Thursday, November 12, 2009

Akacis - "Akacis" {Latvia} [1979] progressive rock

Akacis, a musical group that existed from 1977 into the 1990s, was the longest lived Latvian-American rock band of its time. While groups like Čikāgas piecīši and Trīs no Pārdaugavas performed and were influenced by traditional songs, Akacis was one of the first Latvian-American groups to be guided by more contemporary sounds, with aspects in its music of pop, hard rock, progressive rock, and even jazz rock, folk and reggae.
The group performed throughout North America and Europe at Latvian song festivals, American Latvian Youth Organization (Amerikas latviešu jaunatnes apvienība, or ALJA) events and many other functions. The band also toured Latvia during the cultural exchanges of the Third National Awakening from 1989-1990.
The group’s name means “pit in a bog” in English, and is similar to the literal definition of the word “quagmire,” something the group would later allude to when it gave itself the more “American” name of Quags. Why the band chose the name Akacis (the name itself was suggested by drummer Aivars Šmits) remains unclear, but apart from the standard reason of “it sounds cool,” there is also ...read more here

doMaS..


a hidden treasure! Thanks to Valdis :)

9 comments:

nahavanda said...

P.S album name also called "Mani Sauc Pasaule"
http://lix.in/-600601

Misongod said...

Another great band (like Mess)from baltic countries.
Many Thanks
Dom

Anonymous said...

Hi Isabel
sorry to don' t call you sooner
I' m really busy in my job actually !
I hope all is ok for you !
AKACIS is really great ! Often light as a feather and very delightful !
Great great thanks !

See you soon !

Philippe ( sosgotcha )

Anonymous said...

The band was based in the US-first in New York City then in Philadelphia. They released 4 albums and 1 single. The first album was titled "Akacis", second "Tadi ir tie rekini, the third "Apsties to viru" and their last was "Svesa mala".

Anonymous said...

Great album,thanks so much ,from Japan.
Isn't there the sleeve of the 1st album?

Anonymous said...

Musically speaking "Akacis 79" is a nice album but on an artistic point of view the band could give more of that. Latvian Akacis shows a great instrumental skills and ability in composing but they didn't want to push the accelerator. In consequence the album results in a compromise between some good tracks and other easy melodic pop, Kansas like-tinged. Sufficient tracks are "Veja vanags", that recalls me english band Gygafo, and the last "Asara" more in a very Kansas's spirit. The excellent tracks are the jazz structured instrumental "Ar ko", the fantastic revision "Tracis". It's a pity. In general a half nice listening but nothing more.

Thanks for listening

Anonymous said...

For those of you whom are enjoying Akacis / Quags - some sad news. A month or so ago due to health complications founding member and drummer Aivars Smits left this stage we call earth, forever! As we Latvians wish "vieglas smiltis Aivar" - trans. "Light sand Aivar" He is and will be missed.

Mark said...

Can you please repost as the links are dead. Thanks.

Valdis said...

Akacis - Mani sauc pasaule ( 1979 ) var lejuplādēt - http://musicmp3spb.org/album/akacis_mani_sauc_pasaule.html

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