NIGHT VISION

Kayak's 'Night Vision' album came after their comeback with 'Close to the Fire' with Max Werner on vocals, the lead vocalist of their classic line-up of the seventies. On this album the band introduces Bert Heerink on vocals, former lead singer of eighties stadion metal group Vandenberg (of which I can recommend the third album 'Alibi'). All Kayak albums have a mixture of artsy pop and progressive rock elements, but the dividing line on 'Night Vision' is perhaps a bit fixed between the songs. The opener by Ton Scherpenzeel 'Icarus' is easily one of the best progressive epics the band ever created. The melancholic and lyrical 'Miracle Man' (about guru's) is also an instant succes. After that the band fires two melodic ballads, two artsy rock songs and yet another ballad before arriving by it's third highlight 'Tradition'. Another particularly well written progressive rock track, this time by Pim Koopman. Then follows a succession of songs in a downward slope, whilst the lyrics keep surprising on this album.

Now with a few progressive highlights this album is easily discarded, but I found that I keep returning to it. Songs like 'A Million Years', 'Water For Guns' , 'The Way of the World' and 'A Life without Parole' stay pleasant and enjoyable. The overall sound of the album is great and if you just skip on a few of the last songs it's overall quality is actually quite good. The main problem of this album is its place between the strong comeback album 'Close to the Fire' and their career's best concept albums; 'Merlin' and 'Nostradamus'. Kayak can make a fine progressive poprock album and this album should be seen in the tradition of the fine 'Phantom of the Night' album of 1978. I'm raising my rating to a strong 3,5 stars here.