Lake went on to release several fine albums and retain their popularity in Germany, but for my money the first four records are where it’s at, in particular their third – ‘Paradise Island’.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Lake
ALBUM: Paradise Island
LABEL: CBS
SERIAL: JC 35817
YEAR: 1979
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Germany
LINEUP: James Hopkins Harrison – lead vocals * Alex Conti – guitars, vocals * Detlef Petersen – acoustic piano, fender rhodes, oberheim, vocals * Geoffrey Peacey – organ, moog, clavinet, pianet, acoustic rhythm guitar, vocals * Martin Tiefensee – bass * Dieter Ahrendt – drums, percussion
TRACK LISTING: 01 Into The Night * 02 Glad To Be Here * 03 Crystal Eyes * 04 Paradise Way * 05 Hopeless Love * 06 One Way Song * 07 Hard Road * 08 The Final Curtain
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
A former photographer at ‘Circus’ magazine told me that Lake was one of the most boring and stiff bands he had ever seen live. His opinion well founded I imagine, shattered my fantasy of what a Lake concert might have been like considering the exciting sounds the group produced on record.
If Lake were a bore on the concert stage they certainly had plenty of opportunity to refine their show especially in North America supporting Hall & Oates, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Still, it wasn’t enough to push Lake into major league status and following their high profile debut, each consecutive album sold less than before finally losing their U.S. contract following 1980’s ‘Ouch!’ release. Of course, Lake went on to release several fine albums and retain their popularity in Germany, but for my money the first four records are where it’s at, in particular their third – ‘Paradise Island’.
The Songs
At this point Lake dropped the Supertramp and Kayak influences that in some ways overwhelmed their debut. Here Lake explores a more traditional California rock sound, minus the country influences and only touches on their Euro tendencies ever so slightly.
Think Pablo Cruise and Snail and their output from the same period only with better material and ‘Paradise Island’ is just full of great songs and no filler.
Highlights include ‘Glad To Be Here’ which sounds like the perfect concert opener and the albums only single ‘Crystal Eyes’. In the hands of the Little River Band or another label this song probably would have been a big hit. Just throwing it out there, but I don’t remember much promotion for the song or the album from CBS, so..
The title track skirts the Kayak influence of old while ‘One Way Song’ is a mid-tempo ballad in the Orleans style complete with acoustic guitar and a laid back oh-so-70’s guitar solo. Mellow gold!
‘The Final Curtain’ appropriately closes the album and is a return to the groups progressive rock roots and not as over the top as you might expect, just a tasteful finish to an already flawless record.
In Summary
Renaissance Records reissued ‘Paradise Island’ as a 2 on 1 with the Lake debut and it just might be out of print, but who knows when it comes to that label? Vinyl hounds should have no problem picking this up.
Plus, there are download possibilities from various sources which are a given. Lake toured Germany following the release of this record but never returned to the U.S which is a shame since I would have liked to seen them live and the opportunity to be bored.
Lake on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
