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Arkus - 1914

Artist: Arkus
Title: 1914
Label: SI Music Simply 33
Length(s): 52 minutes
Year(s) of release: 1981/1993
Month of review: 06/1993

Line up

John Bouwman - bass, vocals
Frans Smits - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, 12-string shergold
Erik van Duin - drums, percussion, vocals
Ron Willems - lead guitar
Jan-Henk Wiggelinkhuizen - strings, organ, synthesizers

Tracks

1) Overture 4.13
2) Life 7.36
3) Scared 6.48
4) No Chance 8.29
5) Adorable Woman 6.14
6) 1914 5.47
7) Repudiation 5.35
8) Don't Break The Silence 7.30

Summary

A rerelease of a Dutch "classic".

The music

In addition to releasing new material SI Music also rereleases material and then mostly from the Netherlands. 1914 dates from 1981 and is a concept album based on a poem of Bert Voeten. For this release two songs have been added. The music of Arkus is guitar oriented. This does not lead to rock music as is obvious from the start. The music is dreamy, melodious and at times strongly emotional. The melodies are strong, the singing not accentless, but fits with the music. It is too bad that the music is so selfsimilar (possibly the concept idea is that guilty one there) and the cd tends to bore towards the end. Still a nice album with references to Camel and Eloy.

Conclusion

See above.
© Jurriaan Hage