Family Acid, The
Colour Out Of Space
In the late eighties, a minor sensation emerged from Friesland, The Serenes. The band, led by Theo de Jong and Paul Dokter, seemed like a contemporary version of The Buffalo Springfield: dreamy, slightly psychedelic, and full of bright guitar sounds. Just as with the Springfield, two captains on a ship were one too many, and despite rave reviews and growing interest both domestically and internationally, Paul Dokter called it quits before the second album, and Theo de Jong shortly after, after which the latter briefly continued in Simmer. It wasn't until 2016 that the two reunited in the studio to record a beautiful album under the name The Family Acid, which unfortunately remained shelved. With the passing of Paul Dokter in 2020, this project, too, seemed to have come to an even premature end. Fortunately, we can now proudly release this album on the Concerto label. And anyone who shelved this album back then deserves a serious appraisal. Both men were now noticeably influenced by Talk Talk, another band full of dreams, psychedelia, and guitars. This translates into numerous electronic sound effects, which combined with the guitar work, as in Last Effort, create a mesmerizing and sometimes menacing effect. The French-sung "Les Etoiles Oubliee" has a clear Pink Floyd connection, but sounds a bit sadder. A beautiful and poignant sadness permeates this album, which, incidentally, is presented in a cover designed by regular Talk Talk designer James Marsh. It's a shame Paul Dokter isn't around to see the release, and that we as listeners will have to make do with this album alone when it comes to The Family Acid; what a magnificent record.