Kayak

[nodak]

I just LOVE their first, Kayak s/t album! Just as good as RBB (which is great too) if not better. Very progressive and enjoyable IMO.

[Rarebird]

I just LOVE their first, Kayak s/t album! Just as good as RBB (which is great too) if not better. Very progressive and enjoyable IMO.

The selftiteld their second album, The first is See see the sun.

[Piskie]

My favourite is the second album too. Touch of Brian Wilson in some of the melodies - gorgeous.

[Progbear]

I allready have all Kayak albums and in the end I think there are 3 songs on that extra disk, I don't have. So I doubt I will go for this box.

Let me guess: those three are the High Tide Formation single and “Boezem” (which I believe was their contribution to the Zing je moers taal compilation album). I’m guessing “Chance for a Lifetime” is an alternate single edit. I noticed a lot of the bonuses from the 3 Originals set (e.g.: “Ballad for a Lost Friend,” “Ivory Dance,” “Theme From Spetters II”) are missing here. But hey, we get the crappy sax-less, Mellotron-less American remake of “Irene”!

shut-up-and-take-my-money-9299-2560x1600-576837347.jpg

[nodak]

The selftiteld their second album, The first is See see the sun.

Your right! I didn't know that. Verified by Google. Since your from their country you should know.

[pb2015]

The second s/t album apparently didn't get a U.S. release at the time (while the debut See See.. and the third album RBB did). Too bad as it is quite a good record.

[Rarebird]

Your right! I didn't know that. Verified by Google. Since your from their country you should know.

They were my first concert when they had released See see the sun. Kayak was my first record (I think). After that first concert I became a fan of the group and I wanted to play keyboards.

[progmatist]

A week ago today I found See See the Sun on vinyl for $6.99. It has a sticker on the jacket boasting it's a a Jem import.

[Progbear]

The second s/t album apparently didn't get a U.S. release at the time (while the debut See See.. and the third album RBB did). Too bad as it is quite a good record.

Definitely didn’t. My old vinyl copy was the British release on Harvest.

A week ago today I found See See the Sun on vinyl for $6.99. It has a sticker on the jacket boasting it's a a Jem import.

The US Harvest release had a different cover from the European one. My old vinyl copy was again the European version.

[pb2015]

I have the U.S. Harvest LP of See See the Sun. It has an promo insert about how they expected Kayak to follow Focus and Golden Earring in reaching the American market.

[JKL2000]

I just listened to the second album a few days ago. Really liked it!

[Progbear]

I have the U.S. Harvest LP of See See the Sun. It has an promo insert about how they expected Kayak to follow Focus and Golden Earring in reaching the American market.

Ah, the good old Conamus organization at work again, I see.

[Mister Triscuits]

^
That would have been the second Dutch Invasion, following the one in 1969-70, when the Colossus label had U.S. hits with Shocking Blue, the Tee Set, and the George Baker Selection.

[JJ88]

I only have Royal Bed Bouncer but I like it. TBH I think it could/should have crossed over internationally (a la Focus/Golden Earring mentioned above) more than it did- it's a very melodic album.

[Rarebird]

I only have Royal Bed Bouncer but I like it. TBH I think it could/should have crossed over internationally (a la Focus/Golden Earring mentioned above) more than it did- it's a very melodic album.

They recorded an album in the US.

[EBES]

I bought the Journey Through Time box set a few years ago, and had never heard any of their music prior to that. The '70s stuff with Max Werner singing is fantastic. Very well-composed, excellently played, and with lyrics that are often quite smart and unexpected. The Last Encore and Starlight Dancer are a bit more pop-oriented but still highly enjoyable. My only complain about that material is that they sound a bit muffled, especially the first couple. A remaster might help? I'd definitely spring for nice remastered editions of the first five with lyrics and essays in the booklet, etc., especially since the booklet to the box set is in Dutch. The real dream would be for Red Bullet to do something like they did with Focus where they released a box set with remastered editions of just the classic-era stuff and a nice English booklet. If that came out I might sell Journey Through Time on eBay.

I don't mind the three '70s albums with Reekers, but his voice, while more conventionally appealing, sands down some of the group's character and sense of pleasant oddness. I'll usually listen to those albums if I've listened to the first five and gotten the momentum going and want more Kayak, but they don't tend to stick to the ribs, other than the first half of Merlin.

As for the reunion stuff, man... I admire the hell out of it. It's amazing that Scherpenzeel has made so many ambitious, complex concept albums with what has to be a relatively limited budget and audience. The work ethic and resourcefulness involved is quite inspiring. I mostly don't feel any urge to actually listen to them, though. One of those things I appreciate in the abstract sense but don't feel moved by at all. I've been through Nostradamus, Cleopatra and the extended Merlin album three or four times each and couldn't hum you a note of any of them. I do like the moment near the end of Cleopatra when she's about to die and she has the sudden panicked epiphany that all her gods were a fiction and she's about to fade into a blank void. But it's the only part that stuck with me. And the non-concept stuff, as someone mentioned, often edges too close to MOR pop-rock for my taste.

[nodak]

In case your looking for one of Kayak's wonderful classic tracks, Ballad for a Lost Friend, I could only find it on the album, Golden Years of Dutch Pop Music. The album btw is not Pop but mostly their early proggy stuff.

I have to add that I just LOVE Scherpenzeel's keyboard work, especially his piano on tracks like the beautiful Irene!

[Progbear]

In case your looking for one of Kayak's wonderful classic tracks, Ballad for a Lost Friend, I could only find it on the album, Golden Years of Dutch Pop Music. The album btw is not Pop but mostly their early proggy stuff.

It’s on the (alas, out of print) 3 Originals double CD. If you still have a record player, it’s easily findable as the B-side to their hit single “Ruthless Queen.”

[Rarebird]

I don't mind the three '70s albums with Reekers, but his voice, while more conventionally appealing, sands down some of the group's character and sense of pleasant oddness. I'll usually listen to those albums if I've listened to the first five and gotten the momentum going and want more Kayak, but they don't tend to stick to the ribs, other than the first half of Merlin.

Problem was, Max Werner didn't want to sing anymore, because he couldn't stand his voice, which led him to drinking to much.

[pb2015]

I only have Royal Bed Bouncer but I like it. TBH I think it could/should have crossed over internationally (a la Focus/Golden Earring mentioned above) more than it did- it's a very melodic album.

Great album. As I mentioned above parts of it remind me of ELO who were starting to get big at the time. In the U.S. Janus released it and I don't know if they had much promo muscle, although they broke Al Stewart's Year of the Cat around that time.

[interbellum]

I bought the Journey Through Time box set a few years ago, and had never heard any of their music prior to that. The '70s stuff with Max Werner singing is fantastic. Very well-composed, excellently played, and with lyrics that are often quite smart and unexpected. The Last Encore and Starlight Dancer are a bit more pop-oriented but still highly enjoyable. My only complain about that material is that they sound a bit muffled, especially the first couple. A remaster might help? I'd definitely spring for nice remastered editions of the first five with lyrics and essays in the booklet, etc., especially since the booklet to the box set is in Dutch. The real dream would be for Red Bullet to do something like they did with Focus where they released a box set with remastered editions of just the classic-era stuff and a nice English booklet. If that came out I might sell Journey Through Time on eBay.

The first three albums were remastered by Esoteric in 2012. Those weren't used for the boxset I believe.

[Progbear]

Problem was, Max Werner didn't want to sing anymore, because he couldn't stand his voice, which led him to drinking to much.

Apparently he changed his mind at some point as he wound up making a couple of solo albums in the 80s, even eking out a minor chart hit with “Rain in May.”

For the record, I actually quite like Edward Reekers’ voice. It may lack the “personality” of Max’s voice, but he has a rich and lovely tone. The musical quality took a bit of a hit during his tenure, but you still got some quality stuff on the level of “Daphne” and the title suite from Merlin, so I won’t gripe too much (in spite of the occasional yucky MOR glop like “If You Really Need Me Now”).

Great album. As I mentioned above parts of it remind me of ELO who were starting to get big at the time. In the U.S. Janus released it and I don't know if they had much promo muscle, although they broke Al Stewart's Year of the Cat around that time.

The re-recorded “Want You to Be Mine” was as close as they ever came to a U.S. hit, peaking at #55 on Billboard.

[Rarebird]

Apparently he changed his mind at some point as he wound up making a couple of solo albums in the 80s, even eking out a minor chart hit with “Rain in May.”

For the record, I actually quite like Edward Reekers’ voice. It may lack the “personality” of Max’s voice, but he has a rich and lovely tone. The musical quality took a bit of a hit during his tenure, but you still got some quality stuff on the level of “Daphne” and the title suite from Merlin, so I won’t gripe too much (in spite of the occasional yucky MOR glop like “If You Really Need Me Now”).

That is something I didn't really understand. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the writers in Kayak didn't really look at was comfortable for him to sing and singing something day after day live is perhaps different from doing it only in the studio.

[EBES]

The first three albums were remastered by Esoteric in 2012. Those weren't used for the boxset I believe.

Oh nice! Oddly two of those three albums come up "page not found" on the Esoteric catalog site. I was able to find the Esoteric release of See See the Sun on eBay though so when that arrives I'll see if it's worth the trouble and expense of finding the Esoteric versions of the other two. Too bad they didn't do Last Encore, that one's probably my favorite.

[JKL2000]

In case your looking for one of Kayak's wonderful classic tracks, Ballad for a Lost Friend, I could only find it on the album, Golden Years of Dutch Pop Music. The album btw is not Pop but mostly their early proggy stuff.

I have to add that I just LOVE Scherpenzeel's keyboard work, especially his piano on tracks like the beautiful Irene!

I think he's great on Camel's Stationary Traveler. I remember reading, I think in one of the reviews in the GEPR, that Royal Bed Bouncer was Kayak's proggiest, but I think the second album might be better.