PLANETS

Until this release all the Eloy's albums have had the same defect: they were concentrated on an "influencer". They had the Uriah Heep period followed by the Pink Floyd period which have likely limited their creativity. Planets is the first album that even with influences can be considered an Eloy original effort.

The instrumental parts, probably because of the 80s sounds, remind to the Tangerine Dream of the same period and this is everything but bad. The rest is almost original even if the influences can't be totally removed. The voice of Frank Bornemann has the usual strong German accent, but he has found a way to integrate his voice better in the songs so is less disturbing than it was on the previous recordings. Thinking to Eloy and TD in this period one may think that Germany was a happy island for music in the 80s.

Now the album: it has spacey sections but its strength is in the long instrumental parts. The most electronic are in the vein of Tangerine Dream while the more acoustic are more Floydian. An example of the second kind is "At The Gates Of Dawn", but respect to "Ocean" or to "Silent Cries" they are not trying to sound like somebody else. The only bad thing with this track is the final fadeout.

I think the best track is " Sphinx". I find it representative of Eloy. Clearly recognizable as an Eloy song but at the same time it wouldn't possible to relate it to a specific influencer if it wasn't for that Roger Waters' bass in the middle of the song. The same octave-up-and- down of Careful With that Axe Eugene or Set The Controls, only a bit faster . "Carried By Cosmic Winds" seems borrowing the intro of Tubular Bells, but is an excellent closer.

I don't really care if it sounds like somebody else in some parts. It's less evident than on the previous releases anyway. Having music like this in 1981 was good, thank you Eloy.