Customer Reviews

The Green Album

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Eddie Jobson's keyboard and violin work on the U.K. albums was jaw-droppingly awesome, so I was naturally seeking out something more from him, without venturing back into his side work with Zappa, Curved Air, Jethro Tull or Roxy Music. While his chops are still on fine display here on his first solo studio album, one sees a little different side of Jobson here than with U.K.

According to outside sources, this "Eddie Jobson - Zinc" album was originally meant to be titled "The Green Album" and credited to the band name Zinc. Probably a good move by the record company to "mess things up", as Jobson is clearly the star here, and no one else is a name player besides Gentle Giant's Gary Green (hmmmm...Green....) who only plays on the final two tracks. Three other guitarists split the axe duties, two guys share bass duties, and a Michael Barsimanto plays some decent - but fairly 1980's-sounding - drums.

The music itself? Well, the "Transporter" bookends to the album are short, spacey instrumentals. The rest of the album alternates between prog/synth-pop songs (in an Alan Parsons sort of style) and almost "new age" instrumentals, roughly tied together by sub-par lyrics that regularly reinforce the Green theme. I view tracks 4, 5 & 6 as a sort of "new age suite", as the songs have similar coloring (unintended pun) and blend into each other. Favorite songs include "Resident", "Turn It Over", "Green Face" and "Through The Glass", as they sound more like solid prog/pop to me.

Jobson does all of the vocals; a cross between Jon Anderson and whoever sang "Eye In The Sky" for Alan Parsons Project. I like them well enough. I wish he would have featured the violin more on this album, but his keyboard playing is top-notch (with passing nods to U.K. in a few spots). Certainly enough to enjoy here, and I still spin it on occasion. With so little recorded output from this virtuoso, you really should try to find this cd (or even a nice vinyl copy on eBay).

I'm still not quite sure why he focused on the color green so much. And isn't the element zinc blue in color?....

I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 7.1/10; Performance = 9/10; Production = 8/10; CD length = 7/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 7.7 ("3-1/2 stars")

I do not know where "Nach" from Mexico got his information in year 2001, but Eddie's website, last dated jan/2005, gives me the impression that his, Ed's, untimely demise has not yet occured. I have all of his solo stuff, the UK stuff, and the Roxy Music stuff and agree that his talent is A+ caliber. If you google his name, you will be able to find a link to his website, currently under construction(3/2/2005). The picture indicates that he is probably healthy and having a better time than I am having now.

Since the great U.K. has been my favorite band (and the group of my favorite musicians in each instrument), I have been collecting most of solo efforts by the members (Bruford, Earthwork, IOU, Asia, Quango...). I think Bill Bruford has been building most impressive carrier among them. On the contrary, It's a shame that Eddie Jobson released only a couple of solo efforts so far but both of them are great. Overall, this album may not be that exciting as U.K. albums are but still it's... yeah simply I love this. Particularly, I enjoy the title 'the resident' and 'easy for you to say' very much. The latter is haunting. Music from outerworld? Even I like the name of band 'Zinc' (well, you all know John Wetton named his band Asia starting with 'A'. Funny, what happened?). He even designed the logo on the album jacket, did a little bit of dancing(?) in fancy green outfits, played with a drummer with plastic cymbal for a video clip. Actually he looked cool in the video. And I think he vocal fits music(electronical prog rock) perfectly. But the project was not successful. Why? As Allan Holdsworth said, Eddie was a 'extremely talented musician' and the 80s didn't require that. Too bad. He also released 'theme of secret' album later. Again this album is not exciting like any of U.K. release but it was a solo project with synclavier. Just like I believe Steven King has a additional sense, I think Eddie has one too. Ethereal but pretty accessible. GET IT if you like U.K. ! And Eddie? The Nash bridges theme was cool but you can do something much better, what's going on with the 'Legacy' project????? I am ready to buy anything from you, just release whatever you got!
PS> Also check his stint with Curved air (aircut album; metamorphosis) and Roxy music (Siren album; She sells). Great stuffs.

The Zinc album is a concept album, and is typical of the genre of solo efforts from alternative rock group artists. All of the zinc songs blend together, with an overall theme in mind. The vocals are the only weak spot to an otherwise powerful effort from Jobson. It is unfortunate that he hasn't continued with similar solo efforts. His mastery of the instruments is impressive, and the sound is worthy of a good CD and sound system. Those of you that enjoy the group UK, Asia, Yes, Steve Howe's solo albums and Emerson, Lake and Palmer will enjoy this innovative album from Jobson.

Excellent!!! This LP is unique from most of the stuff I have heard Jobson do in the past. Perhaps because this is a 'solo' LP, and no other musicians contribute. It's raw Jobson! I purchased this one back when it came out (I forgot when. Mid - late 70's), after U.K. Very good.

Although this album echos early 80's prog. rock, I feel that Mr. Jobson is a master at creating ethereal landscapes, and the melodious chord progressions are amazing; but it takes some time for them to take hold of your psyche. Once they do, you will wonder why this great talent records no more....the only criticism I have is that sometimes the album seems to try to go in too many musical directions at once, and thus looses inertia: not focused enough.

...Here you could hear Eddie Jobson as a frontman with leading electronic sounds, providing his potency. The line of music is too similar to Yes and Manfred Man, but strictly incubate his own mindscapes and green dreams.If you're missing this sound probaly it's a good deal. Otherwise this is only good surprise!

Fans of ELP, UK, etc. Eddie jobson made an excellent prog solo CD after quitting UK. Very recommended for keyboardists; on level withe emerson and wakeman, and even more, really. it has magnificent piano and synth passages. Magnificent drums a la Bozzio.
His second solo cd, Theme of secters is quite good too, buy a little more new age oriented.
. Jobson in one of the best keyboard/violin players around, on the same level as the great masters, but not very prolific. He played with Zappa, Roxy Music, Jethro Tull, and a couple of tracks with King Crimson's USA. Just check him out with UK.
There was an aborted CD called Legacy, with guests Bill Bruford and steve hackett and a european choir. In 2008 be ready for Jobsons new project called UKZ.

In 1983, Top keyboardist Eddie Jobson recorded ZINC (The Green Album). And as anyone could think it showed his virtuosism and virtuosity letting clear that a great finger flexibility and mental creativity can stand together with emotion and flamboyant exotic textures. But this isn't the unique effort recorded by him. In 1976 a solo single with the tracks "Yesterday Boulevard" and "On A Still Night" appeared in market without a lot of promotion, the material had a little influence of Jean-Luc Ponty, but it is still a great recording at the time, and still is... He became a major picture in 1978 when aside Bill Bruford, Allan Holdsworth and John Wetton recorded the first U.K. album putting him at the top of the best keyboard player like K. EMERSON or R. WAKEMAN, and as I mentioned in my listmania list:

"There are no words to describe this Progressive myth, the exhuberant chemistry between Holdsworth, Bruford, Jobson & Wetton. They created this "Out of this World" masterpiece: Top tracks: All Songs!"...

It's a shame that his exigency over demanded Holdsworth to make exactly the same solo each and every night of the World Tour, so Bruford and Holdsworth departed away for good to participate in other succesfull projects... Eddie Jobson and John Wetton recorded another two albums, DANGER MONEY wich contains the track "Nothing To Lose" and NIGHT AFTER NIGHT a great live recording which made to grow far enough his personal fame and Rock scene reputation...In 1980, He participated in the Jethro Tull's recording "A" (Look for the package "A" CD + Slipstream DVD with Eddie Jobson on tour with Jethro TUll) where he applied his incisive Key and Violin style in tracks like "Black Sunday", "Flyingdale Flyer", "Batteries Not Included", "Uniform" and "The Pine Marten's Jig" and as obvious result, he toured with Jethro Tull that year. Finally in 1982, he almost became the keyboardist for the Progressive band YES. Anyone can see him sitting around, raising his arm twice at the beginning of the video song "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"...

In the CD, pieces like "Transporter", "Resident", "Prelude", "Nostalgia", "Turn It Over", "Green Face", "Who My Friends", "Colour Code" or "Transporter II" really make the price worthwhile to pay...So Good Luck!