A typical organ-led instrumental rock album from 1970,
On the Way to Eden was
Eden Rose's sole LP. Despite the strong filiation between
Eden Rose and
Sandrose (both groups have the same lineup), the two of them could hardly be more different. Instead of the latter's symphonic progressive rock,
Eden Rose's music is a bluesy kind of rock influenced by
Procol Harum,
Savoy Brown, and early
Atomic Rooster. Keyboardist
Henri Garella runs the show, penning down all the tracks and playing lead. A very good organist (and already a sought-after session man at the time), he plays fast solos, knows how to make his chords sound dirty (and/or cheesy), and how to groove on the Hammond, but his writing cruelly lacks originality. Some of his melodies are so generic they could be mistaken for three or four other songs from the same era. The rhythm section of
Christian Clairefond and
Michel Jullien is fine but nothing to write home about. If a couple of tracks are marred by a sloppy beat, it is probably because of a lack of budget to record another take instead of a lack of musicianship. Guitarist
Jean-Pierre Alarcen, who two years later would be the leader of
Sandrose, here plays the role of accompanying guitarist, adding an occasional lick when he's not simply playing rhythm guitar. The title track, "Faster and Faster," and "Obsession" have their moments, but all in all
On the Way to Eden has not aged well. Musea reissued this rare LP in 2003, adding the track "Under the Sun," the B-side to the single "Travelling."