ATLANTIS

1973 followup to "Song of the Marching Children", but I felt it was just a notch down. The album, entitled "Atlantis", of course, is a concept album on the rise and destruction of Atlantis (something ELOY would do four years later for their album "Ocean"). This album is pretty much in the same vein as its predecessor, so really little has changed in the band in those two years. Even the lineup is the same (Jerney Kaagman, twin brothers Chris and Gerard Koerts, bassist Hans Ziech, and drummer Ton v.d. Kleij).

The album opens up with the side length title track, which actually sounds like a collection of separate songs, but still works quite well. Great vocals from Jerney Kaagman as usual, and the ever presence of Mellotron. The music of course, tells to story of Atlantis, the birth, and the destruction thereof. The second half of the album mostly consists of non- related music, with the exception of a recurring theme. One song, "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight" is without a doubt, the most pop-oriented number on this album. I am not pulling your chain that this song sounds a whole lot like SPANKY & OUR GANG (it reminds me of "Sunday Will Never Be the Same"). Of course, unlike that CHICAGO folk-pop band that's often derided as little than a second-rate MAMAS & THE PAPPAS, this song has Mellotron, to let people know this is a prog rock band. There's the much more progressive "Fanfare", with enough Mellotron to keep anyone happy. "Love, Please Close the Door" is a nice acoustic ballad that closes the album. Great album, nonetheless, even "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight", and if you're new to EARTH & FIRE, I suggest you get both this album and "Song of the Marching Children" in one go.

If there is a good album... then, this is it! far the best E&F work, with its mellotron swoops, sweet vocals, intricate drum/bass parts, smouldering guitar lines and spellbounding songs. The main suite is a bit dull in places, but the title track rocks and roars still, while Love Please Close The Door may be named the Best Band's Song Ever

Give this album another halfstar. Although almost a carbon copy of its predecessor , I find this album less worthy but still worth a listen for mellotrons fanatics. As I said in the review of Marching Children, the over-use of Mellotrons is simply too much as this is almost another showcase for that instrument alone.

The eponymous side-long suite has the same flaws as the one in the preceeding album full of delicate moments but maybe too delicate/precious (in the bad sense of the word) to truly enjoy. A useless Prelude , a clicheed Prologue (now there is a redundancy if I ever heard one : Prelude+Prologue) the main theme all too classically inspired , weak vocals composition during Rumbling ..... the lists goes on to stop this from being really and truely a masterpiece..... More like a Prog rock troubleshooting manual . Most progheads into symphonic prog will disagree with this but this is the way I feel about E&F in general along with the many borrowings to classical masters and the mellotron indigestion. Side 2 is rather different with relatively weaker and shorter numbers with one track reprising the main theme of side1 : did I hear the word pointless. Fanfare is again almost a mellotron solo.

So with so many flaws , you might want to ask why I still rate this not that bad..... well because this album does have its charm (this is also true of its predecessor) and does have enough qualities that I did not mention because of the flaws that will remain unspoken by other reviewers.

Earth & Fire keeps on building on the same foundations. An epic song, a great commercial pop tune and a couple of good songs to release a good album. Sounds familiar.

OK, this is probably right. Still, for the mellotron lovers (but not only) the title track "Atlantis" will be a very sweet moment. It is a very diverse song; it sounds almost as there is little links between the seven parts. "Rise And Fall" (hummm, I have already heard this...) is one my preferred excerpts. Very interesting keyboards. The most beautiful one, is the gorgeous "Theme From Atlantis" of course. An extraordinary harmony, but this is symphonic rock, right ?

"The Threat" is a bit weak in comparison. Almost grotesque at times. I can't really be too much enthusiast about "Destruction". The poppiest part of the whole song. It actually sounds more as a collage than as a truely epic. For the fianl touch, some crystal clear vocals during the "Epilogue". It is obvious that the band is willing to reproduce "Song From The Marching Children".

I will get acquainted to the band with the next song "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight". A phenomenal symphonic prog pop song (is this a new genre ?). It will pave the way for several other of their great pop songs. This song was frequently aired on the radio. How much I loved it !

It features fantastic vocals (but you know my feeling about Jerney), great keyboard riff and a sublime guitar break. When you SEE them performed, the charm (hi Jerney) fully operates. On top of her great voice, she is so ... beautiful. OK, OK...

The short "Interlude" is pleasant but not really essential while "Fanfare" is of course of another caliber. The third good number : fully in-line with the most symphonic of their music. The finale of the song is just wonderful. Superb mellotron. If, like me, you are found of this instrument, you'll just love it (by the way, this song is over six minutes not the short timing shown in the tracklist).

The closing number features a very quiet intro with acoustic guitar and aerial vocals (very much Grace oriented - once again).

This album is short. Even by 1973 standards (just to put things in perspective, "Selling" was over fifty-five minutes). This has been an Earth & Fire trade mark so far. Maybe a lack of creativity ?

Three stars.

As with many transition albums, "Atlantis" shows the group at its best in a perfect storm of conflict between at least 2 opposing forces. In this case it's the psychedelic prog of its predecessor and the more pop oriented material that would continue to impose itself in greater degree on the band throughout the seventies. Earth and Fire was somewhat unique in being artistically adept at both styles, although this album still tends to the more progressive side of their character.

The title suite opens the album, and, similarities to "Song of the Marching Children" notwithstanding, it actually flows together better. Rather than having one awesome theme and a bunch of middling sections, Atlantis is pretty strong from beginning to end, and varies the tempo a little more, especially in the "Under a cloudy sky" part and its counterpart "Rumbling earth". The lead guitars are more prominent, with the omnipresent organ taking a bit more of a back seat.

"Maybe Tomorrow Maybe Tonight" is the first hint at quality pop, albeit with a progressive heart in its 5:46. Chiefly it is the chorus that tells us where Earth and Fire wants to go, as it is simple and catchy. But "Fanfare" is quite the opposite, a mysterious mellotron drenched song much closer to their progressive roots. "Love Please Close the Door" is a fascinating call and response between Kaagman and the band, one of the more intriguing tunes in their repertoire, once you get past the fact that it has no flow in it at all per se.

While perhaps not as emblematic of an era as was "Song of the Marching Children", "Atlantis" is a more consistent album that sees Earth and Fire forge its own style even as it grapples with changing it in order to keep from becoming lost in the ocean of 1970s rock.

Earth & Fire is a band from Holland - from Hague city and deliver some very good symphonic progressive music. Founded by brothers Chris on guitar and Gerard on keybords in 1968. Atlantis is their third album and maybe along with the next one from 1975 the best from thier symphonic era. Later releases were more towards pop and the decline was at the door around late '70's. So Atlantis feature some nice compositions, the title track is around 17 minutes of pure symphonic prog and the best piece from here, another hit of that times and a tune chart for the band was Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight, an almost a pop tune very positive and catchy, the rest of the pieces are ok . The music is dominated by keyboards and guitars and the fine and sweet voice of Jerney Kaagman. So a 3 star album for me, a good one but nothing groundbreaking for symphonic prog listners, only good to listen from time to time. Still recommended if you like the golden era of prog , the '70's.

Tuneful and rather seductive is Earth and Fire's Atlantis, a big heavenly album full of bright vocals and blithesome atmosphere you'd expect from Yes at their most trippy, the Beach Boys, and the distinctive Northern European affectations later heard in Isildurs Bane. The sweeping nine part title is a well-planned collection of movements that samples symphonic rock, ersatz folk, romantic pop and Giorgio Moroder-like drama. Jerney Kaagman's soaring voice captivates all the way through the album with the Koertz Bros. firm compositions and more than competent vocal harmonies. 'Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight' is a good meeting of pop songsmithing with ELP's pageantry, and things slow way down for lugubrious 'Interlude' and 'Fanfare', helped by chiming 'Themes From Atlantis' as it parades proudly.

Not necessarily something to put on the wish list but the music is satisfying generally, and Holland's Earth and Fire represents a time when this kind of grandness was, at least in Europe, welcomed by many with open arms.

Earth and Fire was a major Dutch band that went through the adapted to the musical fashions it live through; starting as a psychedelic rock band, turning into a symphonic prog band in the early seventies and ending up being an electric funk-pop group towards the end of its career. Lead singer 'Jerney Kaagman' has a distinct untrained but outspoken voice, which is both the bands main attraction and its Achilles heel. The compositions are full of organs and mellotron by Gerard Koerts and the melodic rock guitar of his brother Chris Koerts sound fine as well, though neither sound as fully formed as for instance the musicians of Focus, Finch or Kayak. For an album released in 1973 it sounds already quite dated, with a sound that is perhaps best compared to Genesis' 'Trespass' album from 1970. Yet, despite its obvious flaws, I would recommend seeking out Earth and Fire's two symphonic prog albums. 'Atlantis' has a side-long suite about the fall of Atlantis with some catchy vocal moments, Abba-like sympo-pop and symphonic prog galore. I prefer the second side, which opens with the hammond organ-drenched hit 'Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight'. My favorite songs of the album are however the moody Crimsonian 'Interlude / Fanfare' which revives that darker 'Storm and Thunder' vibe and the intense ballad 'Love, Please Close The Door'. With the voice of Kaagman often on the point of breaking up the band does deliver a cerebral performance that sticks by. My guess is that you have to be either a Dutchman yourself or particularly sensitive to Earth and Fire's drift to enjoy this album, but it surely is a keeper for me.

This was EARTH AND FIRE's follow-up to their classic "Song Of The Marching Children". It's similar in style to that one but in my opinion not nearly as good. The highlights for me are the mellotron and female vocals but neither are enough to save this one from being simply average.

"Atlantis" is the side long opener that features strummed guitar and vocals a minute in. It's fuller with mellotron before 2 minutes. Guitar is back after 3 minutes. Vocals are back 4 1/2 minutes in as it picks up. A calm before 7 minutes with flute. It kicks back in at 8 minutes. Guitar before 10 minutes. Vocals 11 minutes in as it settles. Guitar 13 minutes. Vocals are back. It settles 16 minutes to the end.

"Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight" opens with heavy drums and organ. Vocals follow. Guitar solo after 1 1/2 minutes. "Interlude" is dreamy early with mellotron. "Fanfare" is dominated by drums and vocals. Drums, guitar and mellotron standout on the instrumental "Theme From Atlantis". "Love, Please Close The Door" opens with acoustic guitar as reserved vocals join in. Lots of mellotron 2 1/2 minutes in.

Barely 3 stars as far as i'm concerned.

Given this album's reputation as one of their more progressive releases, I was a bit disappointed by it overall. The band has admitted it was kind of rushed, and it sounds like it. The title suite on the first side has some really nice moments, but the main theme pops up a little too often and it isn't that arresting a melody anyway. The second side, with titles like "Interlude", "Theme From Atlantis", and "Fanfare" even looks like a group of disjointed ideas without an overall structure to cling to.

With that criticism out of the way, I will say that Earth and Fire is one of my favorite bands, so pardon me if I expect fantastic things from them. As I said, the title suite does have a couple of interesting and charming melodies, and you certainly shouldn't be too disappointed if this is the first thing you've heard by them. And "Fanfare" is actually a fine piece of instrumental prog, so no serious complaints there.

The album also contains the single "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight", the latest in a line of superb pop/prog crossover singles the band delivered during the 1970s As per usual with this band, the chorus of the song is very strong and catchy. It's not one of my favorite singles, but it's actually a standout track on this otherwise confused album. "Love, Please Close the Door" ends the album with a pretty ballad that's quite nice but still doesn't leave too much of an impression.

Overall, a good album, but they've done much better.

Earth And Fire´s third album gave the impression of a very good rock band trying hard to produce a progressive work. To me they did not quite suceed, although Atlantis is not a failure either. The side long suite for instance is an interesing step forward in their career and quite ambitious. It still feels like a bunch of songs put together, but it did work better here than on their previous one, the much more praised Song Of The Marching Children. the concept was new then, and would be explored a lot in the future by several bands (including Eloy in their succesful Ocean, of 1977). It´s nice, it has all the right elements, but again the feeling is that of the band did not have the maturity or skills to produce such demanding opus, specially considering the competition at the time (Yes, Genesis, ELP).

They did not forsake their pop past, as stuff like Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight leaves little doubt about it. still, the symphonic prog feeling is all around and you have to appaluse their efford. Even that track has a different middle part as to prove thier decision to sound ´serious´ or something like that. Fanfarre and the instrumental Interlude are clearly other attempts to sound more avant guard, but not exactly better than they were before, if you know what I mean. Even the acoustic Love, Please Close The Door is drenched with mellotrons and variations, and still don´t quite work as it should.

Conclusion: good, but not essential in any way. 3 stars.

Although still a fine quality album, the third Earth and Fire album `Atlantis' is a little bit unmemorable and slightly dull compared to the stunning two albums that preceded it. The Pink Floyd and Jefferson Airplane influences have had a pinch of the dark majesty of King Crimson thrown on top, and although the album has a gorgeous production, typical talented playing and the usual fine singing from the stunning Jerney Kaagman, it all comes across as a little tired, as if some of the life has been sucked out of the band. Whereas `Song of the Marching Children' showed a huge progression and newfound maturity from the debut album, `Atlantis' seems like `more of the same that worked last time', even if it is still pleasantly listenable.

This time beginning with a side long piece, `Atlantis' is full of imperial sounding guitar and constantly reprised Mellotron themes, jazzy and upbeat sunshine folk, Genesis-like reflective flute and skipping organ, hazy ragged psychedelic pop and grand orchestral arrangements. Lovely Jerney sounds so confident and varied on this! But although certainly ambitious, the piece sounds like a bunch of fragments joined together with no real cohesion or purpose. All those fragments individually sound fine, but it's more like an unsuccessful attempt to recreate what they did so well on the long title track from the previous album. It also has a total dud ending, with no big work up to a suitably powerful climax that the piece really needed.

Despite lovely thick organ, funky wah-wah guitar and a stomping drumbeat, I don't have much love for `Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight'. I find the chorus extremely cheesy, so it's lucky there's some nice instrumental moments in the brief Brian May/Queen inspired guitar solo in the middle and a little Mellotron in the finale. Not my favourite of their poppier pieces, and I usually really dig those.

Better is `Interlude', a loving restrained and tasteful Mellotron breeze with gentle Pink Floyd-like guitar touches. Truly wonderful! `Fanfare' fades in from this piece with slightly threatening Rick Wright styled organ and downbeat bass, a ghostly and serious vocal from Jerney calling from the background. Slow and heavy commanding guitar riffs punch through the dreamy and sinister Mellotron fuelled atmosphere. There's mucky circus trumpets and snapping percussion similar to King Crimson's `Lizard' on this one too!

The Koerts brothers provide us with another terrific (but far too short!) instrumental in the brooding and dramatic `Theme From Atlantis', full of regal churning heavy guitar melodies. The album wraps on the pretty `Love, Please Close The Door' which alternates between Crimson `Cadence and Cascade'-like dreamy ballad and quirky upbeat diversions. It kind of awkwardly hangs together, but the placid classical acoustic guitar and affectionate vocal from Jerney disguise what is a rather messy and strung-together piece.

My LP copy is actually called `Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight' and confusingly swaps the first and second sides! The fact that this version is named after the catchy single from the album suggests the record company was really pushing the album based on the hopeful success of that piece! I wonder if it worked?

Although not as good as the previous two albums or the next one `To The World Of The Future', `Atlantis' is still a solid progressive album by a wonderful band. By all means add this one to your collection after those other three, and you'll still have a good quality work that compliments them well, even if it lacks a little of the true Earth and Fire magic.

Three stars nonetheless!

''Song of the marching children'' sold very well and so did its promoting singles, Earth & Fire had to do nothing else than keeping the stride of progressive grandieur within their music.Their next album ''Atlantis'' was recorded at the Phonogram Studios in Hilversum and presented a concept work about the rise and fall of a lost civilization called Atlantis.Polydor had no intention to leave the band move away after the good selling numbers and the album was released in March 1973 again by the specific label.

Not only did they kept their excellent symphonic style of their sophomore effort, but Earth & Fire decided also to exhibit the same structure considering the pieces on the album, so ''Atlantis'' opens with the eponymous sidelong track, which sounds a tad less dramatic than ''Song for the marching children'', but its equally good in terms of musicianship.First and foremost Gerard Koerts' powerful KING CRIMSON-ian Mellotron strings are on full display and Chris Koerts's slightly raw yet melodic guitar solos carry the symphonic vibe all the way in a track, that also contains lots of light organ themes, certain Classical influences and Jerney Kaagman's unique vocals.16 minutes of intense Progressive Rock, great composition in the tradition of Classical Music, featuring thematic changes and variations and a nice atmospheric depth.The rest of the way is a bit more conventional with slight Psych-Pop elements sneaking in between the orchestral moments.The keyboard work now sounds somewhere along the lines of THE MOODY BLUES and EKSEPTION, featuring plenty of Classical-spiced organs and more dramatic Mellotron parts, like on the great ''Fanfare'', the element that was rather discreet in the sidelong piece.At this point they also remind me of FOCUS, the two bands shared the same taste for ethereal Symphonic Rock and grandiose keyboard orchestrations with electroacoustic changes and instrumental pomposity.

Beautiful work.I can't really say its on par with the previous album, ''Song of the marching children'' sounds more of a complete work, but ''Atlantis'' is also a strong and melodramatic Progressive Rock effort.Especially if this one pops out as your first experience of Earth & Fire's music, you'll love it.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

First to say, the logotype mixture of the band name and the album title is awesome. :D

Journey to Atlantis, a great journey for me. It's very surprising the evaluation for the album "Atlantis" would not be so high and decent as I've expected, even though it was released just after Earth And Fire's masterpiece "Song Of The Marching Children". Surely the longest titled track (upon the entire A Side) plays the role of the signboard of this creation with colourful passions and appearances (hard rock, folk, symphonic, psychedelic, and so on). The first melodic attack along with Chris' crying guitar plays would absorb the audience conspicuously. Sounds like Japanese Enka flooded with emotional, tragic texture ... it might be a tad rare a suite gets started with such a strict sadness of melody lines. As the suite goes ahead, the guitar essays will explode more and more emotionally. Jerney's voices are not so perfect but our heart would get attracted deeply, especially in the part "Destruction" drenched in fruitful soundscape. Who cannot appreciate this suite eh?

On the other side ... a couple of melodic gems are upon the B Side really, let's listen. "Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight" is one of the most popular, most acceptable songs of all upon their career. Gerard's keyboard / mellotron play is crazy delightful and drives other instruments / voices more and more of uptempo. In the last phase of "Fanfare" following a psychic sound drama "Interlude", some mysterious, sorrowful phrases drag the audience into the Earth like Classical polyphony or canon (obviously the Baroque scene had exerted much influence upon their creativity). Jerney's fragile but enthusiastic voices give definite power to us in solitude. "Theme From Atlantis" sounds like another excerpt of the magnificent A-Side suite but mystic rites not heard before should be there definitely. The epilogue of this album "Love, Please Close The Door" quite suitable for the suite finale might feature solemn "down-to-the earth" I suppose.

For me this Symphonic Progressive Crystal can be called as one of cornerstones, like the previous masterpiece of Earth And Fire.