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In the Region of the Summer Stars by The The Enid, released in 1976, is their debut album.
The Enid are a band founded in London in 1973 by keyboardist Robert John Godfrey, formerly of Barclay James Harvest. Their sound is a fusion of rock and classical music, combining orchestral movements and rock instrumentation.
The album was originally intended to be sung, but Peter Roberts, the band's lead singer, committed suicide on New Year's Day 1975. The remaining band members decided that Roberts was irreplaceable and so they reworked the album to make it entirely instrumental.
It is a concept album based on the tarot card sequence and the writings of Charles Williams, exploring themes of power, sex, romance, fantasy, and spirit. Inspired by the concept, the original title was to be The Voyage of the Acolyte, but Steve Hackett released his album with the same title (and a similar concept) while Enid were re-arranging it, hence the new and definitive title, In the Region of the Summer Stars.
All the tracks, except "The Lovers," which is a piano solo, are played with symphonic instruments combined with drums, bass, and electric guitar, resulting in a very complex music, unlike any other band of the time.
It's not an album for everyone; its simultaneously epic and sunny sound, full of melancholy and optimism, makes it a masterpiece that attracts many listens.
A beautiful album, a splendid debut, and their next album, 1977's Aerie Faerie Nonsense, their masterpiece, is also beautiful.
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.
Tracklist
1. The Fool..The Falling Tower (6:16)
2. Death, the Reaper (3:59)
3. The Lovers (5:17)
4. The Devil (4:14)
5. The Sun (4:39)
6. The Last Judgement (8:12)
7. In the Region of the Summer Stars (6:19)
Duration 38:56
LineUp
- Francis Lickerish - guitar
- Glenn Tollett - keyboards, bass, tuba
- Robert John Godfrey - keyboards (including piano solo on track 3), percussion
- Stephen Stewart - bass, guitar
- David Storey - drums and percussion
- Robbie Dobson - percussion
Featuring:
- Neil Kavanagh - bass, flute
- Dave Hancock - trumpet (solo on track 5, bridge passage between tracks 6 and 7)
