Eddie Jobson – Zinc: The Green Album (1983) [Japanese Limited SHM-SACD 2014]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 50:33 minutes | Scans included | 2,04 GB
or FLAC(converted with foobar2000 to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Full Scans included | 0,97 GB
After his stint with Jethro Tull and as the wave of new romantic pop groups were taking control of the airwaves, Eddie Jobson entered the studio to record his first solo album, known as Zinc, although it was meant to be titled “The Green Album” and billed to the band name “Zinc” — the record company messed things up quite a bit. This is an honest effort of when-prog rock-meets-synth pop. The songs are often better than Drama-era Yes and turn-of-the-’80s FM or Saga. In terms of writing and production, it sounds like Jobson is emulating Rupert Hine, whose art-pop gem Immunity came out two years before Zinc. Jobson handles all keyboards, vocals, and electric violin. Alon Oleartchik and Jerry Watts split bass duties, Michael Barsimanto supplies very early-’80s-sounding drum tracks (cold and square). Nick Moroch, Cary Sharaf, Michael Cuneo and Gentle Giant’s Gary Green appear here and there on electric guitar. Jobson’s lyrics are poor and his attempt to tie them together with a “green” theme doesn’t help. Luckily, the music is better, with “Green Face” and “Resident” standing out as two of the best synth pop songs produced in that era. The second half of the album gets weaker as ideas run thin, but the first half offers a very nice blend of pop songs and instrumentals. Jobson’s high-pitched voice is nothing to write home about, but he conceals it with the favorite gizmo of the time: the vocoder. Of course, the album sounds very dated, but collectors will find it has its moments.
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Eddie Jobson – Zinc: The Green Album
Vinyl | LP Cover (1:1) | FLAC + cue | 24bit/96kHz | 0.98 Gb
Label: Capitol Records/ST-12275 | Release: 1983 | Genre: Progressive-Electronic
Having played for the prog bands UK and Jethro Tull, Eddie Jobson decided after to start a solo career, and “Zinc” is his first album. Absolutely progressive, the tracks are often loaded and dynamic. Jobson even provides the lead vocals, which are really not bad. He plays some excellent electric violin parts, as always. The main strength are his keyboards arrangements: I’ve rarely seen a musician mastering so well the keyboards!! The keyboards sounds are EXTREMELY varied, very modern for the year and absolutely futuristic. Jobson is able to create many spacy, mellow & very dreamy atmospheres, with a sci-fi approach: the pleasant textures generate an indescribable trance state which you will not want to lose; Jobson’s technique partly resides in inserting a gentle & melodic sequencer through some floating ambience. He plays an OUTSTANDING piano solo a la Patrick Moraz: do not miss it! The rock dimension is very present, almost hard rock, as reveals the sharp electric guitars and acoustic ones (Gary Green, of Gentle Giant, is a guest musician on couples of tracks). The drums and the bass do an excellent job. Eddie Jobson still proves here that he is one of the best keyboardist of the prog scene.
Review by greenback, progarchives.com (more…)
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