| Artist: | Kayak |
| Title: | See See The Sun |
| Label: | Pseudonym CDP 1024 DD |
| Length(s): | 53 minutes |
| Year(s) of release: | 1973/1995 |
| Month of review: | 12/1995 |
| 1) | Reason For It All | 6.29 |
| 2) | Lyrics | 3.42 |
| 3) | Mouldy Wood | 5.16 |
| 4) | Lovely Luna | 8.19 |
| 5) | Hope For A Life | 6.49 |
| 6) | Ballet Of The Cripple | 4.39 |
| 7) | Forever Is A Lonely Thought | 5.26 |
| 8) | Mammoth | 2.57 |
| 9) | See See The Sun | 4.13 |
| 10) | Still Try To Write A Book (bonus) | 2.01 |
| 11) | Give It A Name (bonus) | 2.44 |
What about the music on this album then. Well, suffice to say that this is a good album. Many of the tracks are quite short (unlike the Yes music of that time) and a few are long. Still, the most important part of the music with Kayak are the keys and melodies played by Ton Scherpenzeel and not the guitar or the bass as was more usual for Dutch bands (Focus, Finch) and which they shared somewhat with Earth and Fire. The latter band however is quite serious and more sensual than the Supertrampish approach Kayak takes.
What about the music on this album then. Vocal harmonies are quite often used on this album (like Yes!). Max Werner has a very distinctive voice that might not be to everyone's liking and I have to admit that I like Edward Reekers better as a vocalist.
As is easily heard in the first track the sound of Kayak is also distinctly classically influenced (middle part). In the more monotonous parts I'm reminded a lot of the Alan Parsons Project in its better days (I Robot era). This first track however good it sounds at times, has the tendency to get lost after a while.
The more concise tracks like Lyrics are also quite good without much showmanship that was always abound with progressive bands in the early days. Lyrics by the way is about the trouble of writing good lyrics for a song in decent English.
Another often used idea for a lyric is a painting a rather pessimistic view of mankind and this planet. Mouldy Wood and a later track like Chance for a Lifetime are examples of these. The track can be quite quirky especially in the vocals. The guitarmelody is typically Kayak however.
The strong point of Kayak is and has been a strong song directed approach notwithstanding the length of the song and a very good sense of melody. Really, where they get them I don't know, but just about any song in has a very memorable melody, from master composer Ton Scherpenzeel, but also from Pim Koopman. In this sense you can compare them favourably to a band like Supertramp. Also a band with a symphonic sound, a sense of humour and a song directed approach. Kayak is more symphonic however.
The long Lovely Luna starts out very lyrically, slowly and almost sleepy. The middle part is very melodic with choirs of aaahh's and oooh's. At the end we're put back to sleep.
In the next track it's a competition between the classical piano and a strong driving guitar riff with the echoed vocals of Werner. Also a track that is a bit too long and hasn't enough ideas to make it a good track in all. But the piano part and the guitar solo in the middle make up for a lot.
The bouncy Ballet of the Cripple has some Genesis influences. Again a strange song with some very pronounced organ and good melodies.
Forever is a Lonely Thought is an attractive ballad again about the music business: What does it take, to sell a pretty song. Takes weeks of thinking, seeming twice as long. The song is very slowmoving with lots of mellotron and the rhythm is like waves crashing on a beach.
Mammoth is another of their singles (yes, they also released singles, and they even sold a few of them). It's quite up-tempo and also rather funny. This track is worth of mention because it introduces for the first (and last) time a BARRELL ORGAN into progressive rock. A playful and adventurous track. The track also features some very pronounced bass playing.
The closing track of the original album is rather anthemic and a sort of a singalong with again that APP approach to music.
The first bonus track is bouncy and reminds me of the Beatles to be honest, a bit in the style of Lucy in the Sky, maybe. Quirky.
The last track is meant especially for me. Give it a Name refers to the fact that reviewers tend to classify what they hear. Personally I think this is necessary in print, because otherwise conveying what a band sounds like is impossible. Still I take it to heart (or too hard?). They also criticize the fact that the mood of the critic is more important than anything else and they are absolutely right there (which is the reason why I try to refer to similar artists, instead of saying that I like it, because tomorrow I might not anymore). I haven't said it yet and I'll say it again: reviewing is no exact science....yet. The track itself is not very good and rather not like Kayak. Koopman sings on this track. Reminds me of Joe Jackson in his ironic moods or maybe of Richard Sinclair with Caravan.