KAYAK

The first three Kayak albums are being considered by many as Kayak's best output. This compilation is very well balanced in the sense that all the three albums are equally presented. Even more important: it is a tasteful compilation, because in general really the best tracks of the albums have been chosen. I'd say that the only real highlight that is missing on the album, is Lovely Luna from the first album.

Kayak is not a 100% prog rock band, because they were not as experimental as some other classic prog bands. Still, they had their own sound, and they had very melodious and sometimes also long stretched songs, and a singer with a very characterictic, biting, voice (from the late '70's on they have a more traditional singer), and on top of the standard rock instruments they made use of acoustic piano, mellotron, minimoog, and recorder on the later albums. Many symphonic prog fans will like them! They have a heavy keyboard presence as well, and keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel, also known from Camel, is a very good player.

If you want to check out Kayak's early works, than this might be a good place to start. Still, for many it would be best to have the original albums anyway, because all three are excellent in their own respect. Then I would suggest to start with the first album, which is the most progressive, then listen to the second transitional album, and then the third which is the least progressive of the three but the most dynamic and powerful in sound.

But the bottomline is: this is an excellent compilation album of the early Kayak - albums.