EARTHRISE

A very obscure release from an American trio in the late 1970's. Along with bands like Arabesque, Earthrise formed a very small minority of American prog bands during that era and, like Arabesque, this stands out as one of the better obscure albums lost in music history.

There is no guitar on this album so the keyboard stands prominently in the arrangements, though the drum and bass players are represented too. The production is quite weak and muddy, but is still enjoyable if played on good speakers. The music is very much in the symphonic prog style of the day, taking quite a bit of inspiration from bands like ELP and Triumvirat, with a similar sound at times to some of the neo-prog acts to come, like IQ or Pallas, but not quite as well orchestrated. Because the 70's were so saturated with symphonic prog around the world, many of the melodies and solos sound very familiar but the album still conveys a surprisingly high degree of originality.

The album is primarily instrumental; though there are some vocals now and again, most of the music is in the same vein as the title track "Earthrise" (disclaimer: this is not a Camel cover), vehicles for extended keyboard soloing. In terms of composition, the album is a bit shaky; there are some strong arrangements at times but it is often just solos bridged to other solos.

Much of the album's appeal comes from the mystique and obscurity shrouding it. The surreal cover is also a plus; it's enchanting and is an accurate representation of the album's content. Overall, this is an album that, should you come across it, you should probably pick it up to put it on every now and then, letting the novelty of its obscurity work its magic. If you're tired of listening to the same old stuff you've been listening to for years and want to go on a journey somewhere you've never been before, this is probably a good path for you to take.