POWER AND THE PASSION

I know Eloy through two different albums thus far; their spacey, synthy conceptual OCEAN and their earlier, edgier hard-psych-organ rock FLOATING. POWER AND THE PASSION sounds very much like a hybrid of the two styles. Coming after the FLOATING album, the keyboard pallette is greatly expand to include prog favourites like the mellotron, the synth and even a few piano moments here and there. From what I understand, this is Eloy's first crack at a conceptual record (it feels like it) and it's the first with the now famous band logo (thinking of Yes?).

Too much of the record is hit and miss. Frank Bornemann's vocals are seen as a typical problem to many listeners; he doesn't interject too much vocally (as I hear it), but enough to drive some listeners nuts. The keyboards are the most noticeable item in the band as their textures are what really drive the album despite a few Squire-lines on bass and some lead guitar lines not far from Gilmour's. The overall compositions are much tighter and more focused, so those in line with the symphonic tastes ought to be thrilled with what Eloy has done here. But I for one loved the jams on FLOATING and I don't get that here.

The highlight track is ''Love Over Six Centuries'' as it is the track that most closely harkens to FLOATING. It starts off quietly until the bass picks it up after Frank stops singing. The Hammond coming in not long after that puts a capper on the piece in amazing fashion only to be followed by background music to needless dialogue. ''Mutiny'' is the other notable piece for its length and slightly altering structure, but I can't get into it until the march rhythm at the end. The second side is nearly anonymous with only the fast paced ''Daylight'' breaking through the ice. ''Back to the Present'' is a standard 50's rock-and-roll tune, something I never expected Eloy to do.

The concept really isn't doing the job for me, but the slightly raw production actually gives PatP a certain charm (I will admit OCEAN is an overproduced thing). It's more of a training ground for Eloy's future into conceptual works, something that would give Eloy more respect in the symphonic section of the prog rock world.