Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography
Eberhard Weber - Yellow Fields CD (album) cover

YELLOW FIELDS

Eberhard Weber

 

Jazz Rock/Fusion

4.18 | 64 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

fuxi
Prog Reviewer
5 stars Of all of Eberhard Weber's classic albums, YELLOW FIELDS is probably the most likely to appeal to the average prog fan. First of all, it opens with "Touch", the most "symphonic" piece Weber has ever recorded without using an orchestra: a lush, stately, moving instrumental ballad featuring gorgeous mellotron, with the main melody performed by Charlie Mariano's lyrical sax, Rainer Brueninghaus's synth and Weber's own plangent bass playing in unison. "Touch" remains utterly delightful, a highlight in Weber's oeuvre.

The remainder of the album's original A-side is taken up by the fifteen-and-a-half minute "Sand-Glass", which is strongly reminiscent of mid-seventies Weather Report, especially because Brueninghaus's playing on Fender Rhodes borrows a trick or two from the late Joseph Zawinul. As the title of the piece suggests, the beat is rockier and steadier than with Weather Report (not polyrhythmic) and the main melody sounds somewhat hesitant, at least until Mariano switches from sax to an Indian wind instrument (either shenai or nagaswaram, I don't know which) and the piece suddenly acquires wings! It's another magic moment on a deeply satisfying album.

YELLOW FIELDS' B-side opens with the ten-minute title track, one of the sprightliest tunes Weber has written, beautifully played by Mariano on soprano sax. The real highlight of this piece, however, is Brueninghaus's exciting Fender Rhodes solo. Together with the magisterial Weber and the energetic Jon Christensen (on drums) Brueninghaus is also the star of "Left Lane", the thirteen-and-a-half minute closing track. Once again he shines on Fender Rhodes, but the piece also contains an intriguing extended break for solo piano, reminiscent of Yes's "South Side of the Sky" but much better recorded and played with far greater subtlety.

fuxi | 5/5 |

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Share this EBERHARD WEBER review

Social review comments () BETA







Review related links

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.