Third Ear Band — Mosaics – The Albums 1969-1972

Mosaics is a CD boxset bringing together all the early albums from British experimental rock ‘n’ folk, come stripped prog-rock project Third Ear Band. Featured here is 1969’s Alchemy, 1970’s Self-title- aka Elements, and 1972’s Music From Macbeth. The bands largely instrumental and often improvised sound blends together elements of the world, neo-classical, folk, rock and the sonically ancient/ mystical. 

This boxset appears on Esoteric Recordings- the prog focused sub-label of long-running independent Cherry Red Records. Each of the three CD’s are presented in mini gatefold sleeves- with two of these been gatefolds. Also included in the set is a thirty-two-page glossy inlay booklet- taking in a new twenty-two-page write-up about the band, and the included albums- along with a good selection of band pictures, flyers and full credits. With the whole thing coming presented in a light purple glossy flipside card box, so another classy presented release from Esoteric/ Cherry Red. 

The Third Ear Band formed in London of the mid-1960’s- starting off playing early morning jam sessions at the notorious UFO club. The bands wider collective took in twenty members- with it centred around the key members' Glen 'Zen' Sweeney- hand drums, wind chimes, percussion. Paul Minns- Oboe & Recorder. Richard Coff-Volin & Viola. Ursula Smith-Cello & Violin. In all the collective put around eighteen releases- taking in ten albums, with most of the body of appearing between the late sixty-to-mid seventies.

The first album here is 1969’s Alchemy, this originally appeared on EMI’s prog sub-label Harvest. The album took in eight tracks in all, and offered up a very organic and earthy instrumental sound. It went the warbling pipes, trip tapping tabla, and deep droning-to-jigging strings of “Ghetto Raga”. Onto tick-tocking strum meets joyful medieval pipping of “Stone Circle”. Though to lose smashing ‘n’ crashing percussion meets wondering string ‘n’ pipework of “Dragon Lines”. At its original time of release the album would have certainly have been an unusually sounding release to more formal prog ears. And as a debut album, it still retains a lopsided/ haphazard charm with its mix of different musical tropes/ sonic ethnic origins.

Next up we have the self-titled or Elements as it’s known. This appeared in the year 1970s, on Harvest once again, and it featured just four tracks- and as the albums sub-title suggests these are all themed around the elements. The album opens with its longest track "Air"- this comes in at just shy of the ten & half minute mark, and it doesn’t gently ease you -into the album. After a minute or so of swirling wind recordings- this awkward & limping collection of string work fades in, which is fairly soon added to by a pitter-pattering percussion pulse that hints at eastern mantra. As the track progresses the urgency & detail of the searing, sawing & picking string layers & percussion detail grown & build- I think the nearest comparisons would be the more angular & un-harmonic jams of someone like A Silver Mt. Zion. The album finishes off with "Fire"- and this seven-minute journey into more haunting–to-dramatic side of the band's sound. It begins with a mixture of distant crushing sea noise, and slurred harmonic string stretchers. At around the two & a half minute, another pitter-pattering rhythmic pulse comes in, and this is joined of darkly swooned drones & piping semi-bright/ harmonic oboe march- the blend of harmonic & un-harmonic elements here work well to create a nice unease vibe. Again, it’s another distinctive, if not whole even album.

Finally, we have 1972’s Music From Macbeth- which once again was released on Harvest. And for me this is the most balanced and rewarding of the three albums here- firstly we get sixteen shorter tracks, secondly, we get a good balance between harmonic & un-harmonic, and last the songwriting is more on point/ creative, blending in subtle elements of jazz and rock to the bands sound. We move from gloomy bass wonders, discordant horn hover, and distant twanging- almost psych guitar of “Overture”. Onto mellow-if- slight lopsided horn, string, and pulsing folk-rock groove of “The Banquet”. There’s “Court Dance” which opens with bird song lined pastoral-yet- slightly off-key bass twang meets mischiefs horn dart, before moving into jaunting medieval meets folk-rock groove. Or the discordant drone-meets-wound down jig of “The Cauldron”. All in all, it’s a great odd 70’s record, which sits in a place all of its own.
 
Good-on Esoteric Recordings for putting this classy boxset out, as there’s no doubt Third Ear Band had a highly distinctive at points difficult sound that really will only appeal to a selected few from the labels more straight/ normal prog audience. Head over to just here to buy this direct from Cherry Red.