Eden Rose - On The Way to Eden (1970) [Reissue 2003]

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Eden Rose - On The Way to Eden (1970) [Reissue 2003]

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'On the Road to Eden' is a pretty decent debut (and only release) from the pre-Sandrose group known as Eden Rose. The main thing missing in this version of the band is singer Rose Podwojny (aka Laurens), who would join up with the quartet after Eden Rose's demise to form what would become Sandrose (a lot of Rose's in this band's story). And indeed, all the tracks here are instrumentals, so it appears the presence of Podwojny/ Laurens may have been the missing ingredient considering that lineup achieved far greater notoriety than this one.

The music is surprisingly similar though; fusion-tinted and mildly psych-inspired, upbeat tunes with plenty of wailing and fuzzed guitar and Hammond organ aplenty throughout. If you're a fan of that free-flowing, piped late sixties Hammond sound you'll definitely get a kick out of this thing. Virtually every track is awash with Hammond bleating, interrupted or augmented only on tastefully few occasions by Jean-Pierre Alarcen and his blistering electric axe.
This is sometimes referred to as a psych album but it really isn't; indeed, the guitars are all a blend of modern jazz sounds and simple fuzz (but not too much), and the Hammond sounds both improvisational and rooted in contemporary blues riffs. There are a few exceptions, most notably "Walking in the Sea" which is both the longest and most indolent tune on the record with both electric reverbed riffs and acoustic strumming, as well as a lighter, more laidback keyboard arrangement than on any other song. The closing is rather subdued as well, but otherwise these songs are all exercised in keyboard foray and guitar soloing. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but honestly the sound is as dated as the album's copyright statement (1970), and maybe even a little older than that as most of these musicians had been playing together for several years and this album marked the culmination of their experience to-date…

Review by ClemofNazareth

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Eden Rose - On The Way to Eden (1970) [Reissue 2003]

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