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England were a progressive rock group active in the late 1970s, and briefly reformed in 2006. The band is notable for their album Garden Shed released on Arista Records, and for keyboardist Robert Webb playing a Mellotron sawn in half.[1]
Studio Album, released in 1977
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Midnight Madness (6:58)
2. All Alone (Introducing) (1:53)
3. Three Piece Suite (12:58)
4. Paraffinalea (4:12)
5. Yellow (5:24)
6. Poisoned Youth (16:17)
Total Time 47:42
- Frank Holland / guitars, vocals, Mellotron & Leslie guitar (5)
- Robert Webb / Minimoog, Hammond, harpsichord, Mellotron, Fender Rhodes, piano, Hohner clavinet, 12-string guitar (5), vocals
- Martin Henderson / bass, acoustic guitar (5), vocals
- Jode Leigh / drums, vibes, percussion, bass (5), vocals
Releases information Artwork: Mike Cosford
Review by
Proghead
PROG REVIEWER
ENGLAND came a little late in the UK prog scene, coming at a bad time as punk rock was
on the rise. Their one and only album, "Garden Shed" (well, at least until the 1990s
with "The Last of the Jubblies" which contained leftover material) was released in 1977
on Arista Records. Despite the major label it was released on (yes, the same label that
gave us the dreaded BARRY MANILOW, AIR SUPPLY and BAY CITY ROLLERS, at least
the label did us a favor by having the ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, CARAVAN, and HAPPY
THE MAN on their roster), the original LP is hard to find. For those who don't live in the
UK (me included): the cover to "Garden Shed" is a spoof of a label to a jar of
Robertson's Golden Shred Marmalade! Robertson's products are apparently not
available outside of the UK (I certainly never seen any Golden Shred, Silver Shred, or
any other Robertson's products sold at any supermarket in my neck of the woods), so I
would never have realized the Golden Shred parody to "Garden Shed" had I not found
out online. The band consisted of bassist Martin Henderson, guitarist Franc Holland,
keyboardist Robert Webb, and drummer Jode Leigh. Vocal duties handled by all. This was the last recording to feature the Mark II Mellotron (this was 1977, after all, and the Mellotron most used was the small 400 model, which was introduced in 1970, but didn't get used extensively until about or after 1972). Their keyboardist Robert Webb was said to sawed his Mark II in half to make it more portable (other keyboards he used included Hammond organ, Hohner clavinet, piano, electric piano, and Minimoog).
Musically, their influences can be rather obvious: YES, GENESIS, GENTLE GIANT, SUPERTRAMP, FRUUPP, perhaps even a little QUEEN. Like on "Midnight Madness" you hear plenty of GENESIS-like passages, with Yes-like vocal harmonies. "All Alone" is a short piano-oriented ballad that often gets compared to QUEEN, but to me reminds me of a Rick Davies-penned SUPERTRAMP ballad sung by Roger HODGSON. "Three Piece Suite" (get it?) is, as you expect, a three movement suite. The first part most resembling YES, but there are some passages with high-pitched vocals that don't seem to fit in too well. "Paraffinalea" is one of the more light-hearted numbers with more of that YES and GENTLE GIANT influences. "Yellow" is an acoustic ballad dominated by Mellotron. Here the influences seem to be not so obvious. The album then ends with "Poisoned Youth", at 16 minutes. Had this album been released a few years earlier, or punk didn't take over, this would have gotten more attention. Still, a great album.
My rating: 4 1/2 stars
Julien Demoulin and IA join forces to present a deep-space journey of vast drone ambient and cosmic synth, opening widescreen planes of sound that sing of both transcendence and nullification.
The premise of the album—a monastic order on the cusp of transcending human existence—resonates well with the austere yet calming tone of the drone compositions. "Into Eternity's Embrace" has a remarkable capacity for escorting listeners into the vastness of the galactic emptiness, which is meant to serve as a transcendental experience. A sensation of weightlessness and detachment from worldly worries is evoked by the painstakingly created audio layers, which are rich in ethereal tones and continuous background voices. The music is meaningful and cathartic to listen to because of its capacity to be both calming and reflective. It encourages a deeper connection with the expanse of existence and the limitless potential of the human soul by inviting listeners to explore their own spiritual yearnings. "Into Eternity's Embrace" is a sonic masterpiece that resonates with the austere beauty of the monastic journey, offering solace, enlightenment, and a transcendental escape into the boundless realm of pure light.
credits
FreeForm Radio thanks Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.
REVIEWS
Avant Music News
avantmusicnews.com/2023/08/12/amn-reviews-aeons-into-eternitys-embrace-2023-reverse-alignment
Luminous Dash
luminousdash.be/reviews/album-reviews/aeons-into-eternitys-embrace-reverse-alignment/
Ver Sacrum
www.versacrum.com/vs/2023/08/aeons-into-eternitys-embrace.html
IA: iadrone.bandcamp.com
julien demoulin: juliendemoulin.bandcamp.com
Published by Reverse Alignment
All music by Alex Copeland aka IA (vocals) and Julien Demoulin (electronics), 2021-2022.
Album concept by Alex Copeland.
Produced and mixed by Julien Demoulin.
Mastering by Raffaele Pezzella (a.k.a. Sonologyst).
© 2023. All rights reserved.
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