Moontan (Expanded & Remastered)＜限定盤＞

61年結成/50年以上の活動を経て、George Kooymans(g/vo)の難病発病の公表とともに解散を発表したDutch Rockシーンの怪物バンド:GOLDEN EARRINGの、オランダ:Polydorから発表された'73年作がオランダ:Music On Vinylからリマスター/2枚組180g重量盤アナログで'23年再発!

'73年作本編をDisc1に、本作の米MCA盤に'Suzy Lunacy (Mental Rock)''Just Like Vince Taylor'に替わり収録された'Big Tree, Blue Sea(1973 version)'、'73/'74年シングル盤収録曲'The Song Is Over''Instant Poetry''From Heaven, From Hell (1974 version)'および21年に発表された2枚組仕様拡大盤CDにも収録された'Candy's Going Bad (rough mix)''Radar Love (basic track)''Are You Receiving Me (basic track)'各種デモ音源をDisc2に収録。英/米シングルチャートでもトップ20入りを果たす大ヒット曲となった名曲'Radar Love'や、'Are You Receiving Me''The Vanilla Queen'等9分以上に及ぶ大曲も収録しつつ、このバンドの持ち味である独特のスピード感を湛えたポップなハード・ロック～ロックンロールなサウンド/楽曲と、無駄の無いソリッドかつタイトなアンサンブル/プレイが詰まった、バンドのみならずオランダのロックシーンを代表するといえる名作です!元CUBY+BLIZZARDSのEelco Gelling(slide-g)が'Rador Love'にゲスト参加。マスターは先の2枚組拡大盤CDにも使用された、オリジナル・マスター・テープからの24Bit/192kHzリマスタリング音源を使用。

This 1973 outing is the album that raised Golden Earring to an international level of popularity, primarily on the strength of the hit single and enduring radio favorite "Radar Love." However, there is much more to this album than just that hit. In many ways, Moontan is like a summation of everything the group had learned on their first three albums. It presents a similar combination of prog epics, heavy rockers, and songs that combine both elements, but everything is raised to a new level of inspiration and polish. It starts with a bang thanks to "Candy's Going Bad," a piece that starts off as a thunderous, pounding rocker but transforms midway into a bluesy instrumental mood piece. Other highlights include the hit single "Radar Love," a relentless rock tune with a left-field instrumental break in which tribal drums duel with a big band-style horn section, and "Just Like Vince Taylor," a guitar-slinging slice of boogie rock that pays tribute to the fallen rock idol of the title. The album also includes what may be the group's finest prog effort in "Vanilla Queen": this classic builds from pulsating, ominous verses dominated by synthesizer into a hard-rocking chorus and also throws in a stark acoustic guitar midsection before climaxing in a frantic band jam augmented by blaring horns and an ever-spiraling string section. Despite the album's overall strength, not every song reaches these heights: "Are You Receiving Me?" recycles some hooks from the group's past classic "She Flies on Strange Wings," and the twangy country-pop of "Suzy Lunacy (Mental Rock)" is a little too poppy to gel with the rest of the album. However, even these tunes benefit from tight arrangements and a spirited, totally committed performance from the group. The result is an album that retains its power today. In the end, Moontan is a necessity for Golden Earring fans, and a worthwhile listen for anyone interested in 1970s rock at its most adventurous. ~ Donald A. Guarisco