A Quest for Prog 2: Ange - Au-delà du délire

"A Quest for Prog" is a series of 50 Progressive Rock reviews to be written over a year. The band
selection is taken from the book in the first post on this blog. And the albums I am reviewing is
based on the highest user ratings for each band on Progarchives.com.

Ange - Au-delà du Délire (1974)
Produced by Claude Gibonne

Eric Bibonne - vocals
Jean Michel Brezovar - guitar, vocals
Christian Decamps - keyboards, vocals
Francis Decamps - keyboards, vocals
Daniel Haas - bass, guitar
Gerald Jelsch - drums
Michel Lefloch - vocals
Henry Loustau - violin

Track listing:
Side one:
1. Godevin le Vilain (2:57) (Godevin the Ugly)
2. Les longues nuits d'Isaac (4:10) (The Long Nights of Isaac)
3. Si j'étais le Messie (3:00) (If I Were the Messiah)
4. Balade pour une Orgie (3:22) (Ballad of an Orge)
5. Exode (5:00) (Exodus)
Side two:
1. La bataille du Sucre (La colère des Dieux) (6:30) (The Battle of Sugar (the Wrath of the Gods))
2. Fils de Lumiere (3:52) (Son of Light)
3. Au delà du Délire (9:02) (Beyond Madness)

Released in 1974 "Au delà du Délire", translating as "Beyond Madness", was the third album by french band Ange. Formed in 1969 and influenced by King Crimson and Genesis, Ange went down the theatrical and poetic style of Progressive Rock. They performed in French for most of their career only releasing one album with an English version, their fifth album “Par les fils de Mandrin (By the sons of Mandrin)”.

"Au delà du Délire" is an album I changed my view on after every listen. On one listen I would really like it and then on another it would do nothing for me. After a few listens I was in the middle. The album begins side one with "Godevin le vilain" which is a nice fiddle intro and it introduces the strong keyboard presence on the album. It's a strong opener to the album and sets the stage for “Les longues nuits d'Isaac”.
This track reminds me of Van der Graaf Generator with the heavy keyboard lines and soft to heavy vocals. This song moves along at a good place and builds up to a few crescendos throughout the song in which the vocals take on a new character. This is definitely my favourite song on the album, really really good tune.
“Si j'étais le Messie” has spoken work vocals which are presented with slight backing so it sounds like a theatrical reading. There are some instrumental passages when the band ramps the music up.  But neither are all that interesting and the song doesn’t really go anywhere.
Following on is “Balade pour une Orgie” which is a medieval ballad. It is quite pretty but doesn't go anywhere apart from a nice keyboard passage from 2.30 which is sadly too brief.
“Exode” the last song on side one reminded me of Great Expectations by Kiss. Not in that the songs are all that similar more in that that both songs borrow signatures from Beethoven’s “Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor”. The song is upbeat and it makes a nice change from the last few songs. The song has a really strong guitar solo to finish the track and the side.
Side two begins with “La bataille du Sucre (La colère des Dieux)”. The song feels like a dark fairy tale which shows off the keyboard players in this band. The vocal delivery is quite quirky and although I have no idea what is being said you get the impression of different characters. The interplay between the instruments is nice and the song moves through different scenes and colours.
Following on is “Fils de Lumiere” which reminds me a lot of King Crimson and is the other highlight of the album. The music builds and credit needs to go to drummer Gerald Jelsch for some great playing on this one. I think this would have been great in concert.

 The album ends with the 9 minute title track “Au delà du Délire”. I gotta say by the time this track came along I was not really in the mood for this kind of song from the band. Another folky midpace number that is fairly uninteresting. In some ways I feel I am being a little hard on it as it has some good qualities. Halfway through the song becomes a guitar solo similar to the end of “Exode” but much longer. But again though it isn’t enough to keep me interested.
“Au delà du Délire” is an album that has had highs and lows but is a fairly flawed album. I will probably put “Les longues nuits d'Isaac”, “La bataille du Sucre (La colère des Dieux)” and “Fils de Lumiere” in a playlist but as an album I can’t see myself to this album again. I think if you're into the English folk style of Progressive Rock then you might get something out of this album.

4/10

A Quest for Prog 1: Amon Düül II – Phallus Dei

This is the first in a series of Progressive Rock reviews over the next year.  The bands are picked from the book in the first post on this blog.  And the albums I am picking is based on the highest user ratings for each band on Progarchives.com.  

Amon Düül II – Phallus Dei (1969)

Produced by Olaf Kübler 

Shrat – bongos, vocals, violin

Peter Leopold – drums

Holger Trülzsch – Turkish drums

Dieter Serfas – drums, electric cymbals

John Weinzierl – guitar, 12-string bass

Falk Rogner – organ

Christian Borchard – vibraphone

Chris Karrer – violin, guitar, twelve-string guitar, soprano saxophone, vocals

Renate Knaup – vocals, tambourine

Dave Anderson – bass on "Luzifer's Ghilom"

Track listing:

Side one:

1. Kanaan (4:02)

2. Dem Guten, Schönen, Wahren (6:12)

3. Luzifer's Ghilom (8:34)

4. Henriette Krötenschwanz (2:03)

Side two:

1. Phallus Dei (20:48)

Released in 1969 “Phallus Dei”, translating as "God's Penis", was the first album by German band Amon Düül II.  ADII was formed by members of the “Amon Düül” art commune in West Germany and was actually an off shoot of an original “Amon Düül” group formed at the commune.  The original AM group was formed to help make money for the commune through live performances.  When the group was offered the opportunity to record the members with the strongest musical background left and formed AMII.

 “Phallus Dei” consists of 4 shorter pieces on the first side and the 20min title track on the second side.  The first side for the most part seems to be incomplete or unfinished ideas which might have worked better in a live setting where they could have been explored.  Don’t get me wrong there not bad but they're just not quite where they could have been.  That said the more I listen to them the more I enjoy them. 

The first song “Kanaan” is has some nice guitar work and a dark mood which I really enjoy.  I wonder if there is a longer version where it is explored more?  “Luzifer's Ghilom” is a nice driving number with percussive vocals and some great work from the rhythm section. 

“Dem Guten, Schönen, Wahren” (Translated as “The Good, Lovely, True”) reminds me a lot of Piper era Pink Floyd.  Especially PowR TocH and Take Up They Stethoscope and Walk.  Nothing special in all honesty.  The last song on side one is “Henriette Krötenschwanz” which is a medieval tune which is nice enough but doesn’t leave an impression.

Side two is where the album really comes alive with the whole side dedicated to the track “Phallus Dei”.  The song begins with a freak out jam for the first 4 minutes, which is really fun.  I gather this is what the band would have for the most part sound like in a live setting.  After this the band moves into a more straight forward passage which features some great guitar work.  At this point the band is really cooking and working off each other in a psychedelic groove.  For me I was a little disappointed when the vocals started 15mins into the track because the instrumental portion of the song had so much energy.  That being said the vocals are a lot of fun and manic in places which is great.  Some of the pronunciation gave me some giggles as well.     

I’m definitely interesting in hearing some more of this band and I think I will definitely revisit “Phallus Dei” in the future. 

7/10

The Crooked Fiddle Band - Overgrown Tales

The Crooked Fiddle Band – Overgrown Tales (2011)
Recorded by Steve Albini

Jess Randall - Violin/nyckelharpa/vocals
Gordon Wallace - Guitars/bouzouki/vocals
Mark Stevens - Double bass/charango
Joe Gould - Drum kit/tapan/vocals

Track listing:
01. Countess Bathory's Finishing School for Girls (3:10)
02. The Ruination of Junkyard Joe  (4:11)
03. Clockwork Bride (4:01)
04. All These Pitchforks Make Me Nervous (4:07)
05. The Mountain Hag's Advice (3.:38)
06. Beneath Ash and Ocean (2:55)
07. Over Hill and Under Hill (6:57)
08. What the Thunder Said (14:15)

I was first introduced to The Crooked Fiddle Band after seeing them play the Annandale Hotel many years ago.  I had never heard a band like them and frankly have never heard a band like them since.  A band playing acoustic instruments but in an extreme way with a violin player who can really shred.

2011 sees the release of "Overgrown Tales" the bands first Longplayer.  It follows on the heels of 2 eps (2006's "The Crooked Fiddle Band" and 2008's "Rise").  Recorded in late 2010 by Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio studios and according to the band in middle of a Blizzard.

The album begins in much the same way the band previous ep "Rise" did with the records heaviest track.  "Countess Bathory's Finishing School for Girls" was the first single and it sums up why TCFB are unique.  4 players who are all over their respective instruments and know exactly what needs to be done.  Taught and chugging it threatens at times to come of the rails and that's where the excitement lies.  Jess Randle's violin is blinding on this track.
Following on from this is the jaunty "The Ruination of Junkyard Joe" which is guaranteed to get your feet moving wherever you are.  A particular favourite at recent live shows it includes a nice vocal passage from drummer Joe Gould.
"Clockwork Bride" is a sinister little number.  Moving from stripped back passages to almost moshy middle 8 grooves.  One of the standouts.
"All These Pitchforks Make Me Nervous" begins with an almost hoedown kind of groove but then quickly moves into something very different.  Mark Stevens’ bass grooves through this song and even swings near the end. This song makes me think of some kind of Redneck Apocalypse.  Scary but awesome at the same time.
"The Mountain Hag's Advice" is the next up and I’ve got to say that of all of the songs on this album this is the one that hasn’t grabbed me.  The time signatures are fun and the playing is great.  The contrast between vocals is interesting but for me it doesn’t quite come together.
We get a little room to breathe on "Beneath Ash and Ocean".  A short number that shows the softer side of the band.  It reminds me of early 20th Century Musical scores with pretty melodies that have a hint of rawness to them.
"Over Hill and Under Hill" is a song that the band has been playing for a while.  When I first heard it years ago the band said it was their Hobbit theme and in a perfect world it would.  How great would it be when the first Hobbit movie comes out for this to be playing at the start of the film?  Although it might sound cheesy it sounds cinematic and in a lot of ways I think that was the intention.
The album closes with the 14 min long "What the Thunder Said".  Guitarist Gordon Wallace’s playing really shines on this track with some great picking and intertwining lines.  This is definitely the highlight and a great way to end this album.  Building on everything they have done before and combining it into one track.  You get the feeling the band put a lot of work into this one as this is the most produced of all of the songs.

If you are looking for a band that are taking cues from the past and doing something new with it then this is your band and this is your album.  We can only hope more people get to experience this band.

For details of where you can buy the album go to the bands website: www.crookedfiddleband.com.
The Crooked Fiddle Band is currently on tour in Europe.

9/10

A new challenge

Welcome to thesoundasever blog.

This is my second attempt at a blog and hopefully a more successful attempt at one.  My hope is to give my opinions on albums and bands I am already familiar.  But also taking a path that exposes me to new music and exciting music.

To start off, and to really give myself a direction, I have set myself a challenge.

I brought the below book when a large book chain went under and were selling book for $1 a piece.  I have already been exploring Progressive Rock for a year or so now and have found many albums I love but I've always wanted to dig deeper.  Progarchives.com has been a great help but as far as bands go it's hard to pick where to go next so this is where this book comes in.

My challenge is to review a key album by every band in this book over the space of a year.  So this means around once a week I plan on putting my thoughts down on one of the bands in the book.  

That's the challenge so here I go on "A Quest For Prog".....