ALMANACH

This is maybe the technically and conceptually most sophisticated of the early MALICORNE albums. The twelve months of the year are illustrated in a collection of traditional folk songs which originate from different French provinces. Each song is about a custom or belief directly related to a certain month. Just like on their previous albums, MALICORNE mix traditional harmonies and instruments with electrical arrangements and thus never sound "old-fashioned". On the whole they keep up the "French-version-of-STEELEYE SPAN"-style of music, which is on this album made perfect and marks the peak of their folk era. Highly recommended for all fans of traditional folk, strange harmonies and musical innovation. However, since this kind of music seems to me being rather "folk" than "prog", on this website I give only four stars instead of five.