SPIRIT OF EDEN

"Sprirt of Eden" is simply stunning. This once-in-a-lifetime achievement is both ambient and hard-hitting, deeply textured but often deceptively simple, as modern as the most extreme avant-garde jazz and yet organic and classical like an 18th century pastoral or delta blues. A diverse array of musicians and instruments create amzing musical details throughout the album, from the first surge of strings and heart-rending harmonica solo on "The Rainbow" to the reverent and random organ fade-out of "Wealth". Hollis' voice has lost the unpleasant nasal honk that characterized earlier works, blending perfectly with the other instruments as he softly murmurs or testifies the sparse but emotionally drenched poetry of the lyrics. Silence is often used as a tangible instrument as well. There is a stark, haunting aura surrounding much of the work, but it transcends the merely 'dark' or 'moody' to effectively portray moments of extreme emotional import; an attitude of spiritual revelation, profound personal expression, and raw existential distress is the heaviness that the fragile structure of these songs bear. This album belongs to no specific genre, simultaneously creating and perfecting its own sonic signature; the album equally achieves distinction in prog-rock as it does in modern jazz, or avant-garde classical, or post-punk experimentation, or even new-age soundscapes. I would rate this as one of the top musical achievements of the 20th century- no kidding. It's definitely one of my favorite albums of all time, and one I believe everyone should have a chance to appreciate.