ECHOES OF EDENSONG

I have waited to weigh in on this one for over a month because of the nature of this album. Billed as an EP, but with 60 minutes of music. "New" material that is NOT really new. Half studio, half live. What is it exactly?

It is what it is stated to be. An album built around a favorite old composition of the band from an earlier incarnation, designed to keep Edensong fans interested until an album of all new material appears, hopefully in the near future. Given this stated objective, the album is an overwhelming success. The album begins with the above-referenced song, "Beneath The Tide." This has been a staple of the live Edensong shows for years, but apparently no satisfactory recording of it had been made. Accordingly, this unfinished business was attended to. This song alone, is worth the price of the album. It seems to have everything one could want in a song, be it prog or not. Like the songs from "The Fruit Fallen," this one has intelligent lyrics and great composition. However, it has that special something that is not easily definable. It can get your toes tapping, your head bobbing and cause your flesh to be covered in goosebumps. It is, for lack of a better word, "exciting." Just when you think, it can't get any better, the 5th track is the live version of the same song from their first big show at the 3RP festival in Pittsburgh in August, 2009. As someone who was lucky enough to be there I love the way that this version ramps up the intensity, adds a little virtuosity, and lets James Byron Schoen do what he does best; serve up incredibly impassioned live vocals. I can still visualize the flautist, Barry Seroff, completely unable to keep his body from spastic gyrations as he let go with a flute solo that seemed perfectly suited for the piece and kept the incessantly cresciendoing final chapter soaring to its conclusion. The biggest dilemna becomes choosing whether the studio or live version is better. My advice; feast on both.

The second song "Lorelai" is a ballad which provides a great counterpoint to "Beneath The Tide." Melodic, ethereal, and haunting it stands on its own, as well as providing a bridge to the third song "To See But Not Believe." To me, the inclusion of this track was, initially, a puzzling choice because it also appeared on "The Fruit Fallen", as a hidden track. However, due to the fact that it was so well hidden on the first album that some listeners may not have even found it, the choice makes more sense. In any event, the song works perfectly here. It is a high energy piece which also displays the characteristic Edensong mood shifts. It also is a great transition from "Lorelai."

Next comes the live performances. First, a terrific version of the classic "Reunion," from Progday, also performed last year. This song meanders through the familiar territory of its studio counterpart, but with increased energy and the everpresent passionate live vocals. This recording demonstrates the ability of the band to deliver the goods in a live setting. After the live rendition of "Beneath The Tide," there is a short (hidden?) metal type intro that begs to be finished, but unfortunately is not. This leads into the album's finale, the powerful "Sixth Day." Although this live recording from the Terra Incognito festival in Quebec, is a little lacking in the engineering, the excitement of this song comes through loud and clear! This album is every bit, the incredible and unique sonic experience of "The Fruit Fallen," which I found to be a masterpiece. Accordingly, I must also give this one 5 stars. However, if the abovementioned quirks bother you, I can understand taking off 1/2 to a full star. They obviously don't bother me.