings in Rock". ....the music is of highest quality and also impresses with the vast variety of styles.....I'm usually rather sceptic towards albums with playing time over 70 minutes, but here time just seems to fly away. 13/15
Complete reviews (German) 4 reviews

Norway - Metalexpressradio  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...a band fresh out of the mold with a potential to redefine Progressive Rock as a genre.......the album reflects a feeling of vital, uplifting positivism unmatched by any other band within the genre.
Complete review (English)

 

Norway -  Melodichardrocktoday  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........they belong in the elite of bands in this genre together with Flower Kings, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple,
Marillion and Ricocher.
Complete review (English)

 

Norway -  Rockeweb.com  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......classical progrock with deep roots into the 70's pointing out the progdomination in Norway, and also worldwide.
Complete review (Norwegian)

 

France -  Cosmos Music  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
.........a novelty of the most exciting in the matter of symphonic progressive music to be discovered
Complete review (French)

 

Switzerland -  Proggies.ch  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......Norwegen scheint ja richtig aufzuholen in Sachen Prog. (4/5)
Complete review (German)  (Album of the month- August 2005)

 

Norway -  The Streets Webzine May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......In my eyes Magic Pie is one of the most exciting progressive rock bands in the world today. (9/10)
Complete review (English & Norwegian)

Netherlands - Strutter Magazine  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......this CD of MAGIC PIE is a must-have for any Progressive Rockfan
Complete review (English)
Internet review (english)

 

Germany -  Rocktimes.de  May 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......progressive sound of the 70's meeting the modern progstructure in an enourmous style variety fitting the magic cake...a very beautiful progrock disc which ended much too soon despite the 75 minutes playtime....
Complete review (German)

 

Sweden - Artrock.se  April 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...may have released the most powerful progressive album this year....Norways answer to Flower Kings...
Complete review (Swedish)

 

Norway - ProgNorge  April 2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
...a mixture of Dream Theater, Spock's Beard and a bit of Flower Kings blended into the bands own sound... (9/10)
Complete review (Norwegian)

 

Various -  Melodic.net   2005
(CD - Motions of Desire)
......Magic Pie from Norway has come up with a well crafted album in the traditional progressive rock school. They have a style that is not to far from bands like The Flower Kings, Spock’s Beard and Arena, but are they equally as good? Well “Motions Of Desire” doesn’t surpass the debut albums by the three just mentioned, but they are indeed far more interesting then those have been for years! May it be so that Magic Pie’s doesn’t create something directly new or are adding something fundamental to the genre, anyhow it is a work well done. Great traditional progressive rock with beautiful melodies, great vocals and impressive musicianship – do check them out.

Germany - Progressive Newsletter - 2005
Complete review (German)

 

DEMO 2003/2004

Norway - The Streets WebZine  December 2004
(Change - Illusion & Reality, demo)
...These guys definitely knows what they are doing, and I'm especially impressed by guitarist Kim Stenberg. The song material is surprisingly strong, with long and interesting tracks where new details shows up everytime you hear the album...I sincerely hope that a record company desides to sign Magic Pie cause I want to hear more...
Complete review at this page.

 

Mexico - www.eufonia.net  November 2004
(Change - Illusion & Reality, demo)

..."talented Norwegian sextet"...."sounds from Uriah Heep (voices and keyboards) to Dream Theater (guitars, structures) in a single song".....very all style of Spock' s Beard, or even better; Transatlantic...- a serious record company ought to discover the band...

English and Norwegian summary review
Eufonia review site
Original Spanish review  


 

Norway - Monster Magazine,  May 2004
(Illusion & Reality, demo)

...."Fresh neo-prog style with elements from the 70's"...

English translation (full text)
Review; Norwegian

 

Germany - Babyblaue-seiten, April 2004
(Illusion & Reality, demo)

.....Some bold parts are so good that I'm even thinking of YES. The first seconds of the next track (Final Breath) tear the listener into an odyssey of a furious YES-variant over Symphony X into Dream Theaters "New millennium".....

English translation (full text)
Original German review
Norwegian translation


 

Germany - Home of Rock, April 2004
(Illusion & Reality, demo)

.....The name itself sounds musical, and fundamentally we're talking about first class progrock.....Rhythm variations typical for this kind of music, and a genious execution on the guitar, leads the audience through harmonious dreams.....a nordic pearl is waiting.....

English translation (full text)
Original German review
Norwegian translation

German review at rocktimes.de

 

Sweden Rock Magazine, March 2003:
(Illusion & Reality, demo)

.....The group occasionally blooms, presenting delicious, beautiful and nicely arranged symphonic rock….

 

Norwegian Scream Magazine, April 2003:
(Illusion & Reality, demo)

…..we do not discount this band and their music, which undoubtedly is being inspired by other groups from the greatness of “progrock” during the seventieth.

Even though choosing a very severe style, they decently bring both their complex and uncomplicated music to a successful conclusion…..with the actual contents of the sound they have managed to achieve a great deal of the “genuine” sound which we recognize from the “seventieth classics”….

 

Norwegian - Tarkus Magazine September 2003:
(Illusion & Reality, demo)

.....a well written piece of music reminding of Spock's Beard....
.....it's difficult not to be impressed by he guitarwork of Kim Stenberg. The man is high and low in the terrain with his blowouts in pure Yngwie Malmsteen style.
Review, Norwegian (pdf)


Rockofnorway.com, september 2003

Everone into melodic progressive, symphonic rock should really check out Norwegian newcommers Magic Pie

 

Various feedback

Various feedback from mail, concerts and progrock forums.