Lux, Kazimierz


Band members               Related acts

- Tom Barlage - sax, flute, backing vocals

- Louis de Lussant - drums

- Herman Deinum - bass

- Williem Ennes - keyboards

- Mary Hehuat - bass

- Gerrit-Jan Leenders - keyboards

- Kazimierz Lux - vocals, guitar, tambourine

- Neppie Noya - percussion

- Paul van Wageningen - drums

 

 

 

- Brainbox

- Jan Akkerman and Kaz Lux

 

 


 

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Monk?

Company: EMI

Catalog: 5C 062-25117

Year: 1974

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: small cut out hole bottom right corner; Dutch pressing

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4520

Price: $40.00

Cost: $66.00

 

I saw this LP at a yard sale and vaguely recognized the name as being someone who was already in my collection - it didn't dawn on me till later that singer/guitarist Kazimierz (Kaz) Lux had been a member of Brainbox and recorded a couple of albums with Focus guitarist Jan Akkerman.

 

First off, I'll admit that this album didn't exactly knock me over the first time I listened to it, but it has grown on me each time I've played it.  Produced by Gerrit-Jan Leenders (who also played keyboards on several tracks), 1974's "Monk?" (don't ask me about the title since I don't know), isn't half bad.  I remembered Lux as being kind of shrill on his first collaboration with Akkerman and that remains true on this album, though I think it has more to do with the fact the songs all sport English lyrics.  That makes for some interesting translations - 'I discovered your name on a nasty toilet-wall', or the entire lyric to 'What's In a Color').  I don't know if Lux sings phonetically, but his accent is quite heavy on tracks such as rock opener 'Paranoid Monk' and the 50s-styled 'The Joy of Working'.  Some may find his accent irritating, but personally I think it's kind of cool and makes following the plotlines on songs such as 'A Normal Day in '58' all the more interesting.  Musically the set's pretty diverse with Lux taking stabs at conventional rock ('Nostalgia'), country ('Prisoner Number 2'), blues and even pop ('Nameless').  (By the way, I don't think the set ever saw an American release.)

 

"Monk" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Paranoid Monk  (Kazimierz Lux) - 3:45

2.) The Joy of Working  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:23

3.) Time Is Going By   (Kazimierz Lux) - 1:45

4.) Second Meeting  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:00

5.) Nameless  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:48

6.) A Normal Day in '58  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:45

 

(side 2)

1.) Nostalgia  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:53

2.) The Lost Guilders  (Kazimierz Lux) - 34:15

3.) The End of Donald  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:33

4.) Prisoner Number 2  (Kazimierz Lux) - 3:30

5.) Hey New Day!  (Kazimierz Lux) - 2:08

6.) What's In a Color   (Kazimierz Lux)   - 4:12



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