Search - Eela Craig :: Missa Universalis

Not their best, but still worth having

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 08/11/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Eela Craig was one of the best known prog rock bands to come out of Austria. Had they only released their self-entitled album from 1971, they would just be thought of as an underground bluesy/jazzy prog psych band. But with lineup changes, and eventually signing up to Vertigo Records, they moved to full-blown symphonic prog. By the time Missa Universalis was released in 1978, they already had three albums under their belt (their self-entitled 1971 debut, as well as two albums for Vertigo, One Niter in 1976, and Hats of Glass at the beginning of 1978), and a rare privately issued single from 1974 called "Stories" b/w "Cheese". For Missa Universalis, the band decided to record a prog rock Mass, using Roman Catholic text in a prog setting, and have lyrics in Latin, English, French, and German. Unfortunately Vertigo didn't feel it fit to be released on their label, so it got released on Philips. The band premiered the album live at the Internationales Brucknerfest in their hometown of Linz, Austria on Sept. 22, 1978 (according to the back of the LP I own). Anyway, Missa Universalis turned out to be their most laid-back album of their career. The album opens up with "Kyrie" which features some nice, spacy string synths. "Sanctus" is partially based on an Anton Bruckner composition. I especially like the "Hosanna in Excelsis" part of the song, because of the jam that brings to mind One Niter. "Credo" is a two parter, part 1 being a ballad, part 2 being more funky, somewhat in the vein of One Niter. The closing piece, "Amen" reminds me oddly of Vangelis circa Heaven & Hell. There is two reasons I give it only a three star rating: the album lacks the power and energy of such earlier albums as One Niter and even Hats of Glass. The other reason is it's a bit difficult for me to stomach the religious lyrics. But still, get One Niter, Hats of Glass, and their 1971 debut before you come here."