THE POLITE FORCE

The second record of the Canterbury band "EGG" is called "The Polite Force" and it was released 1971 even if it was recorded the year before. The cover is mystical and intriguing even if I have hard to see what it is. My guess is that is is a plastic bottle in which the light reflects. The musicians are the same than before with Mont Campbell on bass, vocals, piano, organ and french horn, Dave Steward on organ, piano and tone generator and Clive Brooks on drums. They also had brass guest on "Contrasong", the trumpet players Henry Lowther and Mike Davis and the saxophoners Bob Downes and Tony Roberts.

This second record of Egg is more experimental than the last one and not as good, in my opinion. Though it starts with a fantastic prog song "A visit to Newport Hospital" which is a marvelous Canterbury piece, absolutely in parity with the best moments of Caravan. Here you can hear brutal bass and virtuous organ, just as good as it can be in prog and I also think you'd like Mont Campbell's voice. He should have sung more on the album! (10/10). Then comes the second best track on the album and the last with lyrics: "Contrasong"(9/10) with a special a little wrong tune that takes all of my body with is and the perfect spice is the brass section. The "Long Piece No.3" is very experimental and partially also great. They show their skills as master musicians with great integrity and especially the second part of it is great(8/10). The first though is too experimental for me(6/10) even if I hear it's great performed. I don't find this record an improvement from the first one, unlike many others, mostly because of "Boilk" which I find ruins a lot. I don't let it spoil the record, but I'd rather avoid that very progressive thing than hear it.

The Polite Force was a little decline from the record "Egg" but is also contains a pair of the best Canterbury songs available and an experimental symphony. I will give it four stars! (3,7 to be correct)