Scott's Song by Song # 65: Jonas Lindberg and the Other Side - Time Frames

 

Welcome to issue #65 of Scott’s Song By Song (#scottssongbysong).For more information about this series, click here: 

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Today I’ll be taking a look at the latest album by Jonas Lindberg and the Other Side, titled “Time Frames”.  This is the third full length album from this relatively young Swedish prog band/artist. (Yes, back to Scandinavia!) Bandleader/bassist/composer Lindberg recorded his first EP in 2008 under his own name, titled “In Secret Pace” for a University music school project.  In 2012, he decided to release the tracks on Bandcamp, and they were well-received enough to release a second EP in 2013, called “The Other Side”.  Taking a page from fellow-Swede Roine Stolt’s playbook, he would go on to name the band of the musicians he had been working with after the title of the EP.  The band’s first full-length album appeared in 2016, titled “Pathfinder”, and the second was released in 2022, titled “Miles From Nowhere”.  The band has released a smattering of singles/EP’s along the way as well.  I have been aware of Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side for a few years now and have always liked what I have heard, but I have never taken a deep dive before.  “Time Frames:”  was released in November of 2025.  It is a testament to just how strong a year 2025 was in terms of great prog releases that this album flew under my radar until recently when Robert English mentioned it on the Big Big Train Forum group on Facebook.  As usual this is a cold listen. 

The lineup for the album is as follows:

- Jonas Lindberg / basses, keyboards, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, ukulele, programming, lead vocals (2,6,7), backing vocals

With:

- Jonas Sundqvist / lead vocals (1,3,7), backing vocals

- Jenny Storm / lead vocals (4,7), backing vocals

- Calle Schönning / electric guitars (1,3,4,5,7)

- Nicklas Thelin / acoustic & electric guitars (1,4,5,6,7)

- Joel Lindberg / electric guitars (5,6)

- Maria Olsson / percussion

- Jonathan Lundberg / drums

- Conny Lindgren / violins (2)

Track 1 - End of the Road (12:47)

This is the second longest track on the album, which is bookended on the other end by the longest one. It begins with a blend of guitar and synth, leading to a grand fanfare introduction to the song.  A moderately slow instrumental melody follows.  Just after 1-minute a guitar riff sets a rhythm.  Vocals, bass and subtle drums soon follow.  There are some nice vocal harmonies that sound a bit processed, but then the band kicks in stronger for the chorus. I am enjoying the track so far.  At around 4 minutes, a synth line takes the spotlight for a brief interlude.  The next vocal part has effects on it, then a proper synth solo follows with rockin’ backing tracks.  Harmonized guitars follow another chorus, which leads to a bridge.  Lindberg gives us another synth lead, followed by a guitar solo with lots of shifting meters. Another brief vocal section interjects between guitar breaks.  The playing on this is terrific!  Super cool riff at 9:15!  This track just keeps getting better as it progresses. At 9:50 there is an even better riff.  Shortly after it echoes the intro fanfare, but with added mellotron sounds.  A melodic guitar solo follows, and the overall sound is glorious!   Things calm down to piano and acoustic guitar leading us to a final drone sound.  Fantastic track!

Track 2 - Someone Like Me (5:43)

You know you’re proggin’ when the shortest track on the album is nearly 6 minutes long!  A folky acoustic guitar leads in the vocals.  At around 45 seconds the band kicks in with a marching snare beat in tow.  The melody of this song is engaging, especially on the title hook.  Conny Lindgren’s violin parts take the spotlight for an instrumental break.  Some nice piano playing follows in the next verse. Another violin-led instrumental break follows the next chorus.  A synth solo follows as we approach the ending.  Well-done!

Track 3 - Faces of Stone (7:26)

This kicks-off with a 5-8 rhythm, and a synth solo briefly emerges, along with some big mellotron choir accents!  Acoustic strumming takes over as the vocals begin. The rhythm section returns halfway through the verse. The 5-8 motif remains though several texture and dynamic changes.  There are occasional bars of other meters on “turnarounds”.  I am really digging this track!  At around 4:20 an instrumental break begins with some parts that sound like they may have been recorded in reverse.  There are some super-dramatic parts between 5:00-5:30.  Then an organ solo takes the spotlight, followed by an amazing guitar solo.  At 6:30 things drop to vocal and acoustic guitar briefly before the band kicks back in. A final chorus brings the track to a close. Awesome track!

Track 4 - Galactic Velvet (9:41)

Sustained keyboards commence activities on this track.  At 1 minute, acoustic guitar arpeggios join in, giving a sense of rhythm. At 1:30, a drum fill leads the band in.  Jenny Storm takes the lead vocal role on this one with a clear soprano voice.  The accompaniment remains minimal until around 3:10, when the full band returns.  The overall sound of this track is ethereal.  At around the halfway point, a spoken male voice joins in.  There is a cool fretless bass part in the mix in this section.  A flute sound takes over afterward.  The spoken lines then return with a more rhythmic accompaniment. Each segment is punctuated with increasingly more powerful instrumental parts, culminating in a guitar solo.  Jenny returns on vocals at around 8:15.  This is an intriguing track that I need to pursue again later.  Great job!

Track 5 - Gruvan (8:24)

A quick check on Google tells me that the Swedish word “Gruvan” translates to the English phrase “the mine”.  A twisty acoustic opening riff quickly gives way to the band kicking-in hard on a swaying 6-8 feel.  The acoustic riff and band alternate for about 30 seconds before they learn to play together nicely.   Just before one minute, the synth takes the lead.  I love the big open feel of this one, thus far.  I believe this is shaping up to be an instrumental journey as no vocalists are credited on this track. Just before the 3 minute mark the feel changes to a rhythmic piano part, joined by bass.  This sets up a prog-tastic groove. Some big sustained chords break things up before the groove returns. A fat synth and guitar riff takes over at around 4:15.  Up next, a funky fusion groove for the guitar solo.  The guitar playing is fantastic.  Some heavy fanfares follow.  The opening groove returns after the 6 minute mark.  A nice melodic synth and guitar blend take the melody. At around 7:35, the bass line and overall feel remind me a bit of the instrumental break on “Black & White” by the Flower Kings, and that groove closes out the track.  Extended instrumentals can be difficult to pull off without getting boring, but Jonas & crew do it nicely here!

Track 6 - Running out of Time (8:00)

A reverse sound and panned piano chords start off here.  A flute-tone takes the melody.  The vocals enter at around 40 seconds with minimal accompaniment.  A band crescendo leads us to the chorus. I like the ascending feel, before the instrumental interlude which includes flute and sitar sounds.  A massive power chord brings us into the next verse, with heavy accompaniment just prior to 2 minutes in.   The next chorus has nice vocal harmonies.  At around 3 minutes layered acoustic guitars and a piano part play countermelodies, before the heavy guitars take back over for a synth solo, then a guitar solo.  I love all of the dynamic changes in this one.  There is some fantastic guitar playing on this one.  The production is rich and warm as the instrumental breaks continue.  Things calm back down around 5:45 with the flute and sitar part returning, before the next chorus.  The coda section brings variations on the melodies and vocal harmonies galore.  The closing note sounds like a battery dying to my ears.  Another cool track!

Track 7 - The Wind (17:31)

An ominous low synth note starts the closing epic.  Other sounds begin to fade in. By around 50 seconds, a synth melody starts, and is soon joined by a guitar. At around 1:50 acoustic guitar and harpsichord set up the vocal entrance for the first verse.   The rhythm section joins in for the second verse at just after 3 minutes.  At 4 minutes, the music gets powerful with harmony vocals, distorted guitars, and organ.  Beautiful high note around 4:45!  A guitar melody follows.   The vocals return at just after 6 minutes with light accompaniment.  The fretless bass returns for a nice effect.  The dynamics are building to a crescendo peak just before 8 minutes.  Jonas makes nice use of melodies in his music.  Things start rockin’ out around 8:45! Jenny Storm makes a vocal appearance, alternating with Jonas Sundqvist and/or Jonas Lindberg (all 3 are listed as lead vocalists). An earlier melodic section returns before the fantastic guitar solo! A powerful harmony vocal section happens around 12 minutes, followed by a cool synth solo.  This is great modern prog  that rocks, but not full-out metal.  There are great drum fills around 13:50.   Before 14:30 a new section of harmony vocals begins with big accompaniment.  It eases off a bit at 15 minutes, and gradually takes on an ELO flavor.  Huge power chords and slide guitar enters just before 16 minutes.  This epic is truly EPIC!  We are getting to the big finish!  It quiets down again around 16:50 and a gentle piano part takes us to the conclusion with a gong (a la “Bohemian Rhapsody”) providing the final punctuation.  GREAT PIECE!

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

If you are not familiar with Jonas Lindberg and the Other Side, this album would make a great introduction!  This is a great album from start to finish.  My only possible issue is that sometimes the harmony vocals sound a bit synthetic.  I am not sure if that is intentional or not.  But it is a very minor thing to me.  Overall, this album is very much worth an hour and ten minutes of your time!  The playing all around is well executed, if only occasionally flashy.  The lead vocals from all involved are great, and the songwriting, arrangements, and production are all top flight.  I will give this a 4.75 out of 5 stars.  I wish I had been aware of it sooner!

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Prog On!

Scott

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LINKS FOR LISTENING/BUYING

The whole album is available for listening on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lujp-WLA_f2TB6UBiMoR9xvvtVh5SpKTI

It is also on Apple Music, and other streaming platforms, I assume:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/time-frames/1832585503

It can be purchased as a digital download or CD on Bandcamp:

https://jonaslindbergtheotherside.bandcamp.com/album/time-frames