Phantom of the Night

Personnel: Max Werner (vocals, keyboards, drums, percussion); Irene Linders (vocals, background vocals); Katherine Laphorn, Edward Reekers (vocals); Johan Slager (guitar); Ton Scherpenzeel (keyboards); Peter Scherpenzeel (bass guitar).
Photographer: Paul Natkin.
Arrangers: Dennis MacKay; Ton Scherpenzeel; Kayak.
Featuring slick harmonizing and heavily compressed drum, this release completed Kayak's transition to keyboard-based pop. The once-intricate bass playing is now almost absent from the mix, and odd times are forsaken for rigid 4/4 patterns. Despite this, the undistinguished single "Ruthless Queen" proved to be the band's biggest hit, nearing the top of the charts in Holland. Though Edward Reekers is consistently too squeaky-clean in his singing, "Journey Through Time" might satisfy old fans with its trading off of riffs between an off-kilter guitar hook and synth flutes. "Crime of Passion" marches over a martial piano line, and "No Man's Land" makes the most of a driving (if simple) rhythm section underlying needling guitar solos and warbling Hammond organ. If this album retains much interest, though, it's probably more for its original vinyl issue as a nifty picture disc than for the music on it. ~ Paul Collins