The 1981 Listening Post - Eloy - Planets

 Eloy - Planets

#284

1981 Housekeeping

Eloy

Planets

Genre: SynthProg

2.5 out of 5

How did Eloy manage to escape our rock lexicon? Look at their artwork, listen to their sound…surely they were made for the Heavy Metal Soundtrack, no?

Maybe it’s because their songs are really uninteresting. 

I dunno…stick to Yes or something. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bus65ovjOOg

The 1981 Listening Post - Ego on the Rocks - Acid in Wounderland

 Ego on the Rocks - Acid in Wounderland

#87

1981 Housekeeping

Ego on the Rocks

Acid in Wounderland

Genre: Soundtrack to maudlin apocalypse. 

2.75 out of 5

We heard Eloy in the 1980 listen and there’s more of them coming but this…is not Eloy. This is Eloy’s drummer. Jurgen Rosenthal apparently went solo and, in keeping with the magic of the era, incorporated a LOT of television and radio soundtracking and dialogue to accompany his groovy prog. 

You know what? Is it overblown? Yes. Its it pretentious? Hell yes. But, I had a lot of fun listening to whatever the hell is going on in “Unallgemeine Bestürzung”. 

I stuck with this all the way to the original release track, the instrumental audition for a late 70s PBS post apocalyptic film song, “Civilzation Song” (Not as good as Lathe of Heaven, but close) and turned it off after. My recommendation is you don’t even wade that deep. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZnbD6QzrTY

The 1980 Listening Post - Eloy - Colours

Eloy - Colours

#70

1980 Housekeeping

Eloy

Colours

Genre: Prog

2.75 out of 5

Highlights:

Horizons

As Sheffield would say, there’s a Marillion of these bands. I don’t know how I would ever have heard of Eloy, being a German Synth driven Progressive Rock group but this album, their 8th, has a naked butterfly lady on the cover!! Would have gawked at this one, absolutely.

Inside, however…it’s kind of delicious. I mean, it’s very Yes-y. No? They don’t feel as precious or as pretentious to me and yet, the record is dripping in self-import. It relies pretty heavily on spacey synths and I hope I’m not selling the guys short. They can play. But whatever surprises they have are used up pretty quickly and the whole thing falls into a miasma off regurgitated synth Prog. 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KRRwM_u-EU