Search - Kayak :: Singles

Enjoy This Generous Serving of Kayak

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 10/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kayak's output is divided in 2 eras: the EMI-era (1973-75, covering first 3 albums) and everyhting else. Due to continued contracutal legal tangling, there has never been a compilation covering both periods... until now! This generous serving (75 min.) covers most singles Kayak has issued. Tracks 1 through 6 come from the EMI-era, which in my opinion remains Kayak's best output. Lyrics, Mammoth and See See The Sun, from their stunning debut album See See The Sun (see my review there), are all instant classics and remain as fresh as when they came out.After the EMI-era, Kayak slowly but surely evolved from an album-oriented band with occasional singles, to a singles band with an occasional album to support it. That does not mean that the songs weren't great. Starlight Dancer, Ruthless Queen, and Phantom of the Night form a trilogy of dramatic music, wiht full orchestra to boot. Want You To Be Mine is Kayak's idea of a "disco" song (and enjoyable too!)The later-era songs are least fulfilling. Spetters is the hit from the soundtrack of the Dutch movie of the same name (directed by Paul Verhoeven, no less!). Rain in May is NOT a Kayak single, but a single from Max Werner, doing his best Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight" imitation.Finally, this compliation is smartly enough not titled "The Best of Kayak". Many essential album tracks, particuarly from the EMI-era, are not on here. Also, if this compliation competes with the "Classics" compilation (see my review there), there is an 8 song overlap between the two, but this clearly is the more complete and better singles overview of Kayak."