Also Eden - Think Of The Children!


Also Eden
Think Of The Children!
(Festival Music 201110)

Those who love the Music of Aragon, Galahad and Marillion will be pleased with Think Of The Children!, the third album of Also Eden in five years. They used as much singers during that period, but with Rich Harding they seemed to have found the right frontman, but also new energy, a new sound and a new direction. The sensitive and emotional vocals of Harding sounds in between the, quiet, vocals of Stuart Nicholson (Galahad) and the, the fierce vocals of Les Dougan (Aragon). Simon Rogers sounds like a merge of John Poloyannis, Roy Keyworth and Steve Rothery. The keyboards of Ian Hodson are the essential background supplement, but when he loses himself, there are fierce musical battles with Rogers’ solo guitar. And with a strong and tight base presented by bassist Steve Dunn, who delivers some very nice bass loops now and then, and drummer Lee Nicholas, Also Eden makes a strong performance and a classic album is born. Certainly when it is a concept album with nine songs which running from one into the other. Hiding In Plain Sight would have been a nice addition on a Galahad album and Stealth starts with a Brave alike intro but continues in the vein of Aragon’s Don’t Bring The Rain. Dream Within A Dream also opens in the Brave style but switches into the Galahad vein later on. In 1949 all seems to flow together. The restrained vocal ferocity of Harding, the Amaranth (from Galahad’s album Sleepers) alike middle section, which last much too short. It is followed by the Nicholson alike vocals and a beautiful Rothery alike guitar solo.
Think Of The Children! has become an album of a high and consistent standard, and again a release of Festival Music which could become a hit. Here and there you hear the sensitivity of Pink Floyd, guitarsolo in Greater Game, and the atmosphere of Genesis, the combination of acoustic guitar and keyboards in Think Of The Children II. But it’s understandable, because the references are aware of their classics themselves. Also Eden delivers an excellent album with beautiful atmospheric nuances, which will make you turn the album time after time.

Tracklist:

Think Of The Children I
Hiding In Plain Sight
Oversight
Cijfers
The Greater Game
Stealth
Dream Within A Dream
1949
Think Of The Children II

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