East of Eden - Mercator Projected (1969) (New Rip) 24-bit/96kHz

Released in the same year as In the Court of the Crimson King, Mercator Projected marks the debut of one of the most exciting, authentically progressive acts of the original prog era, now unfairly forgotten by most. Drenched in exoticism, from the stunning cover,to the evocative title (a Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection that distorts the shape and size of large objects), in spite of its undeniable rawness, the album is a thoroughly exhilarating listen, blending Eastern sounds with jazz, blues, heavy rock and psychedelia in a heady brew that might at first sound dated, but is still deeply intriguing for a discerning music fan.

One of East of Eden's strengths lies in their use of an impressive array of instruments that, at the time, were still not common currency in the rock world. Dave Arbus' electric violin dominates the proceedings, weaving ethereal melodies or bringing a strident note to the compositions, while saxes and flute add a very distinctive character to the band's sound. In the best tradition of the original progressive rock movement (and not unlike KC's seminal debut), the songs on this album are at the same time accessible and experimental, soothing and harsh. While the band don't deny their rock and blues roots, they also push the envelope with their richly textured soundscapes, evocative of many different moods. Progarchives.com

Track listing:

01. Northern Hemisphere
02. Isadora
03. Waterways
04. Centaur Woman
05. Bathers
06. Communion
07. Moth
08. In The Stables of The Sphinx

Bonus:

From Atlantic mono single 584198 (1968)
09. King of Siam
10. Ballad of Harvey Kaye

Personnel:

Dave Arbus: Electric violin, flute, bagpipe, recorders, two saxophones at once, lavatory.
Ron Caines: Soprano and alto saxophone (acoustic and amplified), organ, vocal on 4.
Geoff Nicholson: Guitar, vocals.
Steve York: Bass guitar, harmonica, Indian thumb piano.
Dave Dufont: Percussion.
Recorded at Decca Studios, London
Produced by Noel Walker

Technicals:

Knosti RCM.
Michell GyroDec full version.
Funk Firm FXR II Tonearm.
Audio Technica AT33PTG/II MC Cartridge.
Harman Kardon HK990 Integrated Amplifier.
Gold Interconnects. E-MU 0204 Audio Interface.
Recording, split and manual de-click with Adobe Audition 3.0.1
Click Repair 3.9.1
Vinyl transfer by son-of-albion, December 2013