J'UN OEIL

The first time I heard the music of SLOCHE, I knew I had to pick it up and boy-oh-boy am I glad I did. SLOCHE play a lighter fusion-based progressive style rock with deep instrumental prowess and a unique and complex disposition. This album also covers a lot of ground from jazz, piano solos to symphonia to fusion. SLOCHE were a very talented Quebecois band who played a very exploratory yet tight form of progressive rock. Songs are very fluid and develop as the album progresses along. Vocals are sung in French and work very well with the music. Overall an exceptional album full of great musical moments and lustre.

This stunning group from mid-Northern Quebec (the Chicoutimi region if I am not mistaken and therefore more likely to hang around Quebec than Montreal) is yet another one of relatively unknown groups that help Quebec's progressive rock revolution in the 70's. Mainly an instrumental jazz-rock group, but when actually using their vocal powers (both in scatting and in actual singing) , they actually reached peaks of beauty that makes you regret this quintet did not sing more. To describe Sloche's sound accurately, you would have to imagine a cross of Maneige's middle period with Opus-5's Contre-Courant album, but if you are not familiar with Quebec's scene, this will be tougher to describe, but this fusion of jazz rock, and classical influence is relatively unique and grabs you by your soft side no matter how thick your shell might be. These guys were incredibly tight-playing and were obviously well collaborating with each other as the songwriting is fairly well-shared (a track each except for drummer Chiasson giving space to bassist Hebert a second track) and the sound is still quite up to date some 30 years later.

From the first spacey ringings of the 9-min Pas Fin Du Monde to the last drop of Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses ("Shady" Herbal Soup ;-), every single second is pure heaven with opening track setting an incredible standard with its great scat-vocals (reminding a bit Wishbone Ash during the Argus album) and its middle section almost stopping as if the End Of The World had reached us without a proper warning, but it is a false alert and the tracks picks up in a funkier manner. Closing up the first side is the 11-min Kareme D'Eros and its lengthy piano intro (there are two KB players in the group), where the group shows us that they can be quite impressive in singing (not just scatting) with its text and harmonies being incredibly close to Ripaille's sole album, some Martin Circus or a much better Ange. If you can imagine a cross-over of jazz-rock with Yes, you might just be able to have an idea of how the track is closing.

The second side starts on the superb (but much shorter) title track, which is also sung, while the much funkier Algebrique (Gentle Giant meeting Mahavishnu Orchestra-sounding and penned by guitarist Bérard) is almost reaching discordance, but this track is almost too technical for its own good. Closing track Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses renews with the scatting harmonies as if to bring you back in full circle to the lead-off track. Another strong pleaser, one wishes this second side of the vinyl to be slightly longer to have developed some ideas a bit further.

While Sloche only recorded two albums, these guys excelled in their craft and were a typical example of what La Belle Province had to offer in the second part of the 70's. As equally superb (but vastly different at will also) as Maneige, Conventum or Opus-5, Sloche is one of those groups that must be investigate by every proghead, dead ort alive. Astounding and outstanding ;-)

Together with Maneige and Et Cetera, Sloche is part of the Quebecois Holy Trinity of 70s Prog. Their debut album is an outstanding musical work that fairly deserves all the good rap that it usually gets in the Internet. Definitely, Sloche is one of those many unsung prog heroes that most prog collectors only got to know through CD technology and WWW merchandising. Their music tends to be a bit more bombastic that their aforementioned fellows, while keeping a similar fusion-oriented vein as Maneige; meanwhile, the dual keyboard layers provide a symphonic feel every now and then. The fusion facet is clearly influenced by Return to Forever and Weather Report, albeit less pompous than the former and a more uplifting than the latter. I observe some Kerry Minnear and George Duke influences on both keyboardists, but generally speaking, it must be stated that Sloche never gets derivative. The optimistic spirit that is generally spread all throughout "J'un Oeil" allows the complex compositions receive a certain air of catchiness, and also gives a frontal freshness to the musicians' intricate interplaying - structural sophistication and warmth, all at once. 'C'pas fin du Monde' kicks off the album as a proper sample of the band's style, displaying an attractive intensity and a healthy variety of moods expanded along the succession of different motifs. Things get more solemn in 'Le Karême d'Eros', which starts with a 3 ½ minute majestic piano solo, until a brief chorale enters along with the whole instrumental ensemble; the sung parts are accompanied by a series of voices of people partying, acting as a funnily disturbing chorus, and so the solemnity is over. But not the seriousness, as the alternate solos on synth and guitar show: things can only get better with a piece like this, specially when the string synth layers go fading out while a spatial Moog effect drags in to announce the entry of the funk-jazz closing section. Brilliant! The title track is the shortest and catchiest one, keeping things uplifting and a bit gentler. and gigantic as well, since it is the most Gentle Giant-like piece in the album. The same gentleness is carried out by the last two numbers, albeit they're a bit more complex: 'Algébrique' and 'Potage aux herbes douteuses' contain the biggest dose of funky colours in the album, but always keeping a constant loyalty to the overall fusion-prog essence of the album. In conclusion: a masterpiece.

4.9/5.0

Oh my god this is good! This album was my introduction to prog music. My father had the old disc in the house and was playing it once in a while, and at the time I just thought "wow this is a crazy" but overall the line between crazyness and genious is very thin, isn't it? This album is plain great, very enjoyable, and active (you could quite dance on some songs). It has the complexity and the emotions of the best prog albums ever. Those guys really knew how to play music. Another gem, and what a gem! If you like the most jazzy parts of Canterbury music along with Gentle Giant and Harmonium, you will enjoy this one!

4.5 stars. SLOCHE's debut is another album from Quebec like OPUS 5's that must be heard to be believed. A 5 piece band with 2 keyboardists, although one of them plays sax at times.The vocals are fantastic as well and are in French.

"C'Pas Fin Du Monde" opens with spacey synths for the first 1 1/2 minutes then this intricate sounding melody takes over with keys, bass, light drums and more. A collage of sounds really. Vocals join in a minute later. Nice. This sounds amazing ! A calm 5 1/2 minutes in then some bombastic drums and organ kick in before it settles into a jazzy groove. Nice guitar after 7 1/2 minutes. "Le Kareme D'Eros" is the longest track at almost 11 minutes.We get piano melodies to open for over 3 1/2 minutes before vocals and a heavy and full sound takes over. They're having fun ! Great guitar after 5 minutes as it trades solos with the organ. Incredible section ! It settles with synths and piano before 7 minutes then the vocals come back. It turns spacey followed by a heavier sound after 9 minutes. Check it out ! Great section.

"J'un Oeil" builds to an incredible sound a minute in. Vocals join in too. Beautiful sound.There is a GENTLE GIANT vibe and then it settles before 3 minutes, we're back to the main melody with vocals a minute later. "Algebrique" opens with acoustic guitar as synths join in. Drums come in as the tempo picks up. Vocals 2 minutes in. An outburt of guitar and sound comes and goes 3 1/2 minutes in. Sax in this one too. Love the drum patterns here. Great track. "Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses" opens with a catchy beat, kind of funky actually. Cool sound especially the drumming after 2 1/2 minutes. Vocals a minute later followed by some outstanding floating organ sounds. Guitar and drums after 5 1/2 minutes take over. Vocals are back. It calms right with acoustic guitar to end it.

This will appeal to more then just Jazz fans out there, a hidden gem if there ever was one.

Excellent debut album from relatively less known Canadian band. Music is very well balanced, even if based on keyboards mostly. Every musician has space for his instrument, but result sounds as real team product, not just a recording of talented soloists.

Musically the band is the quintessence of jazz fusion from its time: progressive rock element is added everywhere, but at the level you will always feel jazz fusion roots. Quite melodic, with some vocals, music is bright and quite optimistic, without too long compositions. It looks the musicians just took all the best from prog jazz fusion of their time. Musicianship level is excellent, especially as for debut album.

Excellent evidence of jazz fusion golden age ( and dated well happily). Very recommended. Not less than 4+!

Hardly known outside of PA where it sits in the top fusion album list, this Canadian fusion album is quite a gem and a great example of mid-70s fusion.

It's harly longer then 38 minutes but you won't find one moment that lacks drive and inspiration. The occasional French vocal adds some extra variation but most of the album is instrumental, with compositions are rhythmically as well as melodically very strong, making this album an ideal treat for fusion and symphonic prog fans alike.

Seemingly without effort the band merges influences from technical progressive rock such as Yes, ELP and Gentle Giant with the then contemporary funk-fusion of Weather Report and Return to Forever. There are even with some avant-garde elements, but they remain subtle and non-obtrusive. All of this comes with a very spontanuously rocking attitude, bright spirits and a sound as colourful as the album art.

Not a masterpiece of fusion but worth hunting down for lovers of progressive rock and fusion alike.

A mostly-instrumental fusion album with a few symphonic influences, Sloche's debut album is a good companion piece to fellow Quebec natives Maneige's albums from around this time. Though I personally don't find myself moved by this particular mingling of progressive rock and jazz fusion sounds to the extent I am by Maneige's work, those who are particularly enamoured of the Quebec scene of the time will not be disappointed by this album, being as it is a highly competent piece performed by one of the less famed bands from that particular hive of prog activity. Three stars, but tack another one or two on if the Quebec scene is particularly special to you.

Another great discovery!

Yep, I'm on a roll my friends. It started with Et Cetera, then Maneige and finally Sloche, which is french for the brown and grey snow in the streets. It's funny they've picked up that name. Since the view of slush in the streets is enough to give you depression, the music of Sloche is many times sunny, warm and depicts a super summer day (well for me).

Quebec's love for Gentle Giant is well knowed and Sloche is aiming quite often in that direction. The days of Three Friends probably strucked them more deeply, because I keep hearing bits and pieces of the record. Good thing if it's done with taste, and this is the case here.

The large palette of keyboards is nothing to draw me away, maybe they're the Quebec band with the most keyboard dominated sound (think Novalis, GG and Harmonium). Fun lyrics too, a bit silly when they talk about the god of love Eros in his bed, thinking about orgy. Original to say the least!

Hard to dislike such well crafted melodies, and complex at that. Just like when I discover gems from another country, do yourself a favor and dig deeper into Quebec's progressive scene. The progger with an open mind and a taste for complexity will happy-dance by it's replay value.

Another winner.

1. "C'pas fin du monde" (8:52) starts very spacey with lots of synths playing around, as if trying to find a groove to attach themselves to. When the groove does arrive it sounds quite a bit like some Canterbury Santana--or maybe KHAN. LIttle keyboard interlude at the 4:54 mark brings us back to the searching chaos of the intro. The organ eventually directs everything into a kind of "Big Bang/Creation" crescendo. By 6:20 we're groovin' again-- almost Motown-ish (the rhythm guitars--remind me of THE ISLEY BROTHERS, AVERAGE WHITE BAND, or WAR). Then the clavinet comes in! It's BILLY PRESTON! Fun song if a little dated. (8/10)

2. "Le kareme d'Eros" (10:50) begins like a piano bar player warming up his fingers before getting into a CHICK COREA-like rhythm and style at the 1:10 mark. The melody established by the (Still) solo piano at 1:45 sounds a bit cinematic--as if to confirm that we are in the piano bar (with Billy Joel). At 3:15 the pianist starts to show off his classical licks à la KEITH EMERSON. At 3:45 a MAGMA-like choir najes quite an impressive (and welcomed) entrance. Let the wild rumpus begin! The ensuing duelling electric guitar and keyboard sound very much like LARRY CORYELL'S performance on LENNY WHITE's forgotten classic Venusian Summer. Cool little bit. by 8:55 we've left that and gone into a more RETURN TO FOREVER-like passage. INteresting song that I'm not sure really works--even if it is supposed to portray little Cupid's random exploits. (8/10)

3. "Algebrique" (6:30) is a bit more cohesive and yet GENTLE GIANT- and YES-like in its structural shifts and staccato rhythms. An interesting ZAPPA-like part begins at the 2:10 mark, with synth and voices grabbing the listener's attention. At 3:28 begins a sudden foray into territory covered by TODD RUNDGREN'S UTOPIA's in "The Ikon." Luckily, they don't stay there long--though the drummer more and more sounds to me like a drummer from Todd's mid-70s posse. The heavier, more KING CRIMSON-esque final minute is my favorite part of this, my second favorite song from this album. (9/10)

4. "J'un oeil" (4:43) relies on the repetition of a very familiar poppy riff until the wonderful clavinet-backed choral-vocal section begins. AT 2:10 we go back to the introductory repetitive riff for a bit, until it slows down with a spacey organ and high-register electric guitar melody take over. Switch back to the choral-vocal section for the last minute. This one is my favorite. (9/10)

5. "Potage aux herbes douteuses" (7:07) begins again very much like the AVERAGE WHITE BAND, shifts to a little GINO VANELLI coda, then back to the A part, coda B before shifting into second gear with a fun off-tempo section. This seems to be very much an exercise in band odd tempos, though the insidious climb up the scale is enjoyable and interesting. At 3:30 the choral enters for a different coda before the THIJS VAN LEER-like organ play takes us to an extremely FOCUS/CAMEL-like section--which then combines with the choral beautifully. Wonderful! Interesting ANT PHILLIPS-like end! (9/10).

This is a fairly recent discovery of mine, thus, as I go to rate it, I take into consideration both the impact it has on me today (a bit dated and immature) as well as my imagined impact the album would have had on me in the 70s or 80s (probably like Camel's Moonmadness.) I think it is a good album that has indications of a band that could (have) evolve into a great band. Like CAMEL or FRUUPP. 3.5 stars.

Sloche were a jazz rock fusion band out of Quebec in the seventies and they released only two albums. This one, "J'un Oeil" (I, an eye) was their first and features a band that makes excellent use of their rock side to deliver some very exciting music steeped in a strong concoction of jazz.

The album opens with spacy effects and space music, nothing like what the rest of the album is going to be like. Some semblance of a tune emerges at about 1:20 and by 1:35 we get some pretty groovy music going with wah-wah guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard. This is more like what the album is going to be like: a cross between jazz rock fusion that skirts the edges of symphonic prog here and there. All the tracks include vocals yet three of them are vocals only without lyrics.

Now sit back and listen to this band move and groove with organ and synthesizer solos, guitar solos, and some very lively and deliciously cooking music. Of the five tracks, four of them are longer than six minutes, the longest being "Le Kareme D'eros" at 10:56, and each of them go from section to section without coming back to repeat anything. Only the title track seems close to a normal song with lyrics that have almost as much relevance as the music. "Le Kareme D'eros" also includes a part with lyrics but it's mostly instrumental with the first 3:40 devoted to a classical piano composition.

While there is much for me to be excited about with this album, the track that has won me over completely is "Algebrique". The beginning is innocent enough with two electric guitars playing slowly like a ballad while some synthesizer adds a few trippy notes. An organ comes in with some weirdo notes and then suddenly the band jumps on with a very original-sounding meter. How can I describe it without a degree musical theory? The vocal part is next and a bit weird as they sing, "Schtoo-doop, ding! Schtoo-doop, di-a-wing!" No matter the music from here on in goes into something that I can only say must have inspired bands like Wobbler and Seven Impale. There's sax and this rock out part with guitar. And all that comes down to the awesome break with drums as the main feature and I tell you, the sound of these drums is so well captured. These days I don't hear anyone recording drums like this and it's like my head is inside the tom toms. I listen to this track several times a week lately and the highlight is always this drum part. And then things get heavier and the Wobbler similarities increase. Brilliant piece of work this one is to me!

But the whole album is really quite an exciting and vigorous collection of music. I am definitely going to track down their other album. A very highly recommended jazz rock fusion album if you prefer the rock side to have a firm presence.

While Canada in general was a bit sluggish in the world of progressive rock during the 1970s (let's not talk about Rush!) along with its southern neighbor the USA, Quebec was without a doubt the most celebrated exception and single-handedly cranked out some of the highest calibre prog from the entire North American continent during that era. While not as successful as their European counterpoints, Quebcois prog nonetheless had its cult following and has become even more popular in the more recent years as the world discovers the long lost gems of the past. We can thank ProgQuebec for reviving many of these lost treasures.

Maneige, Et Cetera and Harmonium are well respected bands from this era but the band SLOCHE was perhaps the most unique and adventurous of them all. This band formed in Quebec City in 1971 by Pierre Bouchard who was a self-taught musician and whose parents were famous concert pianists. He was a self-taught musician who not only mastered his parents' classical roots but dug into their record collection filled with Frank Zappa, European prog and jazz. His vision of creating a unique mixture of all of the above led him to form the band SLOCHE which is a French term that roughly means "slush" but in recent years has also become a sugary frozen treat!

SLOCHE is also unique in the fact that of all the founding members: Pierre Bouchard (keyboards), Jacques Collin (bass), Fernand Paré (drums) and Marcel Périgny (guitar), not a single one of them would appear on SLOCHE's only two albums which would appear a few years down the road and this includes the absence of the founding member himself. Instead Bouchard seems to have handed over the project to the first future band member Réjean Yacola (piano, vocals) who would slowly add the new members until the lineup of the band's debut came to fruition. J'UN OEIL which emerged in 1975 would included Yacola with Caroll Bérard (guitar, vocals), Pierre Hébert (bass, vocals), Gilles Chiasson (drums) and Martin Murray (organ, synthesizer, saxophone, vocals).

While clearly in the jazz-fusion paradigm with a strong sense of Herbie Hancock styled funk fusion, SLOCHE was clearly one of those rare bands that excelled on many fronts. In other words the fusion was well beyond jazz as the members had a keen sense of Western classical music, jazz, progressive rock, Berlin School progressive electronic as well as excellent vocal harmonizing skills. Although the band released two albums before facing the harsh realities of declining sales for such adventurous music, much of the material on the two albums was written simultaneously with some finding its way onto this debut album while others shelved for the following "Stadaconé."

J'UN OEIL, French for "I Have An Eye" was met with enthusiasm by a small number of hardened prog fans but went over the heads of most due to the nature of the band's virtuosic skills that crafted compositions that were stuffed with multiple themes which meant the methodologies included intricate developments with abrupt changes of style that went down a completely different route with some finding resolution with a reprise of the original theme but oft completely derailing and becoming mini-suites in their own right. Skilled and thoughtful music taking the jazz-fusion musical style to a logical conclusion of sorts well beyond what the Mahavishnu Orchestra had conjured up.

Consisting of five tracks, J'UN OEIL is a marathon of exhilaration in all regards. Kept accessible primarily by funk-fueled jazz-fusion, the album meanders into myriad directions with the opening "C'pas fin du monde" alone featuring excellent group vocal interactions, outstanding guitar and bass jazz-fusion chops, Yes inspired prog rock time signature excellence and an intricate use of electronic effects for maximum contrast. "Le Lareme D'eros" follows with a lengthy classical piano recital which paves the way for the funky fusion feast to follow with the same dexterity and technical wizardry. In fact the entire album excels at these dynamic shifts and although primarily instrumental, the few vocal parts display a band that was every bit as talented as their anglo-counterparts such as Yes, Gentle Giant and ELP.

The title track which appears smack dab in the middle is perhaps the most "normal" track on board as well as the shortest. It features a rather Gentle Giant-is rhythmic and melodic display only steeped in fusion overtones and the most vocal track of all which like all of the Quebec scene finds the band singing in its native French language. This of all tracks makes me think of how fellow Quebecers Harmonium may have sounded had they engaged on a heavier rock trajectory. "Algebrique" displays the bands uncanny ability to craft an dark eerie mood with slow creeping guitar arpeggios and a minimoog before getting abstract for a brief moments and then breaking out some of the most progged out time signatures frenzies approaching the avant-prog workouts of Henry Cow only to reel things in a bit with some humorous almost Canterbury inspired vocal performances!

The closing "Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses" begins like a funkified Doobie Brothers sounding tune but slowly transmogrifies into a prog rock fusion beast! While i took an instant liking to SLOCHE, i have to say that it took me quite a few spins to digest the craftiness that lies beyond the accessibilities but once i cracked this nut i find SLOCHE to be one of the most creative bands of the entire 1970s prog scene much less Quebec. This band not only exhibited that joie de vie that Francophone regions of the world display but they also captured all of the best of what the English scene had cranked out while this band was undergoing its extreme makeovers. Given that all of the musicians on board earned impressive conservatory creds only guaranteed that their lofty visions were brought to fruition with creative compositional flow, outstanding technical wizardry and a perfect sense of balance. While many prefer one SLOCHE album to the other, personally i find them to be of equal caliber although J'UN OEIL took me a bit longer to more fully appreciate.