Kayak - Close To The Fire

Year of Release: 2000
Label: ProActs
Catalog Number: Pro CD 2004
Format: CD
Total Time: 60:41:00

This review is excerpted from Clayton's July 22, 2003 The Prog Life column found here -ed.

I've had this album kicking around for a while, but for some reason had never gotten around to giving it its due. I'm darn glad I didn't overlook it, because it's a great melodic prog album along the line of Camel with a dash of Pink Floyd. Kayak is, in company with groups like Nektar, Happy the Man, and Camel, one of those 70s prog legends that, even in their heyday, didn't get the recognition they deserved. Now that prog seems to be making a comeback, so is Kayak.

The music here isn't overly complex, but is as progressive as most of the so-called neo-prog groups, thanks mostly to the mysterious atmospheres, Genesis-like textures and melodies, and progressive instrumentation (i.e., flutes, recorders, and organ, along with guitar, bass, and drums). This album is loaded with gorgeous melodies, both sung and played on the guitar. But where did a Dutch group come up with all those Irish influences? Recommended to all lovers of light prog.

Tracklisting:
Close To The Fire (8:11) / When Hearts Grow Cold (3:08) / Dream Child (3:30) / Frozen Flame (6:34) / Forever (4:48) / Worlds Apart (5:12) / Crusader (4:39) / Two Wrongs (Don't Make A Right) (3:35) / Anybody's Child (5:01) / Here Today (3:34) / Just A Matter Of Time (3:34) / Full Circle (5:55) / Ruthless Queen (5:00)

Musicians:
Ton Scherpenzeel - keyboards
Max Werner - vocals
Pim Koopman - drums
Rob Winter - guitars
Bert Veldkamp - bass

Discography:
See See The Sun (1973)
Kayak II (1974)
Royal Bed Bouncer (1975)
The Last Encore (1976)
Starlight Dancer (1977, US version)
Phantom Of The Night (1978)
Periscope Life (1980)
Merlin (1981)
Eyewitness (1982/1994)
Close To The Fire (2000)
Chance For A Livetime (2001)
Merlin - The Bard Of The Unseen (2003)
Nostradamus - The Fate Of Man (2CD) (2005)
Excerpts From Nostradamus - The Fate Of Man (1CD) (2005)
KAYAKoustic Live (2007)
Coming Up For Air (2008)
The Anniversary Concert (CD/DVD) (2008)
The Anniversary Box (CD/DVD) (2008)
Letters From Utopia (2009)
Anywhere But Here (2011)
Cleopatra - The Crown Of Isis (2014)
Journey Through Time (2017)
Seventeen (2018)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin NL

Added: July 23rd 2003
Reviewer: Clayton Walnum

Artist website: www.kayakonline.info
Hits: 2588
Language: english