Patrik Carlsson a guitarist from Sweden has released a new CD titled, ”Melodic Travel.” The CD is a bit confusing and very long. The CD has 16 tracks of different styles of music that really doesn’t flow at all.

The 1st cut “Settler’s Pleasure” starts out slow with just a drum machine and Carlsson playing guitar; or what I call “noodling” around. I was waiting for the song to get off the ground but what I got was poor drum machine programming and an attempt at sounding like the ‘great one’s’-- Joe Satch or Steve Vai. Sorry Pal not even close! 2nd cut- “Battlefield”- It started out with some nice melodic keys with again some poor drum sounds. You’re killing me again! Once again, an attempt at finger tapping, dive bombs with the bar and some standard running scales. No originality… you can noodle I give you that.

Track 4 and 5 are a type of ballad. Slow guitar play. What does it lack? Feel and soul! That’s what it’s all about, listen to Carlos Santana.

Here is where we get confusing, track 6 “Liberty City,” a little keyboard horn section with a nice groove, cool jazz sound, nice feel! Ok I give you this one. I like it! What a left turn.

Next-“Luxian Minor” has that Spanish feel which I particular like. Nice cut, but where are we going?

The next few tracks stay much in the cool jazz feel until we get to track 13” Happy Quarter.” This seems to be a type of folk song from somewhere in time with an accordion. If sounds like a wedding song were” the bride cuts the cake”? Ok slam on the brakes!

…Confused yet?

The next song, “Naboo” goes back into the cool jazz feel again. The song has a nice sound and feel! Ok some feel!

That was 14, right?

Track 15 “Spanish Vaganza” stays again with the cool jazz feel. Actually, this song is pretty good. It has a nice flow to it.

At last we have reached the end, I think? Yes the end Number 16 “Silence.” A slow dance, lights on, end of the night, go home song… pretty, but you left me in the middle of nowhere!!

I think Carlsson rushed into putting out this CD. Patrik Carlsson can definitely play! He should have hired a band to play behind him. A lot of the songs sounded like a demo that you would present to other musicians to hear and then act upon… the drum machine killed me! The confusing part is where he jumped around from trying to show off as a wannabe virtuoso such as the masters Vai and Satch, and then switches gears to the cool jazz sound and then throws a wrench in the works with a Folk tune? I was Lost. Where is the problem? Putting all you got into one basket and overfilling the basket with to many songs!

Like I said before, Carlsson can play, but he should have taken his time and thought this through by hand selecting certain songs and staying somewhere within a Genre; Yes, you can add flavor here and there but there is way too many turns on the CD to create any type of fingerprint.