Description
Lyricist: Job Tarenskeen.
Personnel: Ferdinand Bakker (vocals, guitar, electric violin, piano, keyboards); Job Tarenskeen (vocals, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, percussion, wind); Ronald Ottenhoff (flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, horns); Dick Franssen (piano, electric piano, organ, keyboards); Paul Weststraite (drums).
Recording information: De Lane Lea Music Centre, Wembley, London, England (08/1973).
Following hot on the heels of Alquin's critically acclaimed 1972 debut, MARKS, MOUNTAIN QUEEN arrived the following year, exciting enough attention in the U.K. for the Dutch band to appear on British TV show THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST. Like its predecessor, QUEEN is split between instrumentals and vocal tracks, but this time also divided equally between a trio of expansive numbers and three much shorter pieces. By far the most ambitious of the former is "The Dance," which opens the set in fine style, an extravaganza that, across its 13-plus minutes, swaggers from the heights of pomp rock to the shores of California pop/rock, grazes in folky fields, visits Chicago jazz clubs, and stops off in funkytown. A simultaneous nod to the Doors and Stax Records is just one of the piece's more intriguing twists. "Soft-Eyed Woman" captures guitarist Ferdinand Bakker at his most emotive, while "Don and Dewey" is a showcase for his equally impressive violin skills. "Convicts of the Air" is more a team effort that beautifully integrates bluesy rock with pastoral elements, a hint of the East, and plausible vocals. This time around, the group's arrangements are just complex enough to garner attention, while never overwhelming the mood of the songs, the beauty of the melodies, or the intended style. Barely a year had passed since their debut, but Alquin were already reaching maturity.
- Format: CD
- Genre: Rock
- Released: 1980-01-01