MERCATOR PROJECTED

Mercator Projected by East of Eden is one of the better debuts of progressive rock. Unjustly neglected and almost forgotten, EAST OF EDEN was quite a unique-sounding and innovative band in their beginnings. Let's not forget that this is 1969, a year when for instance GENESIS recorded a weak and underdeveloped debut and when CRIMSON debuted with their masterpeice and trend-setting album.

The sound of electric violin by Dave Arbus was a signature, but the use of saxophones, flutes, mandolins and Mellotron was also important. Rooted in the British blues-rock, the band expanded their sound and explored different aspects of psychedelia, folk and jazz, and even reggae rhythm patterns in Isadora, when the term barely existed! Apart from this beautiful song, the highlights are surely the heavy opener Northern Hemisphere with its catchy and melodic phrase, the Crimsonesque Mellotron-filled acoustic ballad Bathers, a psyched-out saxophone crazyness of Moth and the extended psych-jam of Waterways including wonderful sax solos with strange effects. Centaur Woman re-calls the early JETHRO TULL in its blues heavy rock with harp and flute soli with a competent bass extravagant improv. Two weaker moments are Communion and aimless instrumental In the Stable of the Sphynx, the former containing a funny but unnecessary caffe bar conversation with a waiter spoken in almost fluent Serbo-Croatian language (an oddity indeed!) and the latter being overlong improvisation.

This album contains a musical core of elements that were to be perfected in later works by KING CRIMSON, CURVED AIR or GENTLE GIANT to name a few prominent acts and as such, for me personally, presents a very joyful and amazing listening experience.

PERSONAL RATING: 4,5/5

P.A. RATING: 4/5