ECLIPSE - JUMPING FROM SPRINGBOARDS - 2003

So here we have another Brazilian band with the (not quite spectacular) name ECLIPSE that might lead to the conclusion that we can expect some Floyd-ish sound. But this is not the case at all rather can we listen on "Jumping From Springboards" to some very pleasant modern progressive rock that is really not that much derivative and moreover not similar at all to the usual Retro Prog produced by bands like Glass Hammer, Spock's Beard or Flower Kings which is very welcome at least to me. Reminiscences to seminal bands are absolutely marginal like Squire-ish bass or female vocals that remind to Hatfield & the North. The compositions are highly versatile and are ranging from rather mellow ones to more upbeat but never harsh ones, just very good modern symphonic prog (NOT neo prog) with a dash of jazz-rock here and there. Keyboards are playing a quite subsidiary role what I'd like to add as an advantage (all keyboard freaks will be appalled!) remembering all those newer bands using squeaky synths tunes in a exaggerated manner. The music really does not suffer at all from this since guitarist Aloisio Campelo uses quite often a MIDI-guitar that enables him to emulate instruments like clavinet, bandoneon, trumpet, moog, bells, tuned percussion and - as well - Mellotron. The (often wordless) vocals by Patrícia Deschamps are very pleasant, more than the (occasional) male ones which are not superb but not disturbing or annoying neither. Anyway the instrumental parts are prevailing here and some tracks like "Mantiqueira" for example where the jazz-rock touch is most obvious manage to appeal a lot without any vocals apart from some wordless ones.

Overall I can summarize my fully positive and astounding impression of this album by saying that ECLIPSE is next to INDEX for sure one of best prog bands coming from Brazil nowadays and is absolutely able to provide a quality in their music that comes very close to the one in BACAMARTE's. Moreover it's far away from the usual schmaltzy symphonic prog coming from that area.
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