GEVECHT MET DE ENGEL [AKA: THE LADY'S BACK]

FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM

How inspired and determined fellow collaborator ClemofNazareth must have been to add this captivating but for non-Dutch progheads a bit elusive Dutch progressive folk band, looking at the painstaking task to add the many albums Flairck released since 1978 and the few reviews I notice until now. After the release of their stunning debut LP entitled Variaties Op Een Dame (1978) the band appeared on almost every famous Dutch tv-programm, we all loved their exciting and virtuosic progfolk and I was blown away during the frequent gigs in my hometown The Hague. In 1980 Flairck released their eagerly awaited second effort entitled Gevecht Met De Engel, it means Battle With The Angel and points at the play between a lady and a gentleman. The sound is in the vein of their highly acclaimed debut LP but even more virtuosic, exciting and well balanced, you can hear that the band has played together for a long period because of the many gigs and rehearsals between their first and second album.

1. Oost-west Express (East-West Express, it speculates on an agreement between Eastern - and Western Europe) (4:49) : The album starts with a wonderful and moving blend of twanging acoustic guitar, pan flute, violin and fretless bass, then shifting moods that range from mellow with melancholical overtones to a cheerful mid-tempo, in the end we can enjoy a swirling panflute solo, what an awesome climax!

2. De Vlinder (The Butterfly, based upon an Irish melody) (7:25) : First a beautiful dreamy part featuring sitar and harp, the folky atmosphere is emphasized by the distinctive sound of the bagpipe. Next Flairck their trademark: a propulsive, very exciting blend of acoustic rhythm-guitar, violin and panflute, the interplay is outstanding and especially the acoustic bass work is a great driving force in Flairck their sound.

3. Voor Antoinette (For Antoinette, a tribute to Antoinette Hensey) (2:08) : This short piece delivers very warm work on 6 - and 12-string acoustic guitars by the Visser Brothers, a wonderful folky sound.

4. De Stoomwals (Steam Engine Waltz) (7:13) : This track alternates between dreamy with twanging guitars/melancholical flute and violin and propulsive with powerful acoustic rhythm-guitar and swirling interplay between flute, violin and bass, very exciting.

5. Gevecht Met De Engel. Like on their first album Flairck arranged one long composition, devided into 3 parts, in my opinion this is Flarck in its full splendor!

Deel I (8:25) : A bit sultry climate with obvious Spanish undertones because of the flamenco guitar and the castagnettes, wonderfully blended with the flute and violin, pretty adventurous progressive folk music. Then twanging 12-string guitars and flute (evoking early Genesis), soon joined by the warm sound of a classical guitar. After an exciting accellaration we can enjoy great interplay between flute and violin, very beautiful.

Deel II (8:35) : This part sounds like a tribute to the world of the Spanish guitar (Tarrega/Sor/Albeniz) delivering wonderful duo-classical guitar and a virtuosic twanging guitar sound. Then breathtaking interplay between the tremolo guitar and moving violinwork (goose bumps!) and in the end flute, twanging acoustic guitars and violin, a very warm folky climate.

Deel III (5:28) : Great interplay and a very melodic sound with Spanish undertones, the build-up is excellent and very exciting, especially the accellaration with flute and acoustic rhythm-guitar and a dramatic grand finale with swirling flute and violin, propulsive bass and rhytm-guitar, topped by the bombastic sound of timpanis, what an awesome composition!

A MASTERPIECE OF PROGFOLK MUSIC... FROM HOLLAND!

Share this FLAIRCK review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to erik neuteboom
• Report this review (#181718)
• Buy FLAIRCK music online with PA partners
• Show all FLAIRCK MP3/Stream
• Go to FLAIRCK page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Gevecht Met De Engel [Aka: The Lady's Back] page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for FLAIRCK related discussions