Musicology

Alquin - The Mountain Queen 1973

Following hot on the heels of Alquin's critically acclaimed 1972 debut, Marks, Mountain Queen arrived the next year, exciting enough attention in the U.K. for the Dutch band to appear on Britain's legendary The Old Grey Whistle Test TV show. Like its predecessor, Queen was 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 was "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 is just one of the piece's more intriguing twists. This kind of genre-bending also featured on Marks, most notably on the live track "Mr. Barnum Junior's Magnificent and Fabulous City," which Alquin now took into the studio, emerging with a rousing showcase for each member's individual musical prowess. Less successful is the title track, a pop/rocker lacking both a strong melody and a forceful frontman; only when the piece shifts into an instrumental and other genres does it excite any interest. But if "Mountain Queen" is somewhat disappointing, the remaining shorter pieces more than make up for it. "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. AMG.

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