EAST OF EDEN

By the time this third album came out, little was left of the original spirit of East Of Eden and only violinist Dave Arbus of the original line-up. They had changed from one progressive label Deram to another Harvest, but also lost their experimental edge in the process. As a matter of fact, aside from more conventional song structures, this album has a slight country music feel , but rest assured nothing remotely strong as I usually cannot stand that type of Amaricana slice.

Wonderful feeling is a first hint of a change but the country feel emanates only from Arbus's violin. Goodbye actually is a fairly pleasant track that could easily fit on Traffic's LSOHHB album and you will agree that this is quite a reference. Next up is the almost 7min Crazy Daisy, is a relatively harder edged rocking tune with Arbus switching to the sax and new guitarist pulling in a good scorching solo in the middle and a good Spanish drama feel a bit reminiscent of Cream's Deserted cities Of The Heart or an early Colosseum track.

Side 2 starts on rather straightforward track that again makes you thing of Cream - mostly the Jack Bruce-like vocals - but the track is rather sub-par. Take What You Need is also rather tame but not devoid of qualities either, but the slight country feel comes back a bit but you also think of the Allman Bros. No Time is another track that resolutely hints at Traffic, Cream and Blind Faith or even a less crazed Family. This is certainly no coincidence but also mainly due again to David Jack's voice but not only that the playing behind is rather good and sometimes borderline brilliant. The closing track is another rocker in the style of Crazy Daisy but lacks its brilliance

This third album is quite far removed from the experimental forays of their first two albums, but the album has many charms and holds some interest for progheads. Unfortunately by the Following album, New Leaf, the group will have another drastic change of personnel as none of the members will be present on it, this creating a precedent for other prog bands Renaissance and somewhat later and more slowly Soft Machine.