EARTHBOUND

The dark and haunting cover art might make you think we are dealing with a Black Metal album here, but that could hardly be further from the truth. The debut album of Rocket Scientists is perhaps best described as a Pop Prog album. I hear 80's and 90's Yes, The Beatles, and Pink Floyd (there is a cover of Floyd's Welcome To The Machine here), as well as American Symphonic Prog (80's Kansas, and perhaps Neal Morse?).

The history of Rocket Scientists goes back to the late 80's and they released this first album in 1993. This was the first out of countless albums that Erik Norlander would record and produce over the next couple of decades including many for Lana Lane who provides backing vocals to the present album. The songs are generally short and melodic. No doubt some people would say "commercial", but there is no denying the musicianship and progressive spirit present here. Several of the songs here would subsequently be improved and expanded upon in live format. The title track, Picture Show, Avalon, and Calm Before The Storm were all later featured on the excellent 1998 live album Earth Below And Sky Above in elongated and enhanced versions (one of which features Lana Lane on lead vocals). Also the short instrumental Pythagoras is featured on said live album as part of a medley.

For me, this album is fully listenable and enjoyable but perhaps not very impressive as such. As most would probably agree, even if the potential was clearly already here, the band had yet to find their own true identity. For me personally though, this album has other virtues that subsequent albums lack. All things considered, this album is - to my ears - every bit as good as its more well-known successors.

A good debut and the start of some great musical careers

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