DARK SIDE OF THE DUCK

Have listened to THE CD loads and loads (after I'd managed to get the tomatoes cleaned off the CD platter) and it proves that the arch exponent of thinking-man's keyboard driven instrumental prog rock is alive and well and living in Asheldham. My only criticism is it's a good length album for vinyl but too, too short for CD (and my car journey into work). Actually I think it's quite an eclectic collection of tracks that hangs together rather well as an album - Mr Morgan should definitely give up his day job.

"Leylines" (track 3) was already familiar from an original '80s Yak tape now sadly long since unplayable (how long before we're saying that about CDs?) - but I like this re-recorded version - initially my favorite track due to the familiarity I think (and the splendid new oriental motif MvM has sneaked in near the beginning). However, my current favorite is actually the first track "Theme" (I'm listening to it as I write). A short but wonderfully evocative piece, with echoes of Brian Eno and Barber's Adagio for Strings - sounds particularly fine when played at a reasonable volume (or unreasonable, if you're my wife) on the decent hi-fi. "Aragorn" is another stunning track with a sweeping theme that captures the majesty and strength of its subject.

It's difficult to pigeon-hole Yak. The sound has been likened to Camel and there is a distinctive Bardens influence there. I would in no way categorise Yak as "a tribute band" - but I think there are some nice tributes to Bardens in MvM's music.

This is a great proggy album and as the doleful piano appeggios of the last track "the Swan" die away all too soon, you are left wanting more... roll on the next album.

This really is a little gem of an album. Highly recommended.

Well balanced tracks that evoke memories of keyboard artists such as Eddie Jobson (UK/Curved Air), Tony Banks (Genesis) John Beck (It Bites) whilst still retaining a sound and arrangement all of its own.

All tracks are worthy of praise, from the atmospheric introduction track "Theme", through to the moving last track "The Swan" and its difficult, to pick a single favourite.

However, if pushed for only one track I could add to a compilation of Artists, I might opt for the excellent 'Frustration', or 'Earthogrub' - probably!

A very easy to access album, whether whilst driving or to wind down at home.

This should be in your collection, so don't mess about - go and get it!

I would highly recommend this as an excellent listen !! I have found it addictive and liken some of the tracks to one of my all time favourite bands 'Focus' - I hope this is a compliment. Very much looking forward to the next release.

Ambient symphonic, with clear influences of Pink Floyd (not just in title) Brian Eno, some Camel and kindred soft symphonic bands, but not as good as mentioned bands. Of course this is an album released years after the original writing, and the artist is still enthousiastic about his work, and rightfully so, for despite my low rating it's not all bad.

Some nice melodies and themes run through the mix, but the pace in which the songs develop is a bit too fast, especially the drum sounds rather contrived and high paced. The album is all instrumental, mainly focussing on piano/keyboard melodies, some people may like it, but it really is music light, and some nice melodies can't save this album.

If you like Brian Eno's ambient records of the late 70's and some Camelesque instrumentals, and don't mind some cheese. this album might be interesting, but don't expect similar quality as mentioned bands.

I admittedly do not know a lot about the band or the history of the unrecorded UK band YAK, but the keyboard based interpretations of this lost music as performed by their founder and keyboardist Martin Morgan is highly convincing. Performed all from Morgan's keyboards this music is an instrumental odyssey into the work of the music of YAK. In many ways the music on this CD reminds me of Canada's Ken Baird (of course without the vocals) with his host of keyboards and keen sense of melodicism. Obviously YAK were highly influenced by the music of GENESIS with many of their musical mannerisms running thru their music. It was really a darn shame that the original band did not make an official recording as I am sure it would to this day be regarded as perhaps the one that got away. Martin Morgan's keyboard work and sounds are fantastic and IMHO is a great CD to listen and in so way sounds like a CASIO concerto (like many do !). For CD order info and/or contact info please contact Martin directly at www.yaksongs.com.

Theme I'm always interested in instrumental music with ambient qualities and this opener hits the spot with its minimalist Eno overtones. There's great depth of tone utilising simple yet wonderfully powerful chords creating an intense atmosphere. I'm hooked already! Aragorn This track has the first introduction to the superb piano sound used throughout the album. The track has some great orchestral brass lines. A highlight too is the excellent synth line doing a great interpretation of an electric guitar. The drums are quite superb - clear and precise - as are the synth bass and percussion. Overall this track reminds me of UK (though I can't put my finger exactly why!) with a hint of the IQ precursor The Lens. Great melodies, counter melodies and harmonies. Leylines of Yak A definite ELP sounding introduction preludes a Wakemanesque solo fest of driving keyboards interspersed with more laid back passages of pure compositional skill. The way this track seamlessly travels from start to finish is just excellent. Top musicianship and a top track. Yakrise I can't quite place what this track reminds me of. The Enid perhaps? Maybe its the orchestral intro which oozes classical finesse. In comes the drums and a pulsing bass line and a series of musical interludes which remind me of a Tony Banks structured solo a la "The Cinema Show" or similar. Again the drums and bass are exemplary. Foot tapping progressive rock at its best - probably my favourite on the album. Frustration Bruford around the "One of a Kind" era is what this reminds me of with lots of great bass synth guitar runs which Jeff Berlin would be proud off (perhaps!) and the drums are just perfect again. The fade in of the rhythm half way through is so effective. The sequence segues into a tranquil piano piece and a great track is concluded. Migration Pulsing synth bass introduces a melody which sticks in your head forever! Included here is a synth guitar solo which is really well observed sharing melodic duties with flute lines. A short but memorable piece of music. Earthogrub Synth atmospheres kick off a track which can only be described as complete prog rock heaven. Great piano jams, synth solos, and changing time signatures which never sound contrived which is quite a trick! This piece of music highlights your skill as a musician and composer. Another of my favourites. The Swan This is a piano piece which has a definite Satie feel. Think "Gymnopodie No.1". However it is far from a minimalist track and includes much, much more in the way of melody and synth embellishments which gives it a really unusual character. It is certainly different from the other tracks on the album and that is no criticism as it probably my absolute favourite. To Conclude It is obvious Martin is a talented musician and has a delicate but expert feel for composition. The drum programming is unequalled (I've not heard programmed drums anywhere which sound so good) and the synthesis of bass and guitar lines is proof of his musicianship. It hardly needs mentioning that the keyboard / piano playing is top notch. The crisp production is excellent and makes me very jealous! Any negatives? Not really - maybe a bit short but CDs are always far too long these days - full of substandard fillers. "Dark Side of the Duck" doesn't contain fillers. It is all very good indeed. I look forward to future projects.

Once upon a time in the late 70s and early 80s there was a band called 'Yak'. Bit of an odd name for a band but, from listening to this album, the music that they played wasn't bad at all. Unfortunately, the band didn't last long due to circumstances in the lives of the different band members. However, one musician remained with his heart in the music to the extent where he took it upon himself to keep composing and recording: that's Martin Morgan- an amazing person and extra friendly too! If I were in his shoes, I'd be heart-broken if the band I was in split up, but Martin's not the type of person to mope about it. Instead he gets down to business when an idea pops into his head and remains prolific in all that he does. As much as I love this album, my stereo hates it. The only radio in my house that this cd works on is a broken one.which is very bizarre indeed. This made it rather difficult to analyze or review as it's hard to concentrate with little girls running around.but (as you can see) I managed. Probably that's what happens to cds that have travelled from the other side of the world. Likewise, this is an instrumental album! *SQUEAK* Usually I'm so girly as to focus on the lyrics and the meaning/story behind the song. Of course there's a meaning behind each piece of music, be it with lyrics or no, but words are one of my focus areas. (I'm a 'make-believe' poet. Go figure.) So this is just to warn any readers that if this review lacks finesse- that'd be why. Don't get me wrong- I love instrumentals! But when it comes to analysing it- I'm a dodo. So here we go.my first take at reviewing an instrumental album.

Theme: This is a very atmospheric beginning to the album. We hear the chink of bells, the type that strangely remind me of Buddhism, and the rushing of winds. The synth-strings play a gorgeous melody with slow crescendos. This track has all the elements of 'meditation group' music. When the underlying chord changes we hear the wind again. I give this starting track a full thumbs-up for its beautiful yet strangely spooky chordal progression.

Aragorn: Plonking block-chords on the piano are heard but the synthesized trumpet and the strings in the background emphasize the pianos sound. It's simple but wonderfully relaxing and it kinda reminds me of The Great Gig in the Sky from Dark Side of the MOON. An electric-guitar-sounding synth improvises with the same melody. When the drums come in, the piece reaches its peak in coolness and the guitar plays an even stylier tune. Flutes are heard afterwards- sounding fabulous as they add an even gentler tone. Then the melody progresses and the drums pick-up again. Here, the flute and guitar improvise and then a synth brings us back to what we heard at the aforementioned 'peak'. This piece is one of my favourites on this album and very proggy- there are some amazing melodies heard on this one! Apparently he found it helpful to hum good-sounding tunes into a tape-recorder he carried round with him in order to compose this one: an ingenious idea if you ask me. Why did he call it Aragorn? Possibly a love of Lord Of the Rings - which is doubly cool as I love that too.

Leylines of Yak: SUDDENLY!!!.that's what the upbeat start says to us. Scarily fast drums and what appears to be a programmed-in keyboard heard playing a recurring melody. Then the beat changes and a synth-guitar comes in to show-off. Later, everything quietens down and the synth dwindles off. The bass should be mentioned here- it may be in the background but it's hard to deny how jazzy and funky it sounds. Guitar comes in, then the drums pick-up again and a keyboard melody that seems to reminds me of Genesis' Cinema Show dances away- stealing the show. The ending is great: from a deep synth to pretty 'tinkling' sounds.

Yakrise: What appears to be a synth-flute sings over the top of a piano playing a happy and scary melody. Plonking block-chords yet again heard on the piano: a technique which is heard often on this album. Normally it would irritate me if it was over-used but Martin sure knows how to 'feel' the music when his hands touch the keys. As for the chordal progression.well.it's all 'happy and scary' which makes it perfect for my ears. At the start everything seems rather eerie..but SUDDENLY!!! (aha- I knew that word would pop-up again) the drums come in with a very 80s beat which bring us to an electric guitar which plays over a keyboard and a piano. In other words it's very 'altogether now' at this point. The piano proceeds to play arpeggiating chords with the drums but it returns to block-chords and the key changes after a synth sings over the top of it and the electric guitar begins to whine some more. Again, I am reminded of The Cinema Show. The ending is very apocalyptic- probably to give us the impression of a beautiful sunrise? The wind that we heard in Theme is also heard again. This, and Leylines of Yak, are two tracks that show how much like Tony Banks Martin Morgan can be. However, Martin is unique and, in a way, superior to Tony Banks because he focuses on what the beat gives him the ability to do in his piano playing . He's much more innovative in this way but not at all pretentious!

Frustration: 80s drums beat and we're instantly given a melody which is not unlike that of Yakrise. The fast drums sound almost the same as Leylines of Yak but the synth acts differently here. The bass plays a more 'bent' melody- jazzy and 'cooler'. Out of this world, after the synth rises, the crescendo of a sound- effect is heard. At this point, the melody of the whinning guitar from Yakrise and the bass rises too. Then it plays in the background to a repeating melody but a different chord-change. A piano comes in, NOT playing block-chords but changing arpeggios. Here we find another example of how gentle and soulful Martin can be when playing the piano.

Migration: A new kind of drum beat which is snare-rim friendly (I think) is heard with a keyboard. Is that a bird-tweet before the synth which makes its grand entrance? Well.this whole album seems to circulate around BIRDS after all! Martin Morgan puts his trust in the fantastic chord changes for his song. He lets them control the melody. The song reaches its peak when the flutes come in but that's quite near to the end of the track. The keyboard and drum beat fades out but we hear the sound of Raining!

Earthogrub: The beginning reminds me of the start of 'I know what I Like' from Genesis. Its hard not to compare as it starts with that same eerie crescendo of a sound coming from nowhere. Then piano playing arises: very fast like Keith Emerson and very staccato. The synth is my favourite in this track as it 'flashes' and makes the music even better. Then the bass changes the beat and the piano plays synchronised block-chords. What appears to be a freaky synth-flute spins a melody over the top. Then another synth with a rather sharp tone plays, hyped-up drums in the background, but only for a short time as we're brought back to the dying -out synth that we heard coming in at the start.

The Swan: This is that last track and it is the most gorgeous. A sad, tragic, echoing piano plays a beautiful tune. The echoing effects can really get to you. To me, the melody is, not the same, but *reminiscent* of the love theme from The Dark Crystal (I love that film). This seems to be a simple melody: arpeggios in the left hand, passing on to the right and the top of the piano taking the melody. However, I can tell (through experience) that it's also the type of tune that one sits down to the piano to try and figure out.only to go 'S**t this is harder than I thought!' The atmospheric effects used in this piece of music give it the finishing touches- perfect for the ending track of the album. This piece uses the 'tragic beauty' convention: the ugly duckling turns into a swan.

Martin Morgan is definitely an animal-lover. Proabably.because that's his job. When he's not playing the piano like an angel he could possibly be making another shelter for Shetland ponies. In this album- the concept focuses on birds, or at least that's what one gathers from words such as Migration, Earthogrub, Swan, not to mention the incredible changing of Pink Floyd's best album.DUCK! Martin is a great inspiration to me- he taught me how to play what I've always wanted to play on the piano and, in a way, got me back into being a musician in general.

This album may take its time to grow on you but when you realise it was all done by ONE MAN, for every single instrument you hear, what can you say? Give it a listen and be overwhelmed!

This CD was a real nice surprise for me. To be honest I only bought it to support the charity that benefits from its sale & I wasn't actually expecting too much from the music.

Firstly the sound quality was a shock as this is obviously a home made effort, but is actually very good quality. Professional production would have improved it I think, but it is really fine as it is.

The music was a surprise too as although the album is short at 32 minutes, the 8 tracks are all quite different to my ears anyway, and range from themes with a meditation type of quality to rather complex runs, time signatures & solos. All being done on the keyboard, I was expecting it to sound like just that, but I actually think the drums and bass lines are realistic enough and it certainly doesn't sound like a case of using copy and paste add nausium as with most drum machine stuff.

The 1st track uses a lush strings sound which carry a nostalgic theme which fades to wind & a distant haunting descending run. The second track, Aragorn, starts on piano & sounds quite orchestral. The drums come in & the piece has a very strong melody which is picked up by the guitar part. It changes at the end, but fades on one of the original melodies - good stirring piece. Leylines of Yak needs a few play throughs to "get" but is a really progressive piece IMO that chops & changes all the way through, some spectacular keyboard runs in this one.

Yakrise is my favourite & starts very quietly with piano & flute. After the "intro" the track starts with a bang & this one has some very "camel" drumming in it together with good melodies & a genesisy (if that's a word) feel to the solo. A guitar takes over at the end & it fades to wind noise.

Frustration is different again, great drumwork (for a keyboard!) and plenty of different sections. The piano at the end is a simple but evocative theme. Migration has another good theme to it & Earthogrub (?) sounds a bit ELP to me. The closing piece, "the Swan" is a piano piece with some effects, this one is pure melancholy a good closing track to this collection of pieces.

Overall I have rated this as a 4 as it was such a great surprise and I am still humming the themes as I type. I have read that the band is re-forming or has already done so and I, like many of the other reviewers of this one, would really like to hear it done with real instruments (not that the keyboard wasn't real of course).

Also, of course, there are few CD's you can buy where ALL the cover price goes to charity - with materials costs being borne by the band. Great cause too. Looking forward to the next one now!

Andi

Yak were a particularly obscure band from the first wave of neo-prog who broke up in 1984 leaving only a few scratchy demo tapes to their name. Cornerstone of the band Martin Morgan was keen to make sure the band's compositions survived in a much more audibly palatable form, so on this debut release from the Yak - 19 years after the breakup! - he set about reconstructing the best of the demo compositions himself.

This multi-instrumentalist task he succeeds at admirably - in particular, I'm impressed with the way he's able to make the drum machine feel like a real drummer - and the end result shows Yak to have been a very interesting band in their time. As the band name implies, there's a big influence from classic-era Camel at work, which takes their instrumental Genesis/Steve Hackettisms a la The Lens in a new and interesting direction.

At the same time, there's no denying that this first pass at putting out some Yak content fit for human ears has its rough edges. It certainly sounds much clearer than some scratchy 1980s-vintage demo tapes would - but this also means that it's possible to hear the shortcomings of Morgan's equipment. He can go some way towards covering for this - like I said, the drum machine is quite well-executed here - but not all the way.