REVIEW
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ALBUM CONTEXT
INTERVIEW WITH
MATS KARLSSON
220 VOLT, THE SUMMIT
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MATS KARLSSON
GerMusica Promotion 2019 
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This is the first solo album for Mats Karlsson, who has already been the guitarist from legendary 220 Volt. We can say without hesitation that The time optimist opens with a fabulous track of pure classic hard rock called “Bumping along” on which power as well as the clear sound dominate. For this work Mats asked the collaboration of his brother Ulf on keyboards, the first 220 Volt’s singer Christer “Frille” Åsell, the drummers Peter Hermansson (220 Volt), Björn Höglund (already with Easy Action) and Mike Ajax, while on bass there are alternately Nalle Påhlsson (Therion, Treat, Easy Action) and Lars Ericsson (playing on Walking in starlight of the native band 220 Volt). |
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All the tracks are diversified in addition to express different moods, so as to compose an heterogeneous mosaic of the highest quality and professional level; The Time Optimist has been finished to the smallest detail with a particular attention to the quality of composition and performances.
“I believe” winks at AOR territories with skill; “Stop the world” is hard rock with a pop hook as well as a use of keyboards which seems to remind some of the most successful recent albums of Glenn Hughes.
“I believe” winks at AOR territories with skill; “Stop the world” is hard rock with a pop hook as well as a use of keyboards which seems to remind some of the most successful recent albums of Glenn Hughes.
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“October 28th” has a fascinating start thanks to a dense guitar solo; “Real gone” is an achieved cover of Sheryl Crow performed by Mats together with Jenny Fall.
“Daydreamer”, meanwhile, should be analysed more carefully. This is, on balance, a song with an unexpected development, starting with a simil ballad approach to lead to a kind of groove totally full of the purest hard rock with a vibrant bass and a sparkling guitar. We choose it as our favorite song.
“Daydreamer”, meanwhile, should be analysed more carefully. This is, on balance, a song with an unexpected development, starting with a simil ballad approach to lead to a kind of groove totally full of the purest hard rock with a vibrant bass and a sparkling guitar. We choose it as our favorite song.
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“Function over fashion” is a powerful track which calls to mind the master 220 Volt with an exquisitely Swedish/Us mixed slant. Also in this case there’s a strong electric bass.
Moreover the final chapter of the album “The other side (of love)" is of excellent quality. We can only promote to honors this work of Mats Karlsson who proves to be a high-class musician and a refined composer. The time optimist has a seemingly old-fashioned style but we’re dealing with an expedient that is meant to display a sincere hard rock whose strength is the instrumental skill, as it has always been in respect of 220 Volt. This album of Mats Karlsson is evidence that it’s still possible to play hard rock cleverly without giving in to market laws wearly as well as to the craving of an innovation which too often turns out to be baseless. So we warmly advise it not only to those who dabble in hard’n’heavy; we also invite all of you to deepen the whole musical path of Mats Karlsson and 220 Volt which is a band that Bass, My Fever has always appreciated so much! 
Manuela Avino-Luca De Pasquale2020
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«I will definitely do more solo stuff, I have actually already started putting some stuff down...» |
BMF: The Time Optimist is your first solo album. Are you satisfied with the result? Would you like to tell us more about the path that led to this work?
Mats Karlsson: It's my first solo album, yes. I've been meaning to do this for a very long time, but never really found the time or whatever it was..
I already had some of the drumtracks recorded with Mike Ajax since just before we did the last 220 V record, and then I've been very busy with that, touring and keeping that rolling.
But when Peter, our drummer in 220 V had to have knee surgery, he was going to be put out of action for a while and I saw this window open up to start doing this.
So I decided what songs to go for, and recorded the rest of the drums with my buddy Björn Höglund that I also made some other records with, The Summit for example.
I had a lot of material stashed away that never fitted anywhere else.
Mats Karlsson: It's my first solo album, yes. I've been meaning to do this for a very long time, but never really found the time or whatever it was..
I already had some of the drumtracks recorded with Mike Ajax since just before we did the last 220 V record, and then I've been very busy with that, touring and keeping that rolling.
But when Peter, our drummer in 220 V had to have knee surgery, he was going to be put out of action for a while and I saw this window open up to start doing this.
So I decided what songs to go for, and recorded the rest of the drums with my buddy Björn Höglund that I also made some other records with, The Summit for example.
I had a lot of material stashed away that never fitted anywhere else.
The Summit: Björn Höglund, Michael Klemmé, Lars Ericsson and Mats Karlsson
BMF: The sound of your guitar is extremely strong and dense. What kind of gear have you played for the studio recording?
MK: Well, thank you very much. I actually did the whole thing with a Kemper, first time I did that. I got one a few years back and they're very convinient in certain situations.
I used a couple of different Strats with different pickup combinations, mostly Seymour Duncans, and my Peavey Wolfgang which is also fitted with a Duncan Vintage 78 and a Pearly Gates.
That's it really. I also used an Ovation acoustic for some minor things. I have a Fender Jazz Bass that I did the my bass parts with.
MK: Well, thank you very much. I actually did the whole thing with a Kemper, first time I did that. I got one a few years back and they're very convinient in certain situations.
I used a couple of different Strats with different pickup combinations, mostly Seymour Duncans, and my Peavey Wolfgang which is also fitted with a Duncan Vintage 78 and a Pearly Gates.
That's it really. I also used an Ovation acoustic for some minor things. I have a Fender Jazz Bass that I did the my bass parts with.
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BMF: Would you like to talk about the choice of each musician whom has been engaged in this project? MK: Well, first of all I got my brother Ulf to do all the keyboards, I've been playing on some of his stuff and he returned the favor. I just sent him the songs and let him do whatever he wanted and then I used the things that sounded good to me. I had some ideas, but he's very good at comig up with stuff that I would never had thought of so I just let him do his thing, he's also very good with writing and music theory and wrote the string arrangement for the ballad on the last 220 V album. Then there's the drummers, Mike Ajax which may not be so well known outside of Sweden, but he's been playing with some pretty high profile things over here, I've known him since we were kids, very good drummer. Then my buddy from The Summit Björn Höglund did some tracks, awesome drummer. And the last track I did was with Peter Hermansson from 220 V, that was done at the very end when he was back in action. On bass, there's also my buddy Lars Ericsson from The Summit who's a great player, he did some more stuff actually but there were some key changes on a track or two, so I re-recorded some bass myself, Lars also did some stuff that didn't make it on this album. And I have Nalle Påhlsson who's played with pretty much everyone over here, just a fantastic player. We had done some sessions for another project that didn't happen at the time, so he asked me to play a solo or two on his solo album, that hasn't happened yet, so we'll see. My album came first, hehe.. |
Björn Höglund
Lars Eriksson working on The Time Optimist bass tracks
Peter Hermansson
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Then I have two guest vocalists, first Christer "Frille" Åsell who was the first singer for 220 Volt, we share the vocals on "Function over fashion" and he was actually jamming with me when I had the first idea for that song, so I did some re-writing later and asked if he would do some vocals with me. Finally, I did a duet with a singer called Jenny Fall who is a very good singer and an old friend, she told me she had always liked this track which is a cover of a Sheryl Crow song, so it was not a problem to get her to help me out with the female parts. |
Christer "Frille" Åsell
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BMF: Is it available a vinyl issue? Are you going to release it?
MK: Yes, the album is available on vinyl as well.
MK: Yes, the album is available on vinyl as well.
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BMF: Do you think that you will continue your solo career or is it more probable a new 220 Volt album anytime soon? What about your plans for the near future?
MK: We're right now finishing up the writing for the new 220 V album that we will start recording as soon as possible, so we're looking at how to get that together, I'm very happy with it. I will definitely do more solo stuff, I have actually already started putting some stuff down. There will be also be a cover or two on the next album as well, I've decided to only cover female artists that have inspired me. But a new 220 V record will come first. |
220 Volt Photo by Göran Strand
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Luca De Pasquale-Manuela Avino2020
