EDEN ROSE – On The Way To Eden (2020, LP Guerssen Records)

RELEASE INFO:

Label: Guerssen Records

Format: LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Heavy Cardboard Cover and OBI,

Release Date: 16 Sep 2020

A 2020 LP re-issue of a 2016 re-issue of a 1969 original release! Eden Rose managed to release an instrumental Progressive-Rock album in 1969 but the dawn of the 70s found them transforming into Sandrose still playing Progressive-Rock but with the wonderful female vocals of Rose Podwojny added. (By the way, Sandrose’s 1972 LP album was also re-released by Guerssen’s subsidiary label Sommor, in 2013).

The press release reads: “Proto-progressive, groovy instrumental psychedelia, recorded in France in 1969 by this pre-Sandrose band and released on the tiny Katema label. Swirling Hammond grooves by keyboard virtuoso Henri Garella, top guitar playing by Jean-Pierre Alacen and a tight, funky rhythm section create one of the best early prog/psych French albums ever. First reissued on Guerssen back in 2016 and out of print for many years, here’s a repress in hard cardboard sleeve + OBI – resealable outer sleeve…”

“On The Way To Eden” consists of 8 tracks in total, 4 on each one side of the LP. The album kicks off with the self-titled “On The Way To Eden”, a MAGNIFICENT instrumental tune (note: all 8 tracks are instrumental), quite sentimental, keyboard (Hammond) based, and it’s not right and accurate to say “reminds me of”, so I’ll put it this way: this tune moves to a very similar pro-Prog path that established in the late 60s by (mostly) British bands by the likes of Egg! “Faster And Faster” is a more ‘orthologic’ Prog tune, Hammond oriented, with a crazy unstoppable rhythm, kind of reminds me of Brian Auger’s Hammond orgies! “Sad Dream”, as the title implies, it’s a sad tune, very emotional, with a bit of a ‘classical’ touch and a wondrous soft guitar solo. Side ‘A’ closes with the powerful “Obsession”, a tune full of energy, a musical dialogue between Guitar and Hammond or should I call it ‘a battle’… Side ‘B’ opens in the same early traditional late 60s Prog-Rock way with “Feeling In The Living”, Hammond seems to be celebrating its ‘existence’ while the whole tune emerges a soul-funk-jazzy musical shade… What if Egg had Brian Auger as a keyboardist? Then the result could easily be heard on “Travelling”… “Walking In The Sea” is another slow tune, that acts as a ‘Love’ tune, very sentimental, quite sensual, that brings to mind that erotic tune by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, though for the last 90sec the tune changes direction moving into band’s familiar Prog way… Eventually, the album closes with “Reinyet Number”, a tune that intensely flirts with funky and jazzy rhythms, a remarkable and cool Hammond-ized Prog tune! “On The Way To Eden” is one of those records “not-to-be-missed” from any collection, Prog or not! Traditional late 60s Progressive Rock at its Finest! TimeLord Michalis

Get the Album via Guerssen Records

Alternatively, grab it via Shiny Beast Mailorder