reviews

ProgressiveWaves.com
May 2006
This American instrumental quartet (Low, Guitar, 2 keyboards) does undeniably to think about groups as ELP, Triumvirat, SBB. Attack Of The Martians, their first disc seems go out all right of the 70's.

Star Power, opens on a sound of near synthé of King Crimson (era In Court The Of The Crimson King) until the low one and the battery throw a rhythmic powerful one. The chorus can start up, announcing a strange and very pleasant theme.

Unfortunately, the continuation of the album reveals to be itself without surprised. In 7 minutes, the group all said, not authorizing itself never real personal gaps. Although Sputnik leaves to listen itself, one awaits the arrival of a big good guitar, of a tortured station wagon or of a singer that would put a little life in this title to the rhythmic interesting one.

The quality of the musicians and the placement some places station wagons not suffisent to make to forget emptiness caused by the absence of singer and the chorus played keyboards systematically end up to weary. Eccentric Orbit lacks force in its compositions and if one compares it has formations as SBB or Gerard (when they play in trio), report is without call... One is bored.

One wonders how a group can realize an album so shifted in 2004. To the listens Attack Of The Martians, it would seem that the excess of improvisations in repetitions destroyed all inspiration creator with our friends. This disc is reserved exclusively to the lovers of the keyboards 70's... Without surprised.

Fan d' ELP and of its clones, this Cd was born to seduce you. The compositions are likable, the irreproachable interpretation, the body is globally attracting... it lacks just an I do not know what... energy? madness? ... If I counsel, their talent there is for a lot.

ProgressiveEars.com
August 2005; Vinylroolz
Eccentric Orbit's debut album Attack of the Martians was one of 2004's highlights for me. From the cover art to the last note, this is an album steeped in concepts and sounds from the Golden Age of 50s B-movies and 70s prog.

While the keyboards sound authentically analog (Mellotron, Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, Clavinet D6), they are in fact digital samples and reproductions. Extremely good reproductions! The organ, piano and clavinet sounds are generated by a Nord Electro keyboard. Nord should pay these guys for an excellent demo of the equipment! This old keyboardist couldn't tell! The mellotron sounds are samples triggered by a synth, with other keyboard sounds generated through a wind-controlled synth. The end-result is a wonderful collection of 70s era prog sounds.

This album of (thankfully) all instrumental music is composed by bassist Bill Noland. His wife Madeleine operates the wind-synth and other keyboards. Derek Roebuck handles even more keyboards and Mark Cella ably handles drums and percussion.

Of course, it's hard to escape influences in music like this, so you will hear echoes of the usual suspects like ELP and Genesis. But you will also hear other parts that channel the likes of Anekdoten, Jan Hammer, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Happy the Man, Gentle Giant and Egg. I probably missed a few, but you get the idea. While there are certain passages that are extremely obvious, the album as a whole is very original and fresh. In other words, Eccentric Orbit doesn't intentionally try to sound like any one band. Rather, the end result is a conglomeration of Bill Noland's musical DNA.

The keyboards and drums are all very competently played, with the only real virtuosity being displayed by Bill on the bass. As composer and bandleader, his playing drives the music along with a sometimes-hammering intensity. His sound is sometimes positively Zeuhlish in nature on much of the album, though his fretless bass work on "Forbidden Planet" is outstanding.

I'll spare you a track-by-track breakdown. There are clever time changes, recurring themes, variations of themes, and the rhythm section kicks ass. Yet sometimes, the compositions have too many open spaces, are too atmospheric and function more as soundtrack or other backround music. Maybe that's the intention. The solos, for the most part, are simple and somewhat uninspired. At times the music cries out for an electric guitar or another keyboard with attitude. But if Bill's motive was to create a soundtrack for the listener to create his own visual accompaniment, then it's perfect!

I guess if that's my only complaint, maybe I'm looking too hard. This is an excellent debut and I look forward to hearing the next one. Any fan of vintage keyboard sounds, as well as excellent bass playing, will do themselves a favor and grab a copy. I'll give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Feedback Magazine
August 2005; Kevin Rowland
This band were always going to sound a bit different to the rest, given that all of the music has been written by bassist Bill Noland (a man who could give Chris Squire a lesson in what a deep and heavy bass can really sound like), and the line-up is a little unusual in that not only do they have a keyboard player but are also joined by someone playing wind-controlled synths through a Midi. Add a drummer to the mix and that is the band, playing music that is going to definitely strike a chord with anyone into ELP and Gentle Giant. That the chord is often played on Hammond organs or moogs is only going to endear them further.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this album as it starts with slowly played held-down keyboards but I needn’t have worried as after a minute and a half of "Star Power" the drums and bass come in and at two minutes Bill takes the music by the scruff and kicks in with a dirty bass which then allows the keyboards to come in over the top. It works incredibly well, and this wasn’t the only time that I was surprised with this album as there are loads of things going on and there is a definite space theme to the song titles, which carries through to the music. Unusually for an independent release this is a digipak (I love the simple cover), and is definitely worth investigating.

Dead Ernest’s
January 2005 by Andy G.
First take the timeless introduction to Genesis' 'Watcher Of The Skies', then prepare the bits of first two albums-era Greenslade minus the vocals, add to that the moog solos from ELP's 'Pictures At An Exhibition" and Tony Banks-style mellotrons, mix well then layer with Mainhorse-style organ. Add to that an electric bass somewhere between Magma and Stanley Clarke - and plenty of it, no mamby pamby portions - then top with drum work that could have come off any great seventies fusion album - "et voila" - an opening instrumental prog track lasting 7.36 that you will enjoy so much you'll want to make it again and again and again. I actually played it three times before even starting on the rest of the album - it's THAT hot.

This is an instrumental prog-rock album from an electric bassist who writes all the compositions, a drummer and two musicians, each on synthesizers and keyboards. Four further tracks from 6 to 14 minutes long, form the rest of a concept album based around outer space and old sci-fi films, but, musically, it's like a progressive stick of rock with the word "seventies" running right through. For prog-rock fans who crave that style and want nothing more than tons of synths, organ and mellotron work in that classic, timeless vein, this album is a dream come true. The bass work is also quite phenomenal, while the drums have been produced to sound solid, crisp and crunchy. But it's the wailing moog solos, the anthemic seventies style synth sounds, the organ work and the mellotron heaven that takes center stage as the two synth/keys players really spark, duel and shine. Of its kind, and even with influences as strong as this, it retains an originality, is absolutely timeless and one of the best instrumental keys/synths-based prog albums you'll hear.

ProgArchives.com
March 2005 by Mark Carter
4 stars - This is such an enjoyable gem of a CD, all neat keyboards including the mighty mellotron. Some may write it off as an ELP clone, but listen closely and there is so much more going on.Someday proggers will look back on this as an undiscovered jewel. Get it while you can!!!

The Heartless Herald
March 2005 by Dan Mayo
Massachusetts-based Eccentric Orbit have been getting rave reviews on many sites, and when I received a copy, I could see why. Influenced by Sci-Fi films and classic 70's bands such as King Crimson and ELP, E O have a strong in-your-face keyboard sound, lots of Hammond, Fender Rhodes, Moogs and soaking wet through with Mellotron.

The members are Mark Cella (drums and percussion) Bill Noland (bass) Madeleine Noland (wind controlled synths and keys) and Derek Roebuck (keys) and between them they make this forty six minute album work well.

There are no vocals on the album at all, just music and it is a very pleasant listen indeed. Star Power gets things underway, and you jump on the King Crimson train which stops at the Anekdoten station along the way. The theme continues in the next track Sputnik, but the Mellotron is upfront in the title track Attack Of The Martians. I can see some parts of this on a film soundtrack at some point, but on the whole, the album is very 70's sounding. It would be interesting to jump back in time just to see where it would have slotted into during that decade.

The film Forbidden Planet inspired the fourth track which has the same name and is the longest at a shade over fourteen minutes. Again well played, and the sounds of the instruments is a credit to the quartet. The Anekdoten style bass on the final track the Enemy Of My Enemy shines through, played with force and lots of reverb, and along with the Hammond and Mellotron sound, add a snip of Gentle Giant, that's what you get.

This is a very enjoyable album, and one I will be playing for many more times. There are some sound files on their website which are well worth a listen.

eye Weekly, The Anti-Hit List: Forbidden Planet
October 2004 by John Sakamoto
Number 8 on the Anti-Hit List: ECCENTRIC ORBIT, "Forbidden Planet": What sets this Massachusetts-based prog-rock band apart is not just its instrumental chops -- half of the band holds music degrees -- but its compositional ones, as well. Inspired by the classic sci-fi film, this tightly structured 14-minute opus owes an obvious debt to forerunners such as King Crimson and Gentle Giant, yet never once stoops to mimicry.

ProgLands
January 2005 by Denis_t
ECCENTRIC ORBIT is Bill and Madeleine Noland whom both previously performed on two tribute album of GENTLE GIANT, the track 'Just the Same' in 'Giant for a Life' on Mellow records and on 'Giant Tracks' the american GENTLE GIANT tribute album with the song 'In a Glass House'. Mark Cella previously performed with A TRIGGERING MYTH 'Between Cages' album in 1995 and with PYE FYTE in 1998, on 'The Gathering of the Krums' album. He also appeard in a track on the compilation 'Prog in the USA' as well as being the owner of Mandmusic.com. Derek Roebuck play the second keyboards and seems to be at his first apparitions.

I'm not the first one to review this beautiful instrumental vintage album with a duo on the keyboards, well 'Attack of the Martians' is mostly called a vintage album because of the used of the old sounds of analog keyboards as the Rhodes, the Mellotron, the Wurtlizer, the Clavinet, the Winds instrument and the Hammond organ. The band himself talk about influence from 'EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER and KING CRIMSON, as well as the sounds of classic sci-fi films'. It's the same passages which look like to me to ELP...except one time in the last song, with a sound of a flying saucer. In 'Star Power', it's absolutely true that ANEKDOTEN and ELP was the most representative influences, samething for the song 'The Enemy of My Enemy', but we should talk also about the Canterbury rock, which appeard often on the soloing period, with the use of lot of RHODES and especially in the song 'Attack of the Martians', surely and primary with the work of Derek Roebuck who 'brings the fusion sensibility' as it is written in the ECCENTRIC website. The spacey 'Forbidden Planet', maybe near as a pure spacey canterbury offshoot in the second part and the third part; 'The Intruder' and 'The Krell', this song got an excellent moog, misty, haunted is that song on the first half.

So, finally, and to myself this is first a canterbury-rock album, with a lot of beautiful electric rhodes piano, with just enough of elements of Jazz in it, with the additions of harder moments which looks like to ANEKDOTEN, with big fuzzy bass lines and Mellotron passages and then with some passages ala ELP and/or sci-fi. Great beginning.

Axiom of Choice
July 2004 by Jurriaan Hage
Summary
Although this is their debut, this band is not without experience: members of the band played in Pye Fyte (Gathering Of The Krums), on Between Cages of A Triggering Myth and had various appearances on prog compilations. This album, sheathed in a nice digipack, can be obtained via M & M Music.

The music
Star Power is the opener of this album, and for those in favour of the mellotron: the opening is solely tron. It should not be surprising that Watcher Of The Skies comes to mind here. Later brimming organ takes over, menacingly. When the beat starts, we are solidly in Anekdoten territory. The pace goes up, at which moment the bass starts to grind and the organ combines Deep Purple with ELP. Melodically, the band borrows from Peer Gynt. This is a more jam oriented phase, with only little focus on composition. The Anekdoten feel returns, which gives this song a halfhearted feel: in some respects modern, in others sounding quite dated. Playfulness is also important, in view of the frolic keyboards towards the end, which mostly remind of ELP, but a bit careful and slow in execution. If you do this kind of material, it should erupt from the speakers. And for that the pace is a bit too low.

Sputnik opens nicely with a strong melody on the keyboards, somewhat Arabic in feel. It is melodies such as these that the music needs to become really good. Otherwise too much the impression is evoked that it is the playing and not the music itself that gets all attention. The vibe of this song is the same as the previous one: very seventies, and of course extremely keyboards dominated. Fortunately, the band also includes some darker, slower, bass dominated passages, which help to vary the mood.

Attack Of The Martians really sounds like the soundtrack for an SF movie, one in which one or people are chased by one or more martians. The ELP feel is strong again, although there are also pointers to Queen's Flash Gordon. Melodically, I find the music lacking in places, satisfactory in others. When the band starts to jam a bit more, the music has trouble keeping my attention, in other places the melodies give just that little bit more. The bass intermezzo makes for a turn towards jazz, with the keyboards providing the vibe.

Bleepy sounds open Forbidden Planet. A slow plodding build-up here, dominated by the ponderous guitar and some nice piano lines, reminiscent of David Sylvian no less and maybe a bit of Patrick O'Hearn. Then the mellotron sets in again, while the bass stays at the fore. This is certainly a more relaxed, but certainly not lighter tune. I like the use of piano here as opposed to all the organ soloing of the foregoing tracks. These only come in the second half of the track, which also contains some more powerful Crimsonesque elements. The Enemy Of My Enemy opens with raw bass work, and menacing organ play. Some nice thematic work here, with also some up-beat, distinctive melodies.

Conclusion
Compared to the competition, Anekdoten, Pär Lindh and such, Eccentric Orbit does not make it (yet). The sound is very keyboards dominated, very seventies with pointers to ELP (especially), Deep Purple, and at times plenty of mellotron. Although the band plays around with moods at times, and builds some nice atmospheres while also inserting a nice theme here and there, I get the impression that the improvised sounding parts lack in substance and melody to continually captivate: I have heard it before and it shows. Still, for the nostalgic keyboards/tron/organ prog fan (every ELP fan should go ahead and take a listen), there is plenty to like here, even to love, and nothing disagreeable is to be found.

Prog Naut
June 2004 by Ron Fuchs
From the opening track to the closing track of Attack of the Martians, Ecentric Orbit takes you on a musical journey of space rock, symphonic and electronic music. The music is Sc-Fi based and performed by Bill Noland on bass, who put some of the heaviest bass tracks down in modern times. He's joined by his wife Madeleine on something called Wind-controlled synthesizers & keyboards. The other two are Derek Roebuck (who also does keyboards) and drummer & percussionist, Mark Cella.

In the short amount of time as a reviewer, I became weary of self produced CDs because sometimes there's nothing to be desired musically, almost a cut & paste type job of influences rather than actual compositons. Bill Noland & company proved that to be false, in fact they put out the almost perfect music and with no filler. 45 minutes is a bit short but I'm sure if more was done, the impact wouldn't have been the same.

I'm not up on what types of music inspired this but I do hear some ELP & UK influences. Oh did I say this was an all instrumental release? I can't see or hear it being done with a vocalist, it would just ruin the music.

I would highly recommend you get this CD, it's by far one of the best release of 2004!

Oh and once you get this CD, play it LOUD!

DPRP
May 2004 by Mark Hughes
In many ways Attack Of The Martians by Eccentric Orbit is the US equivalent of Trion's 2003 album Tortoise (a review of which can be found here). Both groups wanted to record an album that featured classic 1970s keyboards - analogue synths, Rhodes electric pianos, Hammond organs, Wurlitzers, mellotrons and the like. Both groups put the instrumentation to the fore by cutting out the distractions a vocalist would cause and concentrating solely on the music. The main difference between the two bands is that the American group do it all without the aid of a guitar player. Eccentric Orbit's line-up consists of Bill Noland on bass, Derek Roebuck on keyboards, Madeleine Noland on additional keyboards and MIDI-controlled wind synths and Mark Cella on drums. With no guitarist the emphasis is placed firmly on the keyboards although Bill Noland's bass has some very interesting lines that are occasionally brought to the fore to carry a melody. His exceptionally strong playing dominates several pieces but, in particular, sections of Forbidden Planet takes the bass where it's not often heard! Interestingly enough, considering the album is so dominated by keyboards, the sole composer of the material was actually Bill the bass player who makes his presence known right from the opening of Star Power with a rough and heavy bass growl that resonates through the body.

One can't help but draw comparisons with Emerson, Lake and Palmer, although stylistically the music on Attack Of The Martians bears little relation to much in the ELP cannon. However, the odd bar here and there will set the recognition neurons firing and several of the sounds achieved can be traced directly back to Emerson's technical manual. Not that this is a criticism, one of the ideas about recording such an album as this is to utilise the keyboards in a manner akin to the great groups of the 1970s. That they have achieved this suggests the raison d'être of the band has been accomplished; that they have produced an original, interesting and entirely enjoyable album in the process is much more than the icing on the cake.

The album possesses an inherent menace to it, mainly bought about by the aggressive bass sound. There is a fair degree of variety though particularly during the 14-minute Forbidden Planet which could well be a lost soundtrack to an episode of the classic television show from which the track takes its name. Split into four sections, the first section (The Arrival - Innocence Lost) opens with a spacey wind-synth sound that Hawkwind would be proud of. Piano melodies, played mostly by the left hand, are elegantly entwined around some great bass work on the second section (The Insider) while the third section The Krell is given over to the analogue synthesisers. Finally, the piano and bass are reintroduced for the conclusion of The Departure.

In many ways, the last track The Enemy Of My Enemy distils the elements of the previous 39 minutes into a glorious summation. Lovers of the sounds of mellotrons will delight in this piece, although I believe that samples were used as opposed to original instruments (if it is authentic enough to pose the question, what does it really matter? Some people can be rather too precious!). If you liked the Trion album (and plenty of people did!), then Attack of the Martians is a perfect companion piece, different but complementary. I always find it great to discover an obscure band from the past but end up being frustrated that, for whatever reason, the band only recorded one or two albums. With Eccentric Orbit I feel that I have discovered a previously unknown band from my favourite musical period, but one whose musical trip is just beginning!

Oh, it's a groovy cover as well!

Conclusion: 8 out of 10

from ZNR
May 2004
New band consisting of keyboards (analog, Hammonds, mellotron, Moog, etc + digital), wind-controlled synthesizers/keyboards, bass, drums. All instrumental prog dominated by the keyboards. Recalls the best of ELP, Le Orme, Syndone, a.o. with hints at Camel, Enid, etc in the quieter parts. Good compositions that don't meander with strong melodies & themes. Great playing from everyone!

ZNR
August 2004; Frank Long
May the B3 be with you!

Do you love old 50’s sci-fi movies? Do you love Hammond organs? Do you love fun & fresh (yet nostalgic) progressive music?

Eccentric Orbit with "Attack of the Martians" have captured so many sounds, feelings, ideas and atmospheres, on this project that it at once is familiar, yet unexplored, just like those wonderful sci-fi films of the 50's (silvery spaceships, weird landscapes, the blond in the tight fitting spacesuit and the guys with their little 32 caliber pistols!). This all instrumental is a great piece of work. The playing by all is top notch; some great grooves by drummer Mark Cella, driving bass work by Bill Noland (who composed all of the cuts), some very moody & atmospheric wind-controlled synths by Bill’s bride Madeleine Noland and Derek Roebuck’s very knowledgeable Hammond (and other keyboard) work. The title track, "Attack of the Martians" is my favorite, especially "Part 3: Martians Everywhere!" because whenever I hear it, darned if I don’t see those Martians, everywhere!! Also included is a wonderful four-part suite called, "Forbidden Planet (Inspired by the classic 1950s sci-fi film). The set (clocking in at only 45 minutes) also includes "Star Power", "Sputnik" and "The Enemy of my Enemy".

Get this CD; you won’t be disappointed!! And when you get it, don’t forget to check out the front AND back covers, very funny! And as long as you’re on the Internet, check out their website at www.eoband.com.

Looking forward to a lot more from this Massachusetts-based Progressive Rock band!

ProgGnosis
April 2004 by M J Brady
Eccentric Orbit is a Massachusetts-based Progressive Rock band with drums, bass, keys, and wind-synth. Our original material is all instrumental and has a heavy focus on '70s keyboard sounds and our influences include classic Prog bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and King Crimson, as well as the sounds of classic sci-fi films.

ProGGnosis Comments & Reviews:
This all-instrumental band is definitly a throwback to the sounds and style of the earlier works of the progressive rock giants Emerson Lake and Palmer. Keyboards are the main focus, as two members - Madeleine Noland / Derek Roebuck are peforming on many vintage key sounds, set over the rock styled bass playing of Bill Noland, who has a strong presence much the way Chris Squire does on his Rickenbacker, and also of note is the expressive drumming of Mark Cella, who also has borrowed in style from the greats of progs past.

The band plays energetic music that would remind progressive fans of some of the music heard on Tarkus, there are no guitars, and the effect of utilizing the old sounds of prog, really gives the music a throwback feel. As many progbands have paid homage to the good ole days of prog, many have adapted the old with the new, and really have taken full advantage of modern day instrumentation, recording standards and most notably the vast array of keyboard advancements available today. While the production standard is good on this cd, the way the band has presented themselves almost gives the illusion of a lost archival release from prog's storied past.

Apparently these musicians not only studied their musicial skills enough to be competent musicians, they also made an earnest effort to study the most relished tones and sounds of what most folks would identify from the great progressive rock albums of the past. Mellotrons, Moogs, organs, Ric's, pianos, etc. Are all ever present from the beginning of this cd to the very end, which is comprised of five lengthy songs. This is a fun listen that almost leads you back into the world of bongs, flashbacks and blacklight posters.

from Rate Your Music
April 2004 by dalt99
DON'T let the silly CD cover fool you. This is a GREAT new instrumental progressive rock band from Massachusetts. No fooling around here. The sound is similar in style to ELP, Yes and Rush though with a bit more of a spacy science fiction feel. The reason for that feel is because of the featured keyboard work (including Mellotron, Hammond, Rhodes, Wurlitzer and Clavinet) from Madeleine Noland and Derek Roebuck. Madeleine also plays analog wind-controlled synthesizers which really give the album a spacy feel. This music however, is not ambient. Far from it. The other two bandmates, writer Bill Noland (bass) and Mark Cella (drums), really love to bring in some tasty rhythms that energizes the music and impress. The bass lines are not simple and are always keeping things groovin'. The drumming is also superb and never boring. Impressive debut from EO. I hope to hear more from them. If you are a fan of mid-70's prog from Rush, Yes and ELP featuring a classic keyboard sound then this CD is recommended!

from Cuneiform/Wayside website
April 2004
Very fun debut release by an instrumental quartet of 'classic analog' keyboards (Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer piano and clavinet), MIDI wind-controller, bass and drums. The sound of the wind-controller is very analog-keyboard sounding as well. The bass is heavy and rumbling, and at times veers on almost zeuhl. Maybe a bit similar (if not quite as great) as Pochakaite Malko in the way it combines the best of ELP style keyboards with a generally heavier, instrumental, slightly zeuhl sound. It doesn't really break any new ground, but I totally enjoyed this.

from Laser's Edge website
April 2004
Superb debut release from this Massachusetts based prog rock band. Eccentric Orbit is an instrumental quartet with an odd lineup - bass, drums, keyboards and wind-controlled synths. The band is led by bassist Bill Noland and features Mark Cella (M&M Music) on drums.

The music of Eccentric Orbit sounds like a long lost album from the 70s. A heavy debt is paid to King Crimson and ELP. Think Red crossed with Tarkus! Mellotrons (real not samples), organ and blazing synth runs got me booging all over Casa Laser's Edge. I haven't heard much good old fashioned prog rock lately - this one has hit me hard. Will easily be a top 10 year end candidate for me. Man o' man this disc has me grinning from ear to ear. Essential.

ProgressiveWorld.net
April 2004 by Duncan N Glenday
When I was a kid, in defiance of my parents’ rules, I used to sneak into a third-rate movie theater on the wrong side of the tracks called the Mascot. There would always be a batch of movies showing back to back, and it cost about a buck and an afternoon to see three flicks. Most of these were those ‘60s and ‘70s B-movies that the real theaters wouldn’t show. You remember them? They were about zombies and evil scientists and all those monsters, and … Martians attacking the Earth.

Eccentric Orbit’s music could easily be used on the soundtrack of one of those sci-fi B-movies. You see, Attack Of The Martians is an all-instrumental concept piece about little green men attacking us – a fun, somewhat cynical look at sci-fi stories, narrated by some serious music. The only way you’ll be able to follow the storyline is by the song titles, though, because there are no liner notes, and the band’s web site doesn’t spell it out.

Attack Of The Martians is the debut album from Eccentric Orbit, a Massachusetts-based Progressive Rock band with drums, bass, keys, and wind-synth. Wind what? Some of the most important sounds on this album are produced by Madeleine Noland, a classically trained saxophonist, whose instrument of choice is the wind synthesizer – or electronic clarinet. It looks a bit like a woodwind instrument, although it makes no natural sound of its own. Manufactured by Yamaha and Akai, these "controllers" generate an electronic signal which is fed into a synth module that routes them through instrument patches to generate a variety of audio sounds. There are patches for all the standard wind instruments, as well as a ton of interesting effects.

But despite these synthesized sounds and that Martian theme, this is not space music. Well, not entirely. It is a rather simple, deep-toned, very dense sound. If you like bass guitar work, you’ll love this album because songwriter Bill Noland’s bass features very prominently. And bless them – Eccentric Orbit have avoided the use of a drum machine, opting instead for the elegantly light touch of Mark Cella, who also owns the M&M Records label.

This is symphonic, progressive music, with a touch of fusion and some funky bass-driven passages. The juxtaposition of electronica, the analog piano, drums and bass, and the Mellotron, Hammond, Rhodes, Wurlitzer and Clavinet combine to form a unique sound. A personal favorite is track 4, “Forbidden Planet," a 14-minute slow rocker led by a very deliberate piano melody, played mostly in the base clef. The whole piece is dark and moody and strongly supported by Bill’s imaginative bass and Madeleine’s electronica.

So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to sit back now, kick my heels up, and let those rich, intense bass tones transport me back to the dollar-a-day afternoons at the Mascot. Well recommended.
Rating: 3.75 / 5

from Kinesis website
April 2004
Behind the not-terribly-attractive cover art lies a very good instrumental progressive rock album based around vintage analog keyboards (or samples thereof), especially Hammond and Mellotron, also Rhodes, clavinet, etc. Eccentric Orbit is a Massachusetts four-piece featuring keyboards, MIDI wind-controlled synths, bass, and drums and whose members have appeared on albums by Pye Fyte, A Triggering Myth, and two Gentle Giant tribute CDs. Some of the tracks sport an ELP influence, while others suggest King Crimson, some of the Italian 1970's bands, and a bit of Happy the Man. It's retro enough that it may fool people into thinking they've found a lost early-70's album.

Sea of Tranquility
posted 3/14/04 by Elias Granillo
There’s something I can’t put my finger on regarding the opening track of Eccentric Orbit’s debut; it just sounds so perfect—it’s an overture, a nonexistent film’s main title, a seamless collage of elements from classic electronic music (EM), space rock and symph-prog. “Star Power” unfolds in a rather linear manner, but its simplicity is surpassed by its density. Huge analog keyboard sounds rule the roost on this effort, but those aren’t sequencer tracks, running ad forgotaboutum. Practically nothing is or sounds canned—it’s live, baby. This is what we need more of: voxfree, analog synth/keyboard-dominated bands with real flesh & blood rhythm sections, as with Erik Norlander’s Threshold, Vangelis’ most pumped-up 70s excursions, and Mark Shreeve’s Legion and Crash Head— the latter two of which did utilize heavy sequencing, yet helped to epitomize what I feel “synth rock” should be (as opposed to Yanni). Attack Of The Martians shares a vitality along with Threshold that we need to hear more of, in lieu of compositions stitched together with quantize functions and mouse clicks. This isn’t spacemusic, either, but music that sounds nearly like a meeting between Vangelis, Patrick Moraz, and Tangerine Dream, circa Stratosfear and Force Majeure.

Eccentric Orbit is the brainchild of Madeleine and Bill Noland: Bill is a bass player, while reed player/synthesist Madeleine plays sounds from the Korg MS2000R via a Yamaha WX5 wind synth controller. Bill Noland’s bass shares no small role in the proceedings, and he’s even got that dirty, growling vintage Ricky tone pencilled in. The drummer is Mark Cella, who will be known to those familiar with Triggering Myth, Pye Fyte, and [Mark’s music enterprise] M & M Music. Mark’s reined-in style is complementary, and effective, in that economically pliant way as echoed by Greg Ellis on Threshold. Second keyboardist Derek Roebuck, a Berklee graduate, completes the quartet. It’s noteworthy that all of the ‘Tron samples—flute, strings, choirs, what have you—are software-generated, and they sound just as good as the rule thing (as it is, the “real thing” is not a hi-fi instrument). In fact, the album has a very “analog” sound in general; it could easily have been marketed as an archival release and fooled everybody. Organ, piano, and the vibrant Clavinet/synth layer which opens track 3 were furnished by a Nord Electro, while an E-mu Vintage Keys and Oberheim Matrix 1000 modules extend the palette even further.

The aforementioned “Star Power” and “Sputnik” are both uptempo crankers that will quickly satisfy anybody’s synth jones, and the jonesin’ will continue long after that. You’ll find two epics on Attack, being the title track, and “Forbidden Planet,” which clock in around eleven and fifteen minutes, respectively. Twists and turns aplenty distinguish these multi-sectioned pieces, with passages that sound funky, jazzy, and bluesy, but always basking in the luxuriant contours of rock. The spacey beginning of “Forbidden Planet” balances the album’s energy with its downtempo crawl, deep bassy vibes, shrill ‘Tron strings, and midregister bass solo. Part 3, The Krell, is marked by a pulsating analog bass and back-to-back synth solos. “The Enemy Of My Enemy” is, in a way, a revisiting, a summation, of all that has transpired, but it’s still an original track, one that closes with an organ solo-outro by Roebuck. Can’t go wrong with more of the same when you like what you hear, so they say.

Like everything else on this mudball, nothing’s ever perfect, and the one downside to the splendor that is Attack Of The Martians is that you’re having such a blast listening to it, and then it’s over after forty-five minutes. It’s Gerard Syndrome®! Really, I’m ready for another forty-five minutes of this, so I guess I’ll just play it again. Citizens, colleagues, bipeds, fans of classic electronic music: please take an extended break from the latest efforts by any several of the multitude of Euro-based EM acts that pretend Phaedra and Rubycon are the be-all & end-all, and hook up with a Martian, instead.
Score: 4 1/2 stars

Sea of Tranquility
May 2004; Peter Pardo
Score: 4.5 stars
I'll admit, I was completely hooked here after the opening Mellotron samples of "Star Power", but was then reeled in as the pulsing bass of Bill Noland ushered in some nasty Hammond and synth tones. Eccentric Orbit''s Attack of the Martians is a keyboard fanatic''s dream CD, littered with sounds of Mellotron, Rhodes, Hammond, Clavinet, and Wurlitzer, all fused inside the framework of spacey yet symphonic progressive rock. If you can imagine a collaboration between ELP, Ars Nova, Gerard, Gentle Giant, Erik Norlander, and Tangerine Dream, then you have an idea of what to expect here. Madeleine Noland''s wind-controlled synths & keyboards combine with the keyboard work of Derek Roebuck to form a rich and textured wall-of -sound, so much in fact that you do not miss for an instant the absence of guitars.

Songs like "Sputnik" and "Forbidden Planet" bubble and boil, attacking your senses with virtuoso displays of sonic wonder, yet have a high sense of melody, so in no way does the music come across as an exercise in shredding or mindless noodling. I''m very impressed with this band, and am looking forward to their next release with bated breath!

Drive Magazine Review (rough translation, originally in Italian)
September 2004
It does to say of a disk that it plays precisely like if it was gone out in 1972? Nothing of weird, the rock always had an eye of care towards the actual past (... and I would be lacking us also!), certainty, to the day of today to name bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer even if comes looked at with suspect (to wrong? To reason? It decide you!), however dovreste to experience to dedicate a minimum of caution towards the Eccentric Orbit, new American group of expert guided musicians from the bassista and composer Bill Noland. The greater aspiration of the Eccentric Orbit, like the titles of the cd advise us and the nice Martian toy in covered, is that of omaggiare the cinema of science fiction and to recreate the same atmospheres of the old classics of the cinema ski/fi. The musical language is that of the epic rock, symphonic and psychedelic of the seventies, the pieces are entirely instrumental, just to give back much more the idea of hypothetical "resonant column", the excellent quality of record and the individual capacity of the undeniable musicians. The sources of inspiration of the Eccentric Orbit are eminent names like EL&P, in good part of the arrangiamenti, in the utilization of the organ and of the synth; King Crimson, for certain scores of mellotron and for the twisted sound of the low one, and also the Hawkwind in the most celestial moments and visionaries, specially in Forbidden Planet, the masterpiece of the disk, a suite of fourteen minutes inspired. Likely the Eccentric Orbit did not still show all their potential, to strokes the music proceeds in manner a little mechanic, for now leave us a very nice debut, facendoci to imagine what very interesting for the future... we will be to see!

The Ulimate Mellotron Recording List
November 2004; Andy Thompson
Attack of the Martians is a great little album I was introduced to earlier this year (2004), probably not long after its release. Instrumental progressive rock that pulls no punches, has integrity and refuses to compromise; why can't more bands be like this? The band consists of bassist Bill Noland, his wife Madeleine on wind-controller and keys, Derek Roebuck on more keys and drummer Mark Cella (from Pye Fyte), with no guitar. Five lengthy and involved compositions, with plenty of (remember this one?) MELODY, although there are a few moments where you think "Haven't I heard that bit somewhere before?". That's being churlish, though; this is an excellent album that I can recommend to anyone into inventive progressive rock.

A quick e-mail was enough to confirm that the album's 'Mellotron' use is definitely fake (OK, so that's one compromise), although the strings are extremely convincing. The album opens with a solo string part, reprised later in the track, and there are several male-voice choir interjections later in the album, although those samples are less successful. Bill tells me they're hoping to use a friend's 'Tron on the next album. Go on, you know you want to... Anyway; buy now.

Prog Archives
August 2004; Erik Neuteboom
This is a four piece USA progrock formation. Some members have played in the progrock bands PYE FYTE (a ‘vintage’ keyboard heaven) and A TRIGGERING MYTH and on GENTLE GIANT covers albums. The line-up from ECCENTRIC ORBIT is Bill Noland on bass, Madeleine Noland on wind controlled synthesizer and keyboards, Mark Cella on drums and Derek Roeback on keyboards. The music on their debut-album "Attack of the Martians" is a tribute to the sound of EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER ("Trilogy"-era).

Despite the fact that some members played on GENTLE GIANT covers albums, ECCENTRIC ORBIT plays keyboard leaden progrock with strong echoes from ELP, the "Trilogy"-era. The five dynamic compositions feature a propulsive rhythm-section as a base for sumptuous keyboard play with a leading role for the Hammond organ and Moog synthesizers, flight after flight, what a splendid tribute to ELP! In some songs we can trace the sound of the Fender Rhodes electric piano (imagine the legendary intro from "Riders on the Storm" from The DOORS), the Wurlitzer piano and the swinging clavinet. The strong title-track (3 parts) contains a bombastic duel between the Moog and Fender Rhodes. The even longer, very alternating track "Forbidden Planet" (4 parts) starts with a spooky and hypnotizing climate, followed by lots of changes of atmosphere and tempo delivering many waves of a violin-Mellotron and runs on synthesizers, concluded by fragile piano play. Along ELP, this composition also evokes ARS NOVA and other ELP-inspired Japanese bands like SOCIAL TENSION and DEJA VU. The music on this instrumental CD is beyond original but sounds exciting.

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Reviews for Attack of the Martians