TRACE

By many a almost forgotten group with good roots in the far more known Focus. Listening to Traces debut-album even today brings many good feelings to vibrate. Maybe not so demanding as Focus could be, but more of a salute to one of prog-rocks roots, classical music. The way Rick van der Linden moves through a melody : floating, attacking, but never really resting, has always intrigued lovers of the big and wonderful sound coming from his keyboards. In fact no matter what his playing this seems to lift the music further and further. But this is no van der Linden solo-album. Not at all. The sound coming from the rhythmics by these three musicians are tight, warm and produced with a clear, fat sound. Perfect collaboration. Listening to the first track Gaillarde sets the beat perfectly and follows to the very end of this incredible good album from 1974.