MERCATOR PROJECTED

East Of Eden is one of those second line UK prog act that managed a few albums and did enjoy some success. Their debut is reputed among record collectors and progheads alike. Although I do find it a tad over-rated, you have an excellent blues-derived prog to which a rather original line up including Arbus on violin and Caines on winds. Throughout the album you will be subjected to bird noises, dialogues and toilet flushes as intro of songs and some rather subtle hints at oriental music, but this almost more subjected by the look of their faces on the back cover with the Egyptian wears. Strong psychedelic overtones give a special charm to most tracks but unfortunately the in-between dialogues sort of ruin the general ambiance

What you will find on this album is a slid based rock with strong blues roots but the first two tracks are clearly staying too wise to my taste; One has to wait for Waterways to find truly worthy prog material and they score big time with an impressive middle section. However the next track, Centaur Woman, is very deceiving developing a rather sloppy hard blues boogie that could fit on a Status Quo album if it was not for the wild wind instruments. Actually most of my gripe with this track is mostly in the recording rather than the playing in itself which in itself is rather apt.

Bathers starts off side 2 in a rather enchanting mood - great violins before the rest of the band takes over and a clarinet soaring above the rest, before the tracks regains its original feel, excellent especially that we could imagine ourselves at pool side somewhere in an mid-eastern palace. Communion is another pleasing track and the violin has a predominant role in creating the permanent tension and it creates a sense of urgency, which unfortunately stops as soon as the chords evoke the other riff developed. Moth is another good track but nothing extraordinary. In The Stable Of The Sphinx is clearly meant as the centerpiece of the album, but again there are many fine moments but it does miss a bit the mark as there are many opportunities wasted to bring this track over the border of classic prog song. They chose to build up the track to chaos when there were many other options that unfortunately got ignored.

We shall blame this on their lack of experience because their next album is much more accomplished. Overall a good album but with a few flaws, some big enough, unfortunately to ignore, and ruin somewhat a worthy album.

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