Customer Reviews

Very Best Album Ever

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4 star:		(3)
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You get 22 tracks (total time 78:41) of Brainbox here. The tracks are from 1968-1972. The opening track "Virgin" is a mean and very good song from 1971, Akkerman (from FOCUS) plays cool riffs ans steals the scene completely. The next track "Amsterdam, the first days" (1969) is even better. Here the melody is very 'funky' and Akkerman uses some kind of wah-wah effect on his guitar to great 'effect' for this blazing track. One of the reasons that prevented me from giving this solid collection a 5-star rating is the bluessongs that occure here and there. I really dont like blues, and these three-chord songs are only plesant to listen to because Akkerman plays the guitar and solos on them. But a track like "Sinner's prayer" (1969) will still be appreciated by most people.
"Dark rose" (1969) is another slightly bluesy track, it has some fluteplaying in it. "Down man" from 1968 was Brainbox' debutsingle, a good and 'groovy' track, reminding of Spooky Tooth or Cream in sound. Track 9 is a cool version of Gerswhins "Summertime" from (1969). Also worth mentioning is a cover of "Scarbrough Fair" (1969) with has some gentle fluteplaying in it also, and Akkermans great acoustic guitarplaying. "Sea of delight" from 1970 is another classic Brainboxtrack. It is here in the 'edited' version (3:03) than from the Brainbox album, the selftitled, that came 1970. All of the tracks from that album is included on this collection except the long version of "Sea of delight" that is 16:58(!).
I dont know the bands history that well, because the liner notes in the booklet are all in dutch. Too bad cos it would be nice to get some information about this great band. Guitarist Jan Akkerman later joined Focus and recorded the three masterpieces "Moving Waves", "Focus 3" and "Hamburger Concerto".
This is a great collection, and anyone who like bands like Cream, Traffic, Spooky Tooth and early 70's bands with lots of guitar and riffing. But there are not only songs in the slightly harder rock-style here, many songs are also calmer, more melodious which gives the album and the band a sound that spans over many styles and genres. This dutch band deserves more attention, and this comprehensive collection is the perfect introduction to this great band.

Brainbox originally featured Jan Akkerman who went on to focus fame later. They produced some very good songs that were hits in The Netherlands: Down Man, Dedicated To You, Smile (Old Friends Have A Right to) & Between Alpha & Omega. Their version of Summertime is excellent too. Singer Lux has a fine voice and his English certainly isn't as embarrassing as a lot of other Dutch singers. Brainbox only ever made 1 official album but you'll find all the important tracks on this compilation.

You'll hear Rudy de Queljoe and John Schuursma in the songs after 1969. Akkerman quit the band after a year.