Band: Intentions
Band Website: www.intentionsmusic.nl
Label: Independent
Release Date: 2009
The band Intentions is
one of those groups that required a long gestation period before delivering that first CD. They got together in Groningen, a city
in the north of Holland back in 2003 and then over the intervening years with a few changes here and there they’ve settled into a
quintet consisting of Roelof Beeftink (vocals, guitar), André de Vries (keyboards), Erik Kuipers (bass, vocals), Sanne te Meerman
(guitar, vocals) and Petrick Glasbergen (drums, percussion). Their CD is entitled Place in Time. In the beginning the band’s
approach to writing was clearly in the pop-rock field but over time their approach has matured and they’ve incorporated more than
a few subtle progressive tendencies.
Place in Time consists of twelve tracks, seven of which clock in at around six minutes or
better. As I listen to the music I’m reminded of the British band Sad Café or perhaps some of the more proggy bits of Mike and the
Mechanics. The band write with the emphasis on the song and they tend to take a pretty traditional approach in many cases however
there are more than a few times where they stretch out and get a little more adventurous and start playing around with the song’s
structure, time and tempo and more than anything arrangements very much like Sad Café did. The best word I can use to describe the
music of Intentions is smooth. But then out-of-the-blue we are treated to different levels of intensity; guitar solos create neat
little musical bridges and keyboards create layers of atmosphere. The compositions are melody laden with different levels of instrumentation
that move the music in a way that prog fans will be familiar with. Nothing dramatic…no sudden starts or stops…but the composition
may start off soft and warm and then slowly build into a huge swell of music. It’s like, these are wonderful pop-rock songs but the
band threw out the rule book and just decided to write what sounded good.
The music created by Intentions onPlace in Time is something that I’m quite sure will appeal to prog fans. It’s a light melodic prog that flows effortlessly from tune
to tune. The band having been together for some time plays well together, they’re tight and the confidence comes across. As a first
CD effort Place in Time is first rate.
