THE POLITE FORCE

I fell in love with this album from the very first time I heard the album's opening notes. (1. "A Visit to Newport Hospital" [8:28].) And then, joy of joys, the second and third sections of this song introduce some of my all-time favorite sounds and melodies! This is what I love so much about progressive rock music--and the Canterbury Scene! That organ sound and the chord play before the beautiful singing (which is also wonderful as it gives a "history" of the band and of the times in which they lived) is sublime! It feeds my soul big-time! One of my favorite Canterbury songs! (11/10)

2. "Contrasong" (4:25) is an uptempo, odd-timed piano-based, horn accompanied song over which Mont Campbell tries to sing. The voice, unfortunately, gets kind of lost in the cacophony of the rest of the music. Obviously an experimental jazzy song that the trio (bassist Campbell, keyboard whiz Dave Stewart and drummer Clive Brooks) wanted to try. (8/10)

3. "Boilk" (9:23) is a song that turns a lot of listeners away but which I love! It opens with the sound of running water (like a faucet filling a sink) before yielding to an organ chord and some tubular bell and glockenspiel play. In the third minute reversed tapes of percussion and organ play take over in a "Waiting Room" way. (This song preceded Genesis' ascendence to prog rock heights much less their experimental play on 1974's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.) In the eighth minute the soundscape turns much more into keyboard sound experimentation much in the way that Electronica bands would be doing soon. The final two minutes are "filled" by a distant-sounding church-like organ solo. I really love musical experimentation like this! I listen to "Boilk" often and with equal interest and enjoyment each time. (9/10)

4. "The Long Piece No. 3. Part 1" (5:08) is another of EGG's ventures into musical structures and forms from classical music while using jazz/rock instruments (drums, bass and a variety of organ/keyboards). The fast piano arpeggios that take over at the three minute mark usher in a different time signature and a different exercise--this one even more classical in its sound and orientation. Awesome! (9/10)

5. "The Long Piece No. 3. Part 2" (7:38) opens with another display of those amazingly memorable melodic organ chord sequences as we had in "A Visit to Newport Hospital." At 1:42 everything shifts into a more dreamy, ethereal, even disturbing sound. It's like listening to the soundtrack of a nightmare. Then, at 3:45, we shift back into a simplistic piano, crazy synthesizer in the background, with organ accompaniment for about 40 seconds before a gorgeous organ chord sequence becomes the dominant sound up front. Playing back and forth between beauty and discord is the prevailing theme for the remainder of the song. So interesting! And amazing: Two of these guys (Stewart and main composer Campbell) were not yet 20 years old when they made their first two albums! Truly astonishing!! (9/10)

6. "The Long Piece No. 3. Part 3" (5:04) opens a bit like a VINCE GURALDI jazz piece before a KEITH EMERSON-like organ and ELP "Tarkus"-like section takes over. (Though, again, this album was released well before Tarkus.) At 1:40 another section starts with that buzz-saw-sounding organ that Stewart, Mike RATLEDGE and Steve WINWOOD liked to use so much. Though the ensuing sections are very much in classical music structures, the instrument sounds used are not at all what classical music is used to using. (8/10)

7. "The Long Piece No. 3. Part 4" (2:51) ends the opus with some amazing keyboard work over some really nice bass play, and steady drumming. This song really puts the prowess of each of the band members on full display. Teenagers! (9/10)

I cannot express vociferously enough what an amazing album of crazy-complex songs this is--and yet they remain able to create truly enjoyable and often melodic themes throughout! What an album! A DEFINITE masterpiece of progressive rock music if ever there was one! Mega kudos to these three "boys"!