Here's a reunion album that will blow you away. This Swedish prog-band called it a day back in 1981 after 5 albums and now they are back with number 6 after more than 20 years and they sound as hungry as ever. Old fans will find themselves right at home and as soon as the first piece starts playing we are immediately transferred back to the seventies. Usually reunion albums are a little weak and just a sentimental copy of the bands previous work. This is definitely not the case here. This new album is at least as good as their first two albums, if not better.
(review by Olov Andersson)

In 1977 this Swedish jazz-rock outfit released the very fine self-titled debut, an album which, in style, can be placed somewhere between Brand X and the second Made In Sweden line-up. During the following years they released three more albums which grew rockier, simpler and, in my humble opinion, more boring for each album, but the debut is forever a classic in the progressive fusion genre. A genre that as time went developed in many directions and where Wasa Express definitely is among the heavier one's who blend more rock (and prog) than jazz into the mix, which more broadly is referred to as "fusion".

So, when they now re-unite (well 2 of the 4 original members anyway), what do we get? The answer to that, my friends, is nothing less than a very fine album which sounds pretty much as what could have been if they had not turned into an (almost) ordinary rock band and instead developed within the jazz-rock/fusion style. A very nice surprise! Very nice indeed! Drummer Åke Eriksson still got it. His punchy yet rolling drumming style is not too far from Billy Cobham's or Alphonse Mouzon's. And keyboard player Bo Hallgren is still delivering those nice chord changes on his Fender Rhodes and the swirling, melodic moog solos is a fine as ever. Kind of like a Robin Lumley with a Swedish twist. We also get some fine guest appearances from a couple of guitar and bass players. And don't be fooled by the title. There's nothing "psychedelic" (as in late 60's hippie rock bands) about it. It is not very jazzy. More progrock with some fusion I would say. And there's definitely no "trance" (as in "trance-techno") here. "Psychedelic Jazz Trance" is leaning against the later 70's fusion bands (including there own) but also has a modern touch and it is one of the more pleasant surprises this year.
(review by Hansi Cross)

Despite of the high Genesis clone factor, I truly enjoyed the first album from this 70's sounding Italian outfit. On their debut album "Ghost" we heard a band who easily was described as "If Peter Gabriel never left Genesis and if they continued playing symphonic rock which grown darker as time went by it would most possibly sounded like this". The Watch was at that point a true Genesis clone who, shamelessly, borrowed chord changes and melodies from the aforementioned band. They even took vocal lines from the "Wind and Wuthering period" and transformed them into how it could have sounded if they had been written and performed during the "Foxtrot era". On top of that The Watch has a flute and tambourine playing lead vocalist who sounds (and feels) like a young Peter Gabriel. "Ghost" is one of the albums to which the word "clone" truly applies and, of course, it could have been a ridiculous and embarrassing fiasco. But it was not so because these guys do it with 100% love, a vast portion of talent and for a debut delivered the absolutely best "Genesis album that Genesis never made". And I, who am not very often into clone bands, definitely loved it and it was with great interest I received the follow up named "Vacuum". Would it be a second clone album? If so, could there possibly any more to "steal"? Or had they actually managed to draw their music further into something more of their own? And, if so, would I then like it?

The answer to that is quite interesting. They have now gone from being a clone to being a band who makes music in the Genesis tradition and chord changes are no longer identical with how Genesis themselves wrote. They are in the manor of what Genesis' compositions very well might have developed into if they had chosen a different direction and followed a more symphonic line rather than blending their music with more and more pop elements. And the way in which The Watch does it is not only interesting, it is also very emotional and definitely to my liking. It has a considerable amount of dynamic interplay between punchy majestic pompous parts and enchanting atmospheric moments moving up and down on an emotional scale ranging from darker to more light feelings. It is touching and creates an emotional impact all the way throughout. "Vacuum" is so damn good that I even doubt that Genesis themselves could manage to do such a brilliant album even if they decided to reform and again create symphonic rock music (but it would be very nice to be proven wrong on that statement!). (review by Hansi Cross)

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