Kayak

Out Of This World

(InsideOutMusic)

8/10

By Decibel Report - May 6, 2021

Longevity is something purveyors of progressive music know all about, and I’m not talking about the length of some of the epic tracks. It’s the enduring appeal of many groups, to a hardcore of fans, that keeps this musical movement advancing. Kayak is one such band that has a dedicated fan base who have kept the faith throughout their many releases. Fittingly, there is a wealth of musical riches to indulge in on this stylistically varied new release.

 A cascade of piano notes, harmonising with slick guitar licks, suitably opens this eighteenth album of top-grade symphonic progressive music by these Dutch genre masters. Grand as the piano upon which bandleader, and recent heart attack survivor, Ton Schepenzeel no doubt essayed these tracks, the drama of the title song opens the studio door to a supple masterclass of  proggy pomp. Second song in and the jaunty earworm vibe of Waiting adds further proof with its catchy rock hook, on which lead singer Bart Schwertmann excels, to reveal an upward progression from their also impressive 2018 album Seventeen.

The symphonic elements orchestrated by Scherpenzeel’s commanding synths rear their majestic head throughout this densely layered record. The panoply of theatrical musicianship by all players, who confidently control the varied time signatures across complicated arrangements, rise to the demands of these multi-faceted compositions as Under The Scar, Critical Mass, and the intriguing Prog/AOR crossover tones on Mystery detail.

Not just an album of long and adventurous tracks, as a deft counterpoint there is a backing cast of seductive songs that take a softer approach to reach their stately destinations such as The Crow Flies, The Way She Said Goodbye, and the orchestrations on The Distance To Your Heart. By presenting a failed love affair in a gothic song title, Traitor’s Gate adds a touch of fun to this serious and detailed music with a dash of splendid guitar by Marcel Singor.

In the pursuit of excellence, no band is complete without a dexterous and intelligent drummer and recruiting Hans Eijkenaar Kayak possess the right replacement for original member Pim Koopman. Both Eijkenaar and agile bassist Kristoffer Gildenlow bolt the bottom end and level up with a spirited display. Also impressive is the adept layering of harmony vocals by all front of stage players.

Yet it’s Ton’s imperial use of lush and searing synths at this album’s core that harks back to a purple phase of progressive music’s spellbinding dominance across these fifteen tracks. As showstopping proof, the monumental A Writer’s Tale encapsulates all the essential musical ingredients of what this palindromic Dutch entity cooks up as one the elite exponents of Symphonic and Progressive Rock extant.

Perhaps pruning a song or two - at the very most - would render this a more concise and potent release. However, being a band on this consistent and scintillating form their fans will feel that more is more as Kayak majestically row their own boat with their singular soundscapes on this rangy and satisfying recording.