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ZAUBER
Profondo Blu
CD - MMP 401
New effort featuring
delicate flute parts, song oriented inspired themes all in the Zauber
tradition. One of the very few bands of the seventies that still have
the progressive fire inside.
Ref. Camel.
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MAHOGANY BRAIN
With/When
CD - MMP 402
Long
anticipated reissue of the first Mahogany Brain album, who were one
of the strange and most primitive French avant-underground rock groups
in the 70s. This was their first album, originally issued on Futura
in 1971 -- one of those mythical records that nobody has ever been able
to hear. Featuring tracks like "Hot Milk Elbow" & "The
Child With the Wind, the Snow, and the Yellow Top Waiting for the Magical
Toy", this has a Godz-like flavor of outsider zonk and is well
worth the wait. "Michel Bulteau e was at this time leader of the
avant-garde band Mahogany Brain. It was a group playing pre-punk music,
very influenced by drugs. This free music was at the crossing of Velvet
Underground's White Light/White Heat and Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask
Replica. Their story is quite short-lived : two albums in two years,
highly respected, two classical of the french underground."
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SEMOOL
Essais
CD - MMP 403
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| Reissue of the
covetable Futura LP as seen on TheNurseWithWoundList, recorded in Paris
between January 1969 to March 1971. 11 'essays' by the trio of Philippe
Martineau (G/P), Olivier Cauquil (G/P), and Rémy Dédé
Dréano (D) employing all sorts of ill-advised studio trickery under
the sonic direction of Gérard Terronés .Damaged beyond repair
(effectively totalled), it's a wild ride of questionably doltish (alternatively
outsider-brilliant) ramblings and found-sound experiments, SO much tape
delay and outboard muck, treated piano solos, accidental feedback generation,
borrowed/stolen motifs ('Essai 1' briefly dips into a misinterpreted take
on 'Interstellar Overdrive', 'Essai 3' ganks the riff from 'Black Sabbath').
Ultimately patience-trying but so lovely and earnest (the purity of their
hallucinogen of choice never once comes into question). |
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HORDE CATALITIQUE POUR LA FIN
Gestation sonore
CD - MMP 404
Another
Futura classic digitally reissued for the fan-of-sound-at-large. A zonked
and distant set of quartet-klang in 4 'Sound Gestations' from Richard
Accart (tenor, flutes, bird calls, 'various breaths'), Francky Bourier
(glass harp, vibes, panflute, sanza, 'percussion on toothing-stone of
piano' (sorry)), Jacques Fassola (bass, 'fortified guitar' , banjo,
bombarde, 'zen mouth organ'), and Gil Sterg (drums, balaphon, tumba,
nei, glarnmp, mlarnv, etc...) recorded during February of 1971 in Nice,
France. Certain passages recall Partch's 'lieder' in percussive glut
(esp. 'The Letter', minus the hobo-yakyak), Frank Wright's COTW-era
power-blow. More zen-like passages channel the space-grunt of the Taj
Mahal Travelers, the squeakier end of early FMP. Other parts are rife
with clanking chains and slamming doors.
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CHENE NOIR
Aurora
CD - MMP 405
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Reissue
of their first megarare first album of 71 released in very few copies
for the mythical FUTURA label. A theatrical band close to Principal
Edwards Magic Theatre.
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GERMINALE
Cielo & Terra
CD - MMP 406
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The
jazzier moments on "E Il Suo Respiro..." seem to be replaced
by a post-rock influence. For example, the bright snare sound and creative
use of percussion that is a hallmark of many post-rock albums is on
display on this album. I for one am a fan of post-rock and was pleased
and very surprised to hear this kind of influence on an Italian prog
album! Post-rock must have a following in Italy as well as the U.S.
and Britain.
There
appears, to my ears, to be musical moments inspired by Mike Oldfield
and Goblin. Sometimes there's a Tubular Bells/Profondo Rosso thing going
on. The musicianship is outstanding, especially the piano playing and
flutist.
(Brian
Worthing- r.m.p. newsgroup)
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APHELANDRA
Aphelandra
CD - MMP 407
Unreleased
french album from 76 in Clearlight Symphony style, with a stellar
line up including Grancher, Verdaux, Lockwood and many other masters
of french symphonic rock.
Sung in
French, very long tracks.
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DORACOR
Transizione
CD - MMP 408
Symphonic and epic fourth effort by this
keyboards' wizard, now he's supported by a female vocalist, and two
guitarists. Inventive ideas and skilful playing. Progressive rock at
its best but still a human drummer is missing.
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MALIBRAN
Oltre l'ignoto
CD - MMP 409
New
release from this glorious Italian symphonic band, who improve significantly
with each release. This one has the vocalist singing in his native Italian
for much better results than his earlier efforts where he sang in English.
Lots of keyboards, electric & acoustic guitars, flute in the instrumental
breaks.
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FREE
WAVE SYSTEM
Nonostante
tutto
CD - MMP 410
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