KAYAK
''MERLIN''
1981
45:24
1 Merlin 07:18
2 Tintagel 02:41
3 The Sword In The Stone 03:30
4 The King's Enchanter 02:40
5 Niniane (Lady Of The Lake) 07:17
6 Seagull 04:07
7 Boogie Heart 04:06
8 Now That We've Come This Far 04:24
9 Can't Afford To Lose 03:17
10 Love's Aglow 05:59
All Tracks By Ton Scherpenzeel, Lyrics by Ton Scherpenzeel And Irene Linders
Ton Scherpenzeel - Keyboards, backing vocals (lead vocals on "Love's Aglow")
Max Werner - Drums, percussion, backing vocals
Johan Slager - Electric & acoustic guitars, banjo, flute
Edward Reekers - Lead and backing vocals
Peter Scherpenzeel - Bass guitar, recorder
Irene Linders - Backing vocals
Katherine Lapthorn - Backing vocals
Guest musicians:
Rein v/d Broek - Brass instruments
Benny Behr - Strings
ABOUT THE ALBUM
BY WIKIPEDIA
Merlin is the eighth studio album by Dutch band Kayak. The first half of the original LP is a concept-story about Merlin the magician. The second half of the LP is a collection of individual songs.
In 2003, Kayak released a re-worked and longer version of the Merlin-story, under the title Merlin - Bard Of The Unseen.
REVIEW
by Dave Sleger / AMG
After two unabashed pop releases, this Kayak album marked a return to the progressive edge that was the foundation of the band's early success. Although this was the third release featuring lead vocalist Edward Reekers, who took over for Max Werner after Starlight Dancer, Merlin most closely resembles Kayak's pre-Reekers period. Considering the steadily declining quality exhibited on 1978's Phantom of the Night and 1980's Periscope Life, it was surprising that, amid the new wave craze, this band would return to its earlier form. That's a credit to songwriter and keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel, who recognized the condition Kayak was in and virtually single-handedly resuscitated the band, fully realizing that its demise was still inevitable. It's admirable for a band, knowing the end is near, to exit uncompromisingly, with dignity. Sure, a few pure pop numbers are peppered throughout this album, like "Seagull" and "Boogie Heart," but overall Merlin is defined by the more prog-leaning pieces like the title track, "Tintagel," and "The Sword in the Stone." While always a keyboard-dominated band, guitarist Johan Slager complemented the music nicely with tasteful and unassuming accents that filled out the group's sound appropriately. This album would give rise to one final live album, Eyewitness, but Merlin was the studio farewell for one of Holland's finest bands.
BIOGRAPHY
by Paul Collins / AMG
With their instrumental prowess and keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel's facility at writing lyrics in English, you might be forgiven for mistaking Kayak for a bunch of clever proggers from London. But this Dutch band began in 1968 in the city of Hilversum, where Scherpenzeel and drummer Pim Koopman attended a music conservatory. After the addition of guitarist Johan Slager, bassist Cees van Leeuwen, and vocalist Max Werner, the group solidified by 1972 and commenced recording. Stylistically they featured the instrumentation and chops of progressive acts like Yes and Genesis, but the pop song structures of Supertramp and the Alan Parsons Project; as time passed they increasingly favored the pop side of the equation. Royal Bed Bouncer, the most even balance between these two styles, was to be a commercial and artistic high point for the band. They continued to meet with minor success throughout the '70s on a variety of record labels, and in 1974 toured in support of Queen -- a move that influenced the flavor of their later work.
Like most progressive bands, Kayak never had a terribly stable lineup; at one point they went through three bassists in as many years. With Scherpenzeel as the sole constant, Kayak's first lineup also proved to be their finest; but Koopman's asthma forced him to retire in 1976, and Werner was so tortured by stage fright and unfounded doubts over his singing ability that he demanded the vacated drum chair for himself, leaving the vocal duties to new member Edward Reekers. Scherpenzeel's central role in the band eventually wore on the others, and Kayak fell apart in 1980. Scherpenzeel continued on to work with the English band Camel and then compose primarily for the theater. Koopman and Reekers worked in music production and performance; Werner left the stage to become a postal worker; and van Leeuwen became -- of all things -- a prominent lawyer. The band reunited in 1997 for a Dutch TV special, though no new recordings have yet emerged.
OFFICIAL SITE
2 Tintagel 02:41
3 The Sword In The Stone 03:30
4 The King's Enchanter 02:40
5 Niniane (Lady Of The Lake) 07:17
6 Seagull 04:07
7 Boogie Heart 04:06
8 Now That We've Come This Far 04:24
9 Can't Afford To Lose 03:17
10 Love's Aglow 05:59
All Tracks By Ton Scherpenzeel, Lyrics by Ton Scherpenzeel And Irene Linders
Ton Scherpenzeel - Keyboards, backing vocals (lead vocals on "Love's Aglow")
Max Werner - Drums, percussion, backing vocals
Johan Slager - Electric & acoustic guitars, banjo, flute
Edward Reekers - Lead and backing vocals
Peter Scherpenzeel - Bass guitar, recorder
Irene Linders - Backing vocals
Katherine Lapthorn - Backing vocals
Guest musicians:
Rein v/d Broek - Brass instruments
Benny Behr - Strings
ABOUT THE ALBUM
BY WIKIPEDIA
Merlin is the eighth studio album by Dutch band Kayak. The first half of the original LP is a concept-story about Merlin the magician. The second half of the LP is a collection of individual songs.
In 2003, Kayak released a re-worked and longer version of the Merlin-story, under the title Merlin - Bard Of The Unseen.
REVIEW
by Dave Sleger / AMG
After two unabashed pop releases, this Kayak album marked a return to the progressive edge that was the foundation of the band's early success. Although this was the third release featuring lead vocalist Edward Reekers, who took over for Max Werner after Starlight Dancer, Merlin most closely resembles Kayak's pre-Reekers period. Considering the steadily declining quality exhibited on 1978's Phantom of the Night and 1980's Periscope Life, it was surprising that, amid the new wave craze, this band would return to its earlier form. That's a credit to songwriter and keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel, who recognized the condition Kayak was in and virtually single-handedly resuscitated the band, fully realizing that its demise was still inevitable. It's admirable for a band, knowing the end is near, to exit uncompromisingly, with dignity. Sure, a few pure pop numbers are peppered throughout this album, like "Seagull" and "Boogie Heart," but overall Merlin is defined by the more prog-leaning pieces like the title track, "Tintagel," and "The Sword in the Stone." While always a keyboard-dominated band, guitarist Johan Slager complemented the music nicely with tasteful and unassuming accents that filled out the group's sound appropriately. This album would give rise to one final live album, Eyewitness, but Merlin was the studio farewell for one of Holland's finest bands.
BIOGRAPHY
by Paul Collins / AMG
With their instrumental prowess and keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel's facility at writing lyrics in English, you might be forgiven for mistaking Kayak for a bunch of clever proggers from London. But this Dutch band began in 1968 in the city of Hilversum, where Scherpenzeel and drummer Pim Koopman attended a music conservatory. After the addition of guitarist Johan Slager, bassist Cees van Leeuwen, and vocalist Max Werner, the group solidified by 1972 and commenced recording. Stylistically they featured the instrumentation and chops of progressive acts like Yes and Genesis, but the pop song structures of Supertramp and the Alan Parsons Project; as time passed they increasingly favored the pop side of the equation. Royal Bed Bouncer, the most even balance between these two styles, was to be a commercial and artistic high point for the band. They continued to meet with minor success throughout the '70s on a variety of record labels, and in 1974 toured in support of Queen -- a move that influenced the flavor of their later work.
Like most progressive bands, Kayak never had a terribly stable lineup; at one point they went through three bassists in as many years. With Scherpenzeel as the sole constant, Kayak's first lineup also proved to be their finest; but Koopman's asthma forced him to retire in 1976, and Werner was so tortured by stage fright and unfounded doubts over his singing ability that he demanded the vacated drum chair for himself, leaving the vocal duties to new member Edward Reekers. Scherpenzeel's central role in the band eventually wore on the others, and Kayak fell apart in 1980. Scherpenzeel continued on to work with the English band Camel and then compose primarily for the theater. Koopman and Reekers worked in music production and performance; Werner left the stage to become a postal worker; and van Leeuwen became -- of all things -- a prominent lawyer. The band reunited in 1997 for a Dutch TV special, though no new recordings have yet emerged.
OFFICIAL SITE
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