ROYAL BED BOUNCER

It's been a while since I have given an album this kind of a review. I've had this album for several years and listened to it a few times and shelved it. You know how that goes when you have a bunch of prog and are in a bunch of different moods.

This past 2-3 weeks though, I've returned back to Kayak with a vengance. Gosh darn, their first several albums thru "Last Encore" are classics. And "Starlight dancer" is pretty good too. "Close to the fire" is also a fantastic album.

Back to "Royal Red Bouncer", I personally feel the first 10 tracks from the original album might quite possibly be one of the strongest 10 tracks to occupy a non-concept album. We have excellent short-lived melodies in the perfect 70's vein. The opening track "Royal Red Bouncer" sounds very "Genesis" ala-"Selling England by the Pound" or "Nursery cryme". A little too derivitave and forced. But still good. The album then picks up from tracks 2 thru the end and contains some of the most beautiful ballads put on a prog rock album. Some may debate the "progness" of gems like " Life of gold", "If this is your welcome", "Moments of Joy" and the ever heavenly/haunting closer "My heart has changed" which might be one of the most perfect 2.5 minute melodies to my ear. It's georgeous and sad all at the same time and has shades of melancholy like the incredible must-have Trader Horne album (from 1970). And "Patricia Anglaia" with it's wordless vocals (female it sounds like) would belong perfectly in some Sergio Leone "flashback scene" in one of those classic Spaghetti Westerns.

After the original 10 tracks, the cd has 9 bonus tracks which some have made their way on previous albums which are all gems too.

I think "richardh" above said it perfectly when he said "I don't think there is a better song based prog album in existence".

I totally agree.

This is by far one of the best albums I own in my collection. And that includes a collection of hundreds of the best italian, german, english, swedish, etc.. prog albums out there.

Without exaggeration/hesitation, this is just as strong as any of the best Beatles albums, etc.. If the Beatles (during their Abbey Road/White Album/Let it Be phase) had become a prog group, I'm thinking they would have sounded similar to this. And maybe not as good :-)

Gosh why can't they do music like this here in the USA. It makes me sad when I turn on the radio and hear Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, etc.. It makes even sadder when I see Rolling Stone articles naming the likes of "Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and all the American pop singers" as "The greatest talent in the history of mankind" while never considering to mention the thousands of prog albums/bands from Europe/South America/Asia/etc... Kayak is one of the best bands out there in my opinion.

Beautiful album. I'd give this 6 stars if it would allow me.