The Egg - Albumen (CD)

All Music Guide

The Egg reach the first critical "put up or shut up" stage with the release of their debut, albumen this is the point at which they'll either become prominent players in the burgeoning electronic pop music movement or simply end up anonymously lumped into the category of "just another electronic band." What save The Egg from such categorization is the sheer variety of their electronic constructions. It's quite a stylistic smorgasbord the listener is dashed around from progressive rock into wicked hardfunk grooves, then discotronics into progressive jazzrock, all buggywhipping into and out of freetime, freejazz bass and drum breaks. And it all happens so fast, you seriously have to pay attention to keep up with everything whizzing by; comparions of The Egg to the embryonic days of Pink Floyd are founded in the closer "284 windows and a door," which echoes Floyd's "Arnold Layne" days with Syd Barrett. The eclectic "bend," the beatcrazy "jam tomorrow," "roche," "shopping" and "shoplifti...ng" all are standouts. - Chris Slawecki, All Music Guide Read more Less