THE SUN ALSO RISES

Growing up, Gerben Klazinga was influenced by his older brother Joop, who listened to progressive rock bands like Camel, King Crimson and Barclay James Harvest. Soon, Gerben was studying classical piano (and bashing drums in his spare time) and Joop took up the flute. It was approximately 1982 when the brothers created the concepts for The Sun Also Rises. Joop would take up a new career, though, and Gerben formed the symphonic band Sangamo. During 2000, Gerben began writing songs for his solo project Knight Area, which is a translation of the Dutch word ridderbuurt, the street where he lives. The story is about a boy in search of his identity (to some extent an autobiographical saga). Accompanying Gerben on the album are the following musicians: Mark Smit (Miracle) on vocals, Peter van Heijningen (Toyz) and Jeroen Hogenboom (ex-Sangamo) on guitars, Ron van der Bas (Toyz) and Gijs Koopman (ex- Cliffhanger) on bass, Mark van Nieuwenhuizen (ex-Sangamo) on drums and Joop on flute. The Sun Also Rises was recorded and produced at KnightArea Studios in Holland. The album begins with an intro that sounds more like a brief interlude, and you can hear the prog rock influence immediately. The second track, "The Gate of Eternity," continues the light prog flavor, with some interesting lead guitar work by Heijningen- he has a style the likes of which I have not heard before. The break at the 4:30 mark is also intriguing-they pick up the guitars a bit and edge closer to metal. Is it just me, or does Smit sound quite a bit like James LaBrie here? If you like pretty singing, you're going to get your fill on this album. On "Conspiracy," Gerben takes center stage on keyboards, busting out his disc of retro 70s sounds. The lyrics here indicate that he might have had some conflicts with Christianity in his life: "One more thing to do/Unbelievable, but true/And educate the church in a contradictory point of view/No more hide and no more seek." Gerben again impresses on keyboards on "Forever Now." Prog rock fans love instrumentation, and there is plenty to be found here. Listening to the opening sections of the title track, I am reminded of Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. I love the way Gerben comes in on both the keyboards and drums at the 3:25 mark. Again, Tony Banks and Phil Collins come to mind. More light metal riffing on "Conviction," with a chorus straight out of Joe Lynn Turner's playbook. On "Mortal Brow," Smit is joined on vocals by Stephanie Lagrande. It's a nice change of pace and I almost wish Gerben had taken a Gary Hughes-esque approach to this album and let multiple vocalists perform. The concluding melody is strong and the band patiently jams through it until the song fades. Piano and flute are prominent on "A New Day At Last (For Ferry)," as the Brothers Klazinga get their groove on. As earlier, though, my attention is drawn to the nifty lead work of Heijningen. The closer, "Saevis Tranquillis In Undis," is a peaceful instrumental that takes the listener out gently. Fans of bands like Spock's Beard, Arena, and IQ should like The Sun Also Rises a great deal. Those of you who prefer heavier prog rock in the Rush or King Crimson vein, however, will probably feel Knight Area is just a bit too soft for your taste. Currently, Gerben is involved in other musical projects such as Jukebox Night, performing with Heijningen. He's picked the right man. There is definite chemistry between the two, and it will be interesting to see what musical directions they choose to pursue from here.