THE POLITE FORCE

It is a mix of frustration and joy to review an Egg album. The reason is that I am lost for words because their music is almost impossible to describe. This album is no exception from this rule.

The opening track A visit to Newport Hospital is an excellent quirky Canterbury scene song with strange vocals and even stranger rhythm patterns. Then this album goes more into avant-garde territory with a rather pointless sound collage in the middle of this album. Frustrating ! The album thankfully returns to some quirky melodies with weirdo rhythm patterns and use of french horn and hammond. think the word chamber music has been used about Egg and I agree with that assessment too. The music are a bit staccato and explores avenues I did not even think excist. The only comparisson I can make is with Supersister, Hatfield & The North and the two first Soft Machines albums. Besides of that; nobody sounds like Egg and nothing sounds like this album. This album really need to be heard to be believed. The two brains behind this band is Mont Campbell and Dave Stewart (National Health, Hatfield & The North etc etc) and that explains everything.

This album is really an excellent album, with the exception of the pointless avant-garde soundcollage in the middle of this album. The rest of this album explains why this band is so reverred in the British rock and prog rock scene. I am truly amazed.

4 stars