For those not in the know, the third album from Klas Qvist and his Citizen K trademark is called III.

As expected, Citizen K III is the best album yet form this Swedish pop artist.

Featuring 13 Beatles-inspired songs, III conjures up an essential blend of catchy 21st century pop-rock vocal tracks balanced by a couple prog-pop instrumental tracks that serve as beat group style instrumental interludes in the style of Stackridge or even Speedy Keen.

The 2018 CD release of III proves that Citizen K is a modern maestro at combining breezy American West Coast Brian Wilson / Chad & Jeremy-style rock with a spirited blend of UK influenced, Swedish art-pop songs.

1. 'Welcome Abroad'
2. 'True Confessions'
3. 'Let This Be Love'
4. 'Toolmaker's Daughter'
5. 'Oceans Call'
6. 'Cancelled Flight'
7. 'How Are You Gonna Handle It?'
8. 'Radio Classic (No More Songs About Jetplanes, Please)'
9. 'Once You Had'
10. 'Piano In The Rain'
11. 'Beasts Of England'
12. 'And You Danced All Night (Coda)'
13. 'After The Fact (Encore)'

We begin with an airport PA system asking people to grab their tickets and passports and begin to board, before the ebbing music comes to the fore and transports us delightfully away on the appropriately entitled instrumental 'Welcome Abroad.'

One of the most joyous and vibrant tracks of this musical ilk that I've heard this year, it's bound to put a smile on your face just imagining the camaraderie shown between the musicians in the studio creating it.

'True Companions' brings us the vocals of Klas Qvist and showcases a singing style that is very reminiscent of Jeff Lynne. Next up is the blissful, summer's day vibe of 'Let This Be Love,' which is backed by the free flowing storytelling of 'Toolmaker's Daughter,' and then the sterner 'Oceans Call.'

The pace is throttled for the delicate, beautiful piano-led losing of a loved one, 'Cancelled Flight,' before a very ELOesque 'How Are You Gonna Handle It? is brought forth. The beat is turned up for the quietly frenetic 'Radio Classic (No More Songs About Jetplanes, Please!)' with one of my own personal favorites, the dulcet tones of 'Once You Had' backing it.

Opening to crashing thunder and pouring rain, up next is 'Piano In The Rain,' which, with every passing lyric, paints the picture of this piano and its history just perfectly. Then comes another of my own personal favorites here, the quieter renaissance instrumental balladry of 'Beasts Of England.'

This quite stunning new album then rounds out perfectly with both the soft rock senseability of 'And You Danced All Night (Coda)' and then 'After The Fact (Encore)' brings the curtain down on what has easily become on of my favorite albums of 2018.

Citizen K @ MySpace!