ZINC (GREEN ALBUM)

EDDIE JOBSON's reputation is such that he deserves the dignity of consideration for those rare "solo" releases. This loose band effort appeared a couple of years before the new age album "Theme of Secrets", and it couldn't be more different. Unfortunately, their common ground resides in mutual mediocrity.

While a sequel "Pink" was rumoured, it's just as well that the ZINC project ended where it started. This is a dated synth pop album with prog aspects reminiscent of what YES and STEP AHEAD were doing at the time but not as inspired. For the most part the keyboard work sounds like what JOBSON might have played right after plugging in a new toy with nobody listening. His violin isn't dusted off all that much either, but occasionally salvages a track, as in "Listen to Reason". When his biggest asset is his somewhat thin vocals that curiously suit the music, you know there's a problem. Luckily, "Green Face" is an ebullient rocker that deserved better than to be interred by its fellows. This demonstrates that, even within the artificial environment of so many contemporary releases, a strong composition and arrangement prevails. That's where Jobson's strengths seldom lie.

I admit I'm probably in the minority but I don't think Jobson ever did better keyboard wise than on "Metamorphosis" by CURVED AIR when he was 17, so maybe I have been punishing him unfairly ever since. Still I'm not alone in giving this one the green thumbs down.