L' EXTRAORDINAIRE TOUR DE FRANCE D'ADELARD ROUSSEAU ...

Hello Everyone I have enjoyed a few of the earlier folkier albums by this band and decided to write a review from one of the later more progressive albums from these guys. This is a Progressive folk album, A genre that usually doesnt have many ravers as usually progheads tend to come from the rockier side of the music spectrum while folkheads (is this a word?) tend to be very traditionalist and enjoy usually only the old standards with a few (If any) modern twists in the music.

Not only is this progressive folk but this is also a French progressive folk album making it even more rare and also reducing the amount of folks willing to enjoy it and also able to enjoy lyrics which as usual with thiese guys are meaningful and also very playful which does not pass well when translated.

So after this what about the album you ask? Well..this is one of the better progressive french folk albums out there and it is good because the choice of material is good meaning you wont find any fancy or elaborate playing technics in here but you will get a collection of good folk tunes played with modern instruments (and in most cases combined with classic ones as well). Malicorne come from the folk side of music and decided to combine some more modern approches to their music meaning that unlike Jethro Tull heavy horses era where a band with a few rock albums on its sleeve decided to add folk elements to their music Malicorne did the opposite and after creating albums that where steeped in the traditional (Mainly Breton) french folk decided to modernize the sound and they were doing it slowly from one album to another where this album i would say is the first to earn the title Progressive folk.

This album is an aquired taste The first two tracks are folk tracks played with modern instruments with very progressive mid instrumental sectioned between the more folk verses. The third track is a very folkish track with a kind of carnaval atmosphere sang by Mary Yacoub. The forth track is one of my favorites which reminds me a lot of steeleye span which means it is a folkish tunes with nice progressive druming that give it a bit more dynamic movement. Track five is a sad piano lead track which is not the greatest i heard. Track 6 is one of the strangest and best on the album. It starts with sounds of people cutting down trees (Or something like that) and then we have a chant about the significance of colours which gives a strong a capella performence from the whole band (They were always good with the a capella parts). Track 7 is a surprise. It starts with a standard (for this album) folk tune with all the instruments as before but turns mid section with a guitar solo!! (Guitar solo? Malicorne?) i kid you not and it is rather good as well and fits in tune with song as well. Track 8 is a classic french folk song which with me evokes so many things about my visits to the french countryside (La campagne) and is a good but not progressive song at all. Track 9 is another good a Capella song from the band, It is not progressive at all but damn they give such good a capella songs - There arent many groups who can do this good as they can. Track 10 is a standard Gabriel Yacoub song which while as always is moving is not his best. Track 11 is an instrumental reprise of the first song and closes the album well giving it a majestic finish using a brass band.

This a good album from an excelent band, If you like french folk music and also progressive folk you will of course enjoy this but i do think this will appeal more to those who like folk music (mainly french) more then progressive rock in general. For even more progressive and adventurous albums you should try the next one "La Bestiere" which in my opinion is an even better album.