FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES

The French ensemble 'Clearlight' was/is a project centered around keyboard whizz Cyrille Verdeaux, with many guests, both English and French. 'Forever Blowing Bubbles' being an amazing album, featuring (to name but a few) - Joel Dugrenot (on Bass, ex-Zao), David Cross (Violin, ex King Crimson), Christian Boule on Hillage-like cosmic guitar, Amanda Parsons and Ann Rosenthal (a.k.a. The Northettes, from Canterbury proggers 'Hatfield and the North') and Gilbert Artman (percussion, from his Electronic-cum-Krautrock band 'Lard Free'). This alone suggests the diversity of sounds on this exciting symphonic space-rock trip, and somehow, everyone gets a chance to shine. Starting in fine form with 'Chanson', a dynamic track with shifting moods, it features Cross's searing violin and the Northettes on dreamy vox. 'Without Words' is a track which gradually builds into a super-sonic jam with Boule's (assuming it's Boule - there's 2 guitarists here and Boule has worked with Hillage) blistering guitar work. 'Way' is another Dugrenot composition, and is reminiscent of the material he composed in Zao ('Satanyia' and 'Reinna'), his zeuhl-like bass playing, mysterious moods, another searing violin solo (who was it that said Cross couldn't play violin ??) and abrupt tempo changes throughout. A 'way' excellent track !!

'Ergo Trip' has a bubbly synth intro to it, with the main section featuring violin, guitar and synth madness, and the piano melodies holding all the cosmic chaos together. 'Et Pendant Ce Temps La' is built around a repetitive riff, with some lead mellotron lines - the track is almost hypnotic. 'Narcisse et Goldmund' features vocals sung beautifully in French by Brigitte Roy, with some mellotron choirs toward the end. 'Jungle Bubbles' is a bubbling synth-fest - perhaps more for fun, rather than 'serious' composition, but rounds off the album wonderfully.