ET CETERA

One-album wonders from the Quebec scene, Et Cetera combine the intricate vocals and the whimsical playfulness of Gentle Giant, the excellent technical chops and diversions into jazziness of the more intricate Canterbury or jazz-rock fusion groups, and an overall excellent command of atmosphere and mood. With much of the band contributing to the vocals, the standout instrumental performance for me comes from electronics wizard Marie Bernard Pagé, who shares keyboard duties with the group's saxophonist-flutist Denis Chartrand, and whose delicate contributions really bring the sound of the album together much as Dave Stewart's keyboards tie together the work of Hatfield and the North or National Health. (Marie had previously had a guest spot on Harmonium's Cinq Saison, and would go on to have a fairly successful career composing soundtracks for film and television.)