DPRPMay 2004 by Mark HughesIn
many ways Attack Of The Martians by Eccentric Orbit is the US
equivalent of Trion's 2003 album Tortoise (a review of which can be
found here). Both groups wanted to record an album that featured classic
1970s keyboards - analogue synths, Rhodes electric pianos, Hammond
organs, Wurlitzers, mellotrons and the like. Both groups put the
instrumentation to the fore by cutting out the distractions a vocalist
would cause and concentrating solely on the music. The main difference
between the two bands is that the American group do it all without the
aid of a guitar player. Eccentric Orbit's line-up consists of Bill
Noland on bass, Derek Roebuck on keyboards, Madeleine Noland on
additional keyboards and MIDI-controlled wind synths and Mark Cella on
drums. With no guitarist the emphasis is placed firmly on the keyboards
although Bill Noland's bass has some very interesting lines that are
occasionally brought to the fore to carry a melody. His exceptionally
strong playing dominates several pieces but, in particular, sections of
Forbidden Planet takes the bass where it's not often heard!
Interestingly enough, considering the album is so dominated by
keyboards, the sole composer of the material was actually Bill the bass
player who makes his presence known right from the opening of Star Power
with a rough and heavy bass growl that resonates through the body.
One
can't help but draw comparisons with Emerson, Lake and Palmer, although
stylistically the music on Attack Of The Martians bears little relation
to much in the ELP cannon. However, the odd bar here and there will set
the recognition neurons firing and several of the sounds achieved can
be traced directly back to Emerson's technical manual. Not that this is a
criticism, one of the ideas about recording such an album as this is to
utilise the keyboards in a manner akin to the great groups of the
1970s. That they have achieved this suggests the raison d'être of the
band has been accomplished; that they have produced an original,
interesting and entirely enjoyable album in the process is much more
than the icing on the cake.
The album possesses an inherent
menace to it, mainly bought about by the aggressive bass sound. There is
a fair degree of variety though particularly during the 14-minute
Forbidden Planet which could well be a lost soundtrack to an episode of
the classic television show from which the track takes its name. Split
into four sections, the first section (The Arrival - Innocence Lost)
opens with a spacey wind-synth sound that Hawkwind would be proud of.
Piano melodies, played mostly by the left hand, are elegantly entwined
around some great bass work on the second section (The Insider) while
the third section The Krell is given over to the analogue synthesisers.
Finally, the piano and bass are reintroduced for the conclusion of The
Departure.
In many ways, the last track The Enemy Of My Enemy
distils the elements of the previous 39 minutes into a glorious
summation. Lovers of the sounds of mellotrons will delight in this
piece, although I believe that samples were used as opposed to original
instruments (if it is authentic enough to pose the question, what does
it really matter? Some people can be rather too precious!). If you liked
the Trion album (and plenty of people did!), then Attack of the
Martians is a perfect companion piece, different but complementary. I
always find it great to discover an obscure band from the past but end
up being frustrated that, for whatever reason, the band only recorded
one or two albums. With Eccentric Orbit I feel that I have discovered a
previously unknown band from my favourite musical period, but one whose
musical trip is just beginning!
Oh, it's a groovy cover as well!
Conclusion: 8 out of 10
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