TRACE "TRACE"

Artist: Trace
Album: Trace
Company: Sire
Catalog: SASD-7004
Year: 1974
Genre: progressive
Grade: *** (3 stars)
Condition: VG+ cover / VG+ LP
Comments: foil cover; original inner sleeve
Quantity available: 1
Price: $15,00

Kicked out of the band Ekseption, in 1973 former frontman/keyboardist Rick van der Linden decided to form his own band.  Recruiting drummer Pierre van der Linden who had just left Focus (unhappy with the band's musical direction) and ex-Cuby & the Blizzards multi-instrumentalist Jaap van Eik, the trio adopted the name Trace and promptly found themselves signed by Philips (which happened to be Focus' label).  Sire Records acquired US distribution rights

 

Anyone into Ekseption, or Focus would probably find 1974's self-produced "Trace" enjoyable.  Like those other groups, this largely instrumental set offered up a mixture of classical (lots of Bach) and progressive influences. Rick van der Linden was responsible for writing most of the material, his Hammond B3 organ dominating the collection (his synthesizer moves far less impressive).  While fans seem to rave over Rick's moves, his domination of the proceedings effectively left the other two members stuck in the shadows, though 'Gare le Corbeau' provided Eijk with a bass solo, while 'The Last Past was essentially an extended (and unnecessary) Pierre van der Linden drums solo.  While nothing here was particularly original or mesmerizing, all of the performances were technically impressive, with parts of the opener 'Gaillarde' borrowing heavily from Bach's 'Italian Concerto in F Major', the extended Progression' suite and the opening section of 'Final Trace' (recalling something out of the Procol Harum cannon, standing as the creative highpoints. Elsewhere, while their English was occasionally fractured, the song-by-song descriptions found on the inner sleeve were interesting.  As an example, the curiously titled 'The Death of Ace' was a reflection of the group's original name choice, while the weird sound found at the end of 'The Escape of the Piper' reflected a set of bagpipes hooked up to a vacuum cleaner.  Certainly enjoyable, but not the five star masterpiece many fans would have you believe.

 

"Trace" track listing:
(side 1) 

1.) Gaillarde (instrumental)

     a) Gaillarde   (J.S. Bach) - 6:22
     b) Gare le corbeau   (Jan van Eik) - 2:04
     c) Gaillarde   (J.S. Bach) - 4:36

2.) The Death of Ace (instrumental)   (E. Grieg) - 5:15

3.) The Escape of the Piper (instrumental)   (Rick van der Linden) - 3:13

4.) Once (instrumental)   (Rick van der Linden) - 4:13

 

(side 2)
1.) Progression (instrumental)   (Rick van der Linden) - 12:00

     a) A Memory   (traditional) - 1:40
     b) The Lost Past   (Rick van der Linden) - 3:26
     c) A Memory   (traditional) - 1:40

2.) Final Trace (instrumental)   (Rick van der Linden) - 3:52