EARTH AND FIRE Atlantis + RARE OBI NM ORIG DUTCH PROGRESSIVE LP ACID PSYCH PROG

	£		41
	$		54

EARTH AND FIRE: ATLANTIS
Fantastic dutch '73 prog record. Loaded with dramatic keys (mellotron), guitars and soaring female vocals. 
Original Dutch pressing on POLYDOR with gorgeous gatefold cover. First press with purple inner.
This copy comes with the mega rare obi with the title of the album as it was too psychedelic to be read. Needless to say this obi is almost non-existant nowadays. 
The laminated gatefold sleeve is in NM condition apart from 3 cut outs (see 3rd picture) and the record is in NEAR MINT condition!!!

  Original 1973 first pressing in lavish artwork cover ... this is the third Lp by the great EARTH and FIRE. Their first three albums are ALL real gems in early '70s progressive rock containing incredible memorable melodies laced within fantastic adventuristic playing...Tuneful and rather seductive is Earth and Fire's Atlantis, a big heavenly album full of bright vocals and blithesome atmosphere you'd expect from Genesis or Yes at their most trippy. The sweeping nine part title is a well-planned collection of movements that samples symphonic rock, ersatz folk, romantic and highly infectious rock infusions and Giorgio Moroder-like drama. Jerney Kaagman's soaring voice captivates all the way through the album with the Koertz brothers firm compositions and more than competent vocal harmonies. 'Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight' is a good meeting of poprock/prog songsmithing with classic early '70s UK prog pageantry, and things slow way down for lugubrious 'Interlude' and 'Fanfare', helped by chiming 'Themes From Atlantis' as it parades proudly. As with many transition albums, "Atlantis" shows the group at its best in a perfect storm of conflict between at least 2 opposing forces. In this case it's the pyschedelic prog of its predecessor and the more infectiously crafted melodics material that would continue to impose itself in greater degree on the band throughout the seventies. Earth and Fire was somewhat unique in being artistically adept at both styles, although this album is very much to the more progressive side of their character. The title suite opens the album, and, similarities to "Song of the Marching Children" notwithstanding, it actually flows together better. Rather than having one awesome theme and a bunch of middling sections, Atlantis is pretty strong from beginning to end, and varies the tempo a little more, especially in the "Under a cloudy sky" part and its counterpart "Rumbling earth". The lead guitars are more prominent, with the omnipresent organ taking a bit more of a back seat. "Maybe Tomorrow Maybe Tonight" is the first hint at quality song craft, albeit with a progressive heart in its 5:46. Chiefly it is the chorus that tells us where Earth and Fire wants to go, as it is simple and catchy. But "Fanfare" is quite the opposite, a mysterious mellotron drenched song much closer to their progressive roots. "Love Please Close the Door" is a fascinating call and response between Jenny Kaagman and the band, one of the more intriguing tunes in their repertoire, once you get past the fact that it has no flow in it at all per se. While perhaps not as emblematic of an era as was "Song of the Marching Children", "Atlantis" is a more consistent album that sees Earth and Fire forge its own style even as it grapples with changing it in order to keep from becoming lost in the ocean of 70s rock.

This top notch Dutch band from The Hague had their pinnacle during the early Seventies when they delivered some outstanding 24 carat prog albums. EARTH & FIRE was founded by the twin brothers Chris (guitar) and Gerard (keyboards) Koerts in ‘68. Soon bass player Hans Ziech, drummer Kees Kalis and singer Lisette joined them. Unfortunately Lisette had to give up singing because of a serious eye-disease and Kees Kalis left. They were replaced by Ton v/d Kley and the beautiful, very sexy Jerney Kaagman. She was a discovery by GOLDEN EARRING singer Barry Hay, they knew each other from the blossoming rock scene in The Hague.When EARTH & FIRE had some modest succes with three Sixties poprock oriented singles “Seasons”, “Ruby is the one” and “Wild and exciting”, the band decided to become professionals. Gerard Koerts bought a Mellotron, this instrument changed the Dutch progrock history because EARTH & FIRE used it for a more lush symphonic keyboard sound. Eventually they developed a very unique progrock style (a bit similar to the French progrock band SANDROSE and UK band JULIAN’S TREATMENT featuring lots of organ, Mellotron, strong and sensitive electric guitar and distinctive vocals from Jerney Kaagman.The albums “Song of the Marching Children” and “Atlantis” belong to the best of the Dutch progrock history. The epic title tracks from both albums (between 16 and 19 minutes) are recommended: the sound is very warm and melodic with lots of changing atmospheres, accelerations and surprising breaks. The one moment you hear a mellow organ, twanging acoustic guitars and a fairy-like voice from Jerney, the other moment there are bombastic eruptions with majestic Mellotron, heavy floods of organ and some fiery electric guitar work, topped by the powerful voice of Jerney.

Tracklisting:
1. Atlantis (16:21)...a) Prelude - 0:53...b) Prologue (don't know) - 3:19...c) The rise and fall (under a cloudy sky) - 2:41...d) Theme of Atlantis - 3:40...e) The threat (suddenly) - 2:10...f) Destruction (rumbling from inside the Earth) - 2:57...g) Epilogue (don't know) - 0:412. Maybe tomorrow, maybe tonight (5:46)3. Interlude (1:48)4. Fanfare (3:33)5. Theme from Atlantis (1:51)6. Love, please close the door (4:12)

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