Light (1995)

[Neptune]

I looked for a thread on these guys, but didn't see one. If there is already one, please point me to it.

They came up on my radar after seeing their album being posted to YouTube by Prog Line. Dutch quartet that apparently only made one commercial album in 1995 before their label collapsed. Bassist and drummer are brothers.

Does anyone here remember listening to them back in 1995?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upqx9U22a0s

Besides just enjoying the music from a band I'd never heard of before, I get a lot of strange, mixed emotions when watching that.

1) with very listenable music like this, how in the hell they didn't make more than one album is beyond me

2) being from 1995, the "neo-prog"-ness is somewhat evident and puts me back in that time

3) the synth cords and timing at 10:08 (and elsewhere) really connect with me somehow - major goosebumps; one of those rare bits of music I come across that can't be played loud enough

4) that emotive guitar solo really kicks butt (even though the video is a bit out of time with the music)- beer bottle and all; it's seldom I can watch a solo this long while not getting bored, but this had me mesmerized

5) my heart goes out to them for not having gotten further commercially

6) are they all still alive

7) what are they doing now

8) any chance of hearing more / new material / album / reunion

etc.

Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fNfuth2zas

More info on the band at prog archives: http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6651

Facebook: https://facebook.com/symfobandlight

Any more information (possibly even from band members) would be very cool. History, stories...

I was surprised to find myself enjoying them as much as I did, because it just doesn't happen that often for me. I mean, I've been listening to a lot of good music lately from all the current prog greats, but somehow this old album is moving me over and above. I love the writing, the level of musicianship, timing, chords, emotion, adventures with real choir; somehow it all connects with me. Music is funny that way, isn't it?

In any case, I hope you find some enjoyment from them. I can't stop listening to it!

[Kai]

Does anyone here remember listening to them back in 1995?

No, but I got their album second hand a few years later. They were different from the (rather depressing) mainstream of neoprogressive acts at the time, but they never were a big hit with me. Too much uninteresting riffing and not enough melodic or compositional ideas to compensate. They did have interesting sounds and atmospheres, especially on the (over)long track with the orchestra. Emotional delivery. too, especially on the best tune "God on Wires", just not enough interesting content to back it up, IMO. I still return to the CD every couple of years.

Sorry, don't have any inside information about the band and I don't know what happened to them. I assume the demise of SI took some wind out of their sails.

[bob_32_116]

There is an album by Light called Dreams.... but they are not to be confused with Lightdreams or The Light Dreams.

[interbellum]

Here's some information from one of the writers of SI Magazine, which was related to SI Music, the label the album was released on:

Light - Light

Artist: Light
Title: Light
Label: SI Music SI3063-2
Length(s): 60 minutes
Year(s) of release: 1995
Month of review: 09/1995
Line up

Mario Driessen - guitar, vocals
Jeroen Kregting - keyboards, vocals
Randy van Dijk - bass, vocals
Jack van Dijk - drums.
Tracks

1) Following Eyes 4.19
2) Elephants On Tightrope 7.31
3) Carnivore Feast 3.44
4) Dreams 21.57
5) Dream On 4.43
6) God On Wires 7.22
7) Just Feelings 9.05
8) Juice Of Burning Meat 1.35
All music and lyrics but the chorales by Driessen. Chorales by Geert Christenhusz.

Summary

A Dutch debut on a Dutch label. Light has been a band going through numerous changes and having recorded quite a few demoes already (unfortunately none of those are in my possession, so I can't check on their progress). I really can't say more about them, so I best start with the music now:
The music

The album starts out powerfully with a strong melody and singer whose singing is mixed in the background, probably because the singing is only to make the music more accessible and is not important as such. There's something to say for that. The song is quite up-tempo and has some heavy parts. It works out very well. In this song Light approaches somewhat Wings of Steel in their early years. I like 'em for that.
The second track is almost instrumental or a track with a very long intro. It's quite heavy and full of guitarriffs, but doesn't really turn me on. Boring. The vocal part (after some 5 minutes) is sensitive and sad. It makes up for the first part with which I see little relation.

The third track (an instrumental) reminds me very much of the Steppes. It doesn't have the majesty of the Steppes and my problem with this track is that it doesn't flow.

The fourth track is their magnum opus (any fool can see that). It's the first track on an SI album featuring an actual living choir and orchestra. The first part of the track has a very peaceful atmosphere, slumbering you might say. The track is very melodic and has influences from both Flairck (overall atmosphere), Steve Hackett (guitar) and Wings of Steel (vocals). On first listen it sounds well alright, but after a few listens you get the hang of the thing. It has many recurrent and good melodies, the instrumentation as already said includes a choir and an orchestra and they do manage to pull of a cross fertalization of neo-prog and classical music. Very interesting.

As might be expected the fifth track starts out ripping. A song that again reminds of me of Wings of Steel, especially in the vocals, with exotic textures in the guitarwork. A lot of riffing and tempo changes in this one.

During the sixth track I find that the somewhat nasal voice of Driessen reminds me somewhat of Nik Kershaw, although the latter is rather more pronouncedly so. It's probably because of the relaxed uneventful nature of the first few minutes of this track. After a while the background vocals add a bit to the relish. Somewhat past halfway the track the vocals end and we get our first keyboardsolo of the album, after which we enter the doldrums, after which the song dies out.

Track seven starts out as love song, but is quite heavy as a matter of fact and really rips. The closing track is a little acoustic ditty. I like it, but it's not really something special.

Conclusion

A rather dubious effort, containing some worthwhile tracks like 1, 4 and 7, but unfortunately most tracks contain some parts that are not really in place (for instance 3 and the intro to 2). The problem seems to be that they tend to get lost sometimes in guitar meanderings that lead nowhere. I personally would like the album compositions more concise and to let the band improvise during gigs.
Something else that struck me was the use of melodies that sounded a bit exotic (India?). This can be compared to a band like Whistler Courbois Whistler that have taken this to the very limit in their instrumental metal music. It can be heard that Light comes from the same part of the country as Wings of Steel and that they have played together often. Still, Light is a bit more melodic and more off the beaten paths and also has influences from a band like Flairck or a man like Steve Hackett (especially in the guitar sound).

The results might have been better if more people were involved in the writing.

© Jurriaan Hage

http://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~hage...ews/light.html

[interbellum]

Some more information can be found on http://en.calameo.com/read/0027057435de1a6749023
File Under Symfo was originally a book, covering the Dutch progressive rock-movement, compiled by Carsten Busch, who planned to make an international version as well.

[Neptune]

Interesting reference in the File Under Symfo book, interbellum - thanks!

[Proglodite]

I got a CD-R of some demos in trade many, many moons ago. I don't remember the material being substantially different from the released album. They didn't break any new ground, but I found their material very enjoyable. Another one-album wonder that's somewhat similar on SI is Dilemma:

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=22152