TOUCH ME

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They succeed in touching my heart after every new listen in!! It should deserve also the maximum score, especially when They reach their "top level" of inspiration ...the most innovative passages I mean, such as those ones within the fourth part of Charades Gallavant, which are essential and characterized by a splendid use of violins and woodwinds as well (in a polyphonic excursion), also when the synthesizers replace the brass section: it's a classical atmosphere, enriched by means of fine arrangements and tasteful themes!! Instead the previous track "Elegy" is a bit out of contest, that is without their usual symphonic atmosphere, even though the classical piano is quite original and "odd" too.I prefer the second track "Cortege", with a delicious oboe as an opener, in a medieval atmosphere, a bit dark but very melodic, representing their most accessible moments!! Then I like to remark another small jewel like "Albion Fair", resembling their strangest use of diverse effects (sometimes a bit psychedelic), within an "orchestrated" apparatus, which is a "trademark" by The Enid!!

The last track "Joined by the Heart" is the realization of such "Classical Music", perhaps it's too much long,being anyway pretty inspiring: as for all these reasons to me the whole project is enough to be regarded as a recommended album!!

In the late Seventies and early Eighties I used to travel by ferry and train to the heart of London. On these 'progrock pilgrimages' I discovered the Virgin record store and took a dive into their large progrock section, ranging from Ange and Gandalf to Flame Dream and ... The Enid. I had already some LP's but "Touch me" was new to me. I still love the cover: a red color with the picture of the upper back from a young woman with wonderful plaits and a tattoo that contains three boys and "Touch me"written under it, enigmatic and mesmerizing! The music is very classical inspired with amazing classical orchestrations, wonderful acoustic piano, blended with some fiery and howling electric guitar and propulsive drum beats. The alternating and dynamic climates range from ambient, dreamy or mellow to up-tempo and bombastic, sometimes with a strong Wagnerian undertone, very compelling and exciting! THIS IS A UNIQUE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN CLASSIC AND PROG!!

The third album by The ENID led by keyboardist-composer Robert John Godfrey. It is symphonic instrumental music the same way as VANGELIS was (in his albums like Heaven & Hell). The sound is very similar; frankly I don't easily recognize guitars as the Vangelis-like layers of keyboards dominate the music, whether it's shorter pieces with a classical structure ('Humouresque', 'Elegy') or longer, spacey and meditative tracks. I don't go into track details except it's funny to hear in soft piano of 'Elegy' a fragment of melody from Simon & Garfunkel's 'Old Friends', and also Peter Hammill's 'Sleep Now' comes to my mind. But in most cases it's SO close to Vangelis, especially in the long tracks.

I really could give 4 stars, but even if the music here is absolutely well done and approaching classical standards of composition, there is not that SOMETHING that would make me deeply dive into it. The other night I was watching the starry sky from my balcony with this album playing in the background. That somehow describes its nature well: suitable music when "in the mood", but doesn't grab me like Vangelis is capable to do. And when I want classical sort of music I rather listen to real classical music. But that's just how I see it: definitely worth checking out if you like this kind of instrumental music between classical and rock. One earlier review makes very educated comparisons to various classical composers. Godfrey is no doubt a skillful - if not always so personal - composer, but I need to hear more ENID before bigger appreciation.

Still I hesitate (after Six disappointing Pieces), but it's better. A little bit. Not exactly the music I like (I do, but not as extremely calm as it is. More in my previous review for SP). Last track improves it, but still, it's fails in my prog feelings mind, thoughts and sense of reality. But I understand that it may work with some people (even I though all my prog life that I'm that kind of people who are best suited for this music and to some extent yes, I am, but not for something so much .....)

3(+), because it's better, it's better. But I suppose that one can't like everything under the sun.

While it's not exactly my cup of tea, the Enid's "Touch me" is the type of music to have tea to. It's a uniquely English take on modern symphonic music in much the way AMAZING BLONDEL filled the role for Elizabethan music, and in fact the album cover and the fine gentleman on display do make me think of Blondel during their very early period. Since ENID released this in 1979, it's clear they were even more out of touch, or perhaps they just didn't care, being obsessed with imparting their unique vision to those few who were willing to mail order it. My review is based on an LP version that contains "Dambusters March/Land of Hope and Glory" as the final cut after "Albion Fair".

Apart from the elegant and imposing "Cortege", not much of this grabs me, although it does make for good background listening at a low to middling volume range where I can have pretensions to being a sophisticated fan of the classics. Particularly on the first and last parts of the "Charades" suite, I feel like I am listening to an overture from "Wizard of Oz", or those introductions to the Wonderful World of Disney so ingrained into my early childhood. Both are lost without a context, and so is this. It needs some manner of visuals to set off the overly bright melodies. "Albion Fair" is more of a complete work, building slowly before the similar sprightly themes ebb and flow. What is most fascinating is how the impression is decidedly symphonic yet the instrumentation is largely rock. Since I can pretty much tell a guitar from a keyboard, I have to conclude that most of these sounds come from the latter. This puts the Enid into a similar camp to some of SYNERGY's work, although they really do strive to sound less synthetic. The closer is a full throttle "Land of Hope and Glory" that ends with all the bombast of a BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST finale from the Harvest period of which Robert John Godfrey was a part.

In a genre where so many are bandied about as unique, the ENID truly is, but I also suspect that others have volleyed about a similar premise only to conclude that neither artistic nor commercial fulfillment would result. I'm not going to lie and recommend this to any but the longhairs among you, but in the Enid's spirit of reaching out, I will do so and magically touch 3 stars.

I was listening to an old Holy Modal Rounders album this morning, which is brilliant American folk revival music but something you can only do for limited periods of time at a stretch. In looking to something to cleanse my aural palette I tossed on 'Touch Me' since the Enid is about as far removed from the Rounders sound as you can get and I already listened to 'Aerie Faerie Nonsense' last week so that one is off the rotation for a while.

With 'Touch Me' Robert John Godfrey begins the gradual but steady injection of rock influences into the decidedly Wagnerian classical drama the band introduced with 'Aerie Faerie Nonsense'. Here there are only two compositions, both multi-part epics deeply rooted in classical construction but leveraging Francis Lickerish and Stephen Stewart's folk and rock-rooted guitar riffs to a greater degree than on the previous work. But just slightly more so.

The four-part "Charades" once again shows Godfrey in firm control of the band's artistic voice with lengthy and lush piano passages dominating throughout, and particularly on "Elegy" which is subtitled as the title track. While that passage is quite beautiful in its single-mindedness I much prefer the closing "Gallavant" section of this suite with its liberal use of lush synthesized strings, stilted organ and dramatic percussion. Like one earlier reviewer I've read, I also find myself feeling as if I'm witness to the soundtrack for a 1930s MGM grand film production. This isn't the sort of music you're likely to listen to as anything other than a backdrop to something else you're doing, but as such it sets a pleasant enough mood and I for one find it to be a great Sunday morning contemplative piece.

"Albion" on the other hand comes off as more like Disney music ala 'Fantasia' or some of the earlier jerky-motion black and white cartoon films. The production is less grand owning mostly to the unduly long introduction portion and the recurring woodwind/string passages Godfrey expertly pounds out on his digital keyboards. Great stuff from a classical sense, but not quite progressive rock to be sure.

These early Enid albums are as tough to classify as Joe Jackson's later (post-'Big World') instrumental works are: while the musicians, recording labels and packaging say 'art rock', the music belies this and we are left with what are actually contemporary classical works. If you're a fan of Jon Lord, Rick Wakeman and the like you may find this and the other 1970s Enid albums appealing; if not, start with their first album and work your way through the years until you're either hooked or become disinterested. Three stars out of five.

peace