SECOND THOUGHTS

BROERS + KLAZINGA is a Dutch symphonic rock duo, expanded with a few additional musicians, which has existed since late 2014. Jacob BROERS is a pure keyboardist, while Gerben KLAZINGA (better known as the founder of KNIGHT AREA) is a multi-instrumentalist who adds all the other basic instruments to his keyboard arsenal.

They worked for five years before producing their first album, "Burdens of the Mind," which was completed in August 2020 but only released at the end of March 2021 due to the COVID pandemic. I listened to this first album to fully immerse myself in the music they composed, and it turns out to be noticeably inferior to the one we currently hear.

"Second Thoughts" is thus a sort of sequel, and we find on vocals the one who, for me, is one of the very best vocalists in the current progressive sphere, Mark SMIT (ex KNIGHT AREA), who also appeared on THE FOUNDATION's album at the end of 2023. As one might guess, we are here in the purest symphonic neo- progressive, a subgenre of progressive music that is easy to listen to. The Emersonian keyboard movement (listen to "Wait for Sleep" to convince yourself) or Wakemanian ("Shame") is more than present throughout the album.

The six-string guitar played by Mark BOGERT is not to be outdone, in a slightly metallic register (the final part of "Wait for Sleep" or "Forgotten" for example, the latter being the one I like the least on the entire album) or more often Rotheryian, therefore more flexible and loose. The welcome alternation of soft, mid-tempo passages and moments of heightened tension is the greatest quality of the Dutch duo's compositions.

This opus features some essential gems of the neo-progressive movement. First, "Delusional," a soft piano introduction like Mark Smit's vocals, a guitar solo that follows, before a piano reprise, Mark Bogert's guitar swirling in all directions, and an emotional symphonic crescendo of breathtaking beauty, to the point where you'd never want it to end?heavy, as today's "youngsters" say! "The Test of Time" follows in the same vein, with piano, soft and lyrical vocals, and drums at only 2:22. An ultra-Kayakian piece that stays in similar territory, a stunning six-string of immoderate lyricism, a real listening pleasure here too, five stars.

Let's also mention "Read Me," the penultimate piece in this very high-level work. It's a little more energetic than the two aforementioned tracks, but also has a high melodic content. The piano here is more hammered (a bit like the super tramp). Mark Smith is at the peak of his vocal powers, his range is phenomenal in every way. He could give singing lessons to many... I'm not aiming at anyone! Some will recognize themselves, others will modestly lower their gaze. For the record, the concluding track, "Iconoclast," is of the same level as the ones I've just dissected...

This "Second Thoughts" already claims an enviable place in the year-end charts, although it's only February; as far as I'm concerned, I'll have to be strong to dislodge it.

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