MR. E. JONES

As much as she would probably like to, she-who-must-be-obeyed can't keep me chained forever in the shuttered room at the top of our house - although that would at least explain how I failed to get wind of the recent reissue of 'Mr. E. Jones' until an estimable friend posted the news in the RPI den. I think the unicorns were splashing around in the waters of the flood and I was still wearing short trousers when this album was last in print. I'd actually become inured to the disappointment of being repeatedly outbid on Internet auctions for secondhand copies of the album but, sure enough, a quick online perusal revealed it had cunningly crept under my radar with not so much as a whimper let alone the fanfare its reissue deserved.

The album itself is a conceptual work based on the trials, tribulations and daydreams of a frustrated office worker and it has been faithfully reproduced in a lovely gatefold cardboard sleeve, although some additional liner notes would have been a nice touch. In spite of the black and white artwork there is no monochrome meanness to the music, which is a strikingly diverse collection that mixes psychedelic and Beatles-style throwbacks with hard rock and symphonic prog. None of the tracks will have you reaching for the skip button but highlights include heavier pieces like 'Un'Ora Del Tuo Tempo' and 'Premio Di Una Vita' which both feature outstanding keyboard work in the midst of their lumbering riffs.

This album is as fundamental to early Italian progressive rock music as grated Parmesan is to the country's food. My 3-star rating is completely arbitrary and on another day I might award it 4-stars but the main point of the review is simply to highlight that this important work is available again at long last. There are other more detailed reviews on the Nuova Idea bandpage for those who need more persuasion, but the bottom line is that every RPI fan ought to have 'Mr. E. Jones' in their collection. And it's one they should get sooner rather than later because it might not be around for very long.