JAN AKKERMAN & KAZ LUX: ELIJan AkkermanJazz Rock/Fusion |
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It's hard to believe if you claim yourself as someone who loves vintage rock music for not liking this album. Yes, it's not that progressive or jazzy, but the feels and nuances of the music are really great.
At first I did not realize that this excellent album was backed up with talented musicians like Rick van Der Linden as well as singer Maggie McNeal.
On the basis how the composition was made and how the music flows in the entire album regardless it's progressive or not, I consider this one is an excellent album. Keep on proggin' ..!
Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW.
This is an incredible album. I discovered this album through Jan Akkerman, who is, in my opinion, one of the greatest guitarists. He has a completely unique sound that is full of life. I had no idea who Kaz Lux was before I came across this album, but boy, this guy has one incredible voice which elevates this album from great to masterpiece. Each piece flows beautifully from one to another and feels apart of a cohesive whole.
I'm no expert in music, so bare with me. I really don't know the story behind this album but it comes across as a loose concept album about a man named Eli, and that is about all I got for ya. The album starts off with Lux's excellent vocals on 'Eli' and the music really doesn't kick in until a couple of minutes in, and even when it does, it is quite subtle. 'Guardian Angel' is a bit funky and jazzy, and 'There He still goes' is a bit disco flavored. Then tracks like 'Wings of Strings' and 'Fairytale' are quite ambient for me. Lux delivers his lyrics with such enthusiasm that I often find myself repeating them long after the album has shut off, trying my best to imitate his exact pronunciation of lines such as "Pur-fec-tion" and "Eli, Please." Overall, you won't find any display of technical virtuosity. There are no crazy guitar solos, no tony Bank like synths, no ten minute plus epic to munch on. In fact, this album focuses more on moods, and it is quite quirky. Some of the lyrics Lux sings might come across as rather odd like when he begins to recount a time when he killed a fly. "Yea, I've been watching a fly die. He didn't know why he had to die," yet it completely works. The best way to describe this album is subtle. The music is lush, surprisingly minimalistic (not to be confused with pop) yet never boring.
This is a masterpiece in my eyes. I love it from start to finish and there is something quite profound hidden within its quirks. The standout tracks being 'Eli' and "Naked Actress.' Please, give this a listen.
"Tranquilizer" is an instrumental refreshment and while it doesn not bring much new, the track at least does not have any vocals.
Disco echoes come to surface on "There he goes". "Strindberg" is perhaps the best sung track with mellow keyboard arrangements and also one of the highlights. The remaining tracks are mainly instrumental but not of a high quality as they feel unfinished.
Overall, this album feels like it has not been written and produced with proper care, so 2 stars only.
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