Earth & Fire / Alquin

Earth & Fire – Earth & Fire / Song of the Marching Children / Atlantis
Alquin – Marks/The Mountain Queen
Esoteric

A fascinating example of how Prog was different the world over but true to itself. Every country had its own Prog movement, often building from the Psychedelic bands and local mixtures of Blues and Folk – Greece had Aphrodite’s Child, France had bands such as Magma, Germany gave us Amon Duul and Holland was no different with bands as diverse as Focus and Golden Earring.

Into the Dutch mix went Earth & Fire and in many respects they were the most interesting.
Their sound has a lot of the characteristic elements of Prog – keyboards and synths abound and the 'songs’ move further and further away from the 3 minute pop song format and into 'concepts’ that allow the band’s music to develop and breathe. All of the individual musicians are obviously highly talented but the keyboards playing of Gerard Koerts and the guitar playing of his brother Chris together with the rich and strong vocals of Jerney Kaagman – her voice like a Teutonic Grace Slick – gives the band’s sound a real character.

The three albums released here by Esoteric have distinct identities. The first, 'Earth & Fire’, is very much a progressive Blues band with a powerful vocal by Kaagman and a lot of Brian Auger influences but it is the West Coast stylings that really catch the ear and the result is a curious but somehow very satisfying confection.
'Song Of The Marching Children’ has a lot of the sound of the first album but the development is remarkable: this is a band that has built on its strengths and found a new story – this time a concept album around the circle of life and the band use new technology – Mellotron and 'Effects’ – to add to their sound rather than replace what they already had. There is a sense of wonder to Kaagman’s vocals and a slightly acid-tinge to the flutes and organ rills. Thoroughly delightful and the core track 'Song Of The Marching Children’ itself’ – is a Prog classic.
At first listen 'Atlantis’ has a very Folky feel to it but the concept is well developed and the album bears repeated listening very well. It doesn’t have the 'newness’ of 'Songs,.’ But the band have obviously heard the music that was happening elsewhere and incorporated new sounds and themes into their sound and 'Fanfare’ is a real delight.

As ever, the packaging is excellent and the quality of the remastering is superb – any lovers of Prog should really investigate these in their own right and not just as Euro-Curios – they really are very good.

Esoteric have also issued two albums by Alquin – 'Marks’ & 'The Mountain Queen’ – which show another side to Dutch Prog; Jazz influenced where Earth & Fire have more Folk and Psych in their makeup, both albums have a lot to offer but are less 'Dutch’ in their sound. 'Marks’ has a lot of the sound of British bands such as Colosseum or Nucleus. 'The Mountain Queen’ is a glorious Nice flavoured blast of progressive rock and the flute playing could have adorned any of Jethro Tull’s best work.
The tracks have more of a symphonic feel than Earth & Fire’s work but Alquin stand up very strongly on their own – if you prefer King Crimson to Yes they could be much more to your liking.