A new vinyl edition of the 1970 debut album by progressive rock pioneers Egg, bears witness to what a fine improvisational and musically creative band they were.

Release date: Available now

Label: Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records

Format: Vinyl Edition

Egg, a progressive rock band, were formed in 1968, and comprised Dave Stewart, organ, piano and tone generator, Mont Campbell on bass and vocals, and the late Clive Brooks on drums (who later went on to play with the mighty Groundhogs). While they have been perceived as part of the Canterbury scene, none of the members had a geographical link. However, musically it is a perception that makes sense, and of course Dave Stewart was later a member of Hatfield And The North and National Health, both associated with the Canterbury scene. The latter band also initially including Mont Campbell.

This Esoteric Recordings vinyl reissue of the 1970 self-titled debut Egg album, bears witness to what a fine improvisational and musically creative band they were. The reissue adds the track Symphony No. 2, Movement 3, which from the bands sleeve notes, seems to have been left off the original release due to copyright difficulties.

The opening nine seconds of Bulb, the first track on the album, consists of a series of strange sound effects. Then we are into the album proper with While Growing My Hair. It has a classic psychedelic ambiance, in the vocals and instrumentation, to match the song title, together with an appealing jazz based swing beat.  

The next track I Will Be Absorbed, is pure Canterbury scene, with its mix of jazz textures, endearingly whimsical lyrics, and fluctuating time signatures. Mont Campbell’s vocal is impactful with its ascending phrasing, and Clive Brooks drumming is both subtle and driving, accompanied by some superbly delicate cymbal work. Dave Stewart’s alternating of piano and organ gives a layers of sound texture that immediately draws the listener in. The track will have you absolutely convinced that this is a classic of the progressive rock canon, and this is before you reach the magnum opus that is Symphony No.2, on side two of the record.

Fugue In D Minor, composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, is given a gentle flowing interpretation and arrangement by the band, with the keyboards elegantly weaving around the blues-based shuffle of the rhythm section.  They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano, provides an avant-garde counterpoint, as Dave Stewart’s piano is juxtaposed to a series of harsh and high-pitched sounds.

The Song Of McGillicudie The Pusillanimous (Or Don’t Worry James, Your Socks Are Hanging In The Coal Cellar with Thomas) initially showcases a melee of driving bass and drums and stabbing organ chords, supporting Mont Campbell’s beautifully phrased vocal. It is succeeded by a quieter jazzy passage, punctuated once more by some incredibly deft cymbal work by Clive Brooks, before heading back into the frenzy of the main theme. The titles given to this and other tracks on side one, are reminiscent of the gentle sense of humour that pervaded many of the song titles by Hatfield and the North and Caravan.

Boilk provides another strange short interlude, before we approach, with the restored Movement 3, the full 23 minutes plus majesty of Symphony No.2. on side two of the vinyl. Movement 1 has Dave Stewart’s keyboards and Mont Campbell’s bass playfully interrogating a musical theme, and later in the piece Dave Stewart’s lengthy improvised organ solo is both inventive and full of crossing melodies, that hold the listeners attention, including a fleeting reference to Grieg’s Hall Of The Mountain King. Movement 2 has a strongly classical feel, with interweaving thematic sections, underpinned by the contours of Clive Brooks exploratory drumming, that flows into every section, illuminating the lush musicality of the piece. 

Blane witnesses, what appears to be Dave Stewart’s tone generator, taken off the leash, creating a whirlwind of sound, sometimes punctuated by distant voices and more gentle keyboard phrases. Then the record returns us to Movement 3 and Movement 4, which run the full gamut of psychedelia, classical, and jazz inflections, including in Movement 4, a bass solo by Mont Campbell, that effortlessly combines melody and rhythm. 

What is noticeable throughout this album, is the bands’ ability to bring together complex thematic writing with an improvisational flair, that means the music constantly intrigues. It feels very pioneering in progressive rock terms, as echoes of this great music can be heard in progressive rock’s development throughout the 1970s. This vinyl edition fully restores the original LP artwork, and sound wise offers up a crystalline separation of the instruments, and a real heft to the bass and drumming work. The spacious soundstage accentuates the keyboard parts and allows the vocals plenty of audio space to take flight.

The back cover of the vinyl sleeve, includes the following striking words from the band:

“The music on this LP is not dancing music, but basically music for listening to. It is harmonically and rhythmically complex, designed to be as original as possible within the confines of the instrumental line-up; so it’s pretty demanding on the listener’s attention.”

I would only go part of the way with this, as the music draws you in and intrigues right from the start. Nevertheless, repeated deep listening will be very rewarding, as each time you play this record new layers of sound and musical originality are revealed. This is a great record and stands as a classic milestone in the development of progressive rock.  

The Esoteric Recordings expanded remastered CD edition of the album, with bonus tracks, including both sides of the band’s only single, and the restored Movement 3, will become available again at the beginning of February, through Cherry Red. If you would like to explore further the Egg legacy, The Metronomical Society, a collection of live and studio recordings made between 1969 and 1972, has been repressed through Burning Shed.

You can find out more about Dave Stewart and Mont Campbell’s latest projects here:

Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin / Dirk Campbell

You can find out more about Esoteric Recordings and Cherry Red Records releases here: Cherry Red Records / Esoteric Recordings

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