A ticking metronome introduces drum, keyboard and wind players who appear to be either warming up or amusing themselves between takes. As minutes pass, it becomes clear that this is rehearsed, and that it has intent and purpose.

Recorded for Virgin's esoteric Caroline label in 1974, The Civil Surface marked both reconvention and last gasp from this archetypal Canterbury Scene act. Where Caravan is the genre's logical port of access, Egg is its counterpoint: as clever and witty, but playing uncommercial, dexterous and demanding fare. Hatfield & The North, Khan and Henry Cow get namechecked here: Egg members had either settled in their camps or musicians from them were guesting on this essay in jazzy, keyboard-driven progressive with underpinnings in modern classical music most revealed in introspective pieces for wind quartet.

The presence of Steve Hillage, Lindsay Cooper, Barbara Gaskin amongst other luminaries of the Scene helped build a substantial body of work that has not lost its place in the annals of avant-garde. One to go to work on ...

***

Review by Peter Muir