STARLIGHT DANCER (US)

As what seems to be the case with most people, my introduction to Kayak was through the excellent album "Phantom of the Night". This album, once it grows on you, will possibly influence you to check out Kayak's discography, and you'll find out that the band got it's start in 1972 and then disbanded in 1982 after releasing around 9 albums. During this time, the band saw many line-up changes, but founder Ton Scherpenzeel has been the one constant through the years. Then, in 1999, they were invited to participate in a TV show, and they decided to re-form. Since then, they are still active and have released several more albums since. There are, as a result, many albums to choose from.

Kayak's music has pretty much been a progressive pop style, not unlike that of The Alan Parson's Project in the use of pop, prog, and symphonic styles that make you sit up and listen while not really realizing that you are listening to progressive music until you get to know it better. It is bright music, led mostly by piano and other keyboards, but also not afraid to let the guitar take charge along the way.

So, if you are interested in checking out their discography, the album "Starlight Dancer" can be a somewhat confusing affair. It was released in Europe in 1977, and another version was released in North America at the same time. Now, this was a practice that was done by the record companies quite often. The track line-ups on the different versions of "Starlight Dancer" are quite different, to the point of them being two different albums. This was done in order to pick out songs that the record company "Janus" thought would appeal more to the population of the US and Canada. Instead of replacing one or two songs, though, the NA version only kept 4 of the songs from the European version of the album, and on top of that, replaced two of those with "demo" versions of the original album tracks. These songs were the title track, "Turn the Tide" and demo versions of "Irene" and "I Want You to Be Mine" They also included a track not on the European album version that was only released as a b-side in Europe; "Ballad for a Lost Friend". The other 6 tracks all come from the previously released album "The Last Encore". As a result of this, the NA version of "Starlight Dancer" actually becomes a compilation, with most songs coming from the previous album, not the current album. To make things even more confusing, the album cover on the US version is the exact same as the album cover from "The Last Encore" (except for the album title).

So, this particular review is for the North American version of "Starlight Dancer". I have not been able to listen to the European version, so I don't know how to compare it to that one. However, this version demonstrates the direction that Ton wanted to take his band, and it includes some bright, prog pop tracks that those who listened to "Phantom of the Night" would probably expect, but also contains some nice, soaring ballads, all with the prog edge needed to keep them interesting, but with pop-centered riffs and melodies that will stick in your head, but in a good way.

The album begins and ends with the demo versions taken from the recording sessions from 1977. Why the label decided to use the demo versions is unknown, but they both sound quite finished to me without hearing the finished versions of them. "I Want You to Be Mine" is a good opener and prepares the listener for the signature prog-pop sound of the band. "Ballad for a Lost Friend" is a bit more like a ballad which picks up later in the song and one of my favorites from the album. By the time you get to "Nothingness" you are ready for something not so bright, and you get it here with a soaring and sweet ballad which carries over somewhat in the next track that grows off of that.

The title track opens up the 2nd side with what is probably the best track on the album. At this point, more of the symphonic style is added in though throughout the album you have heard the use of the string ensemble, you'll really notice it here along with the Alan Parson's Project similarities. After this, the tracks are a bit shorter and begin to sound alike as they continue in this manner with the bright prog-pop they are known for. Things cool down a bit for the softer and flowing instrumental, the demo version of "Irene" which closes the album.

Just as is the case with most of Kayak's music, this album spotlights that pop-prog sound with the right mix of symphonic and folk influences that make it feel like, on first listen, that you are not even hearing prog. But as you become more familiar with it, you start to notice the non-standard phrasing and lyrical tendencies and the other subtle things the band uses to give it a light amount of complexity. As with most of their albums, it is a very pleasant listen, not at all challenging, yet not groundbreaking at all either. Many hard-core progressive fans will not like this because it is quite light on the progressiveness, but if you enjoy the lighter side of prog, then you should know this band because this is what they specialize in.