ZUCCHINI

These Quebecois are from the latest wave of prog groups emerging from La Belle Province, but they are not typical of their consorts. Unlike Daghmar, Invisible Wind, Hamadryad and Nathan Mahl, who only dip once in a while into dangerous and experimental grounds, these guys and gals make a specialty of weird RIO and are very much the spiritual sons of Miriodor. But also in many ways, theses guys would fit perfectly on the Belgian scene of chamber prog rock, as they share many similarities with X-Legged Sally, Finnegans Wake or Cro-Magnon and consorts and some of the Finnish scene groups such as Uzva and Alammailman Vasarat, for their more acoustic side or even the Swedish Samla/Zamla and In The Labyrinth - for the more ethnic influences. I think you get the picture.

Some thirteen tracks of which only 2/3 have names or even have the right to be acknowledged their existence on the booklet. But if most of the "non-existing" tracks are audible links/bridges to the following track, they are still very interesting due to the inventive nature of the sounds used. Of which thirteen tracks, only two are suing in a very accessible French - both of them could be rocked-up tangos. To actually talk and describe this album, I cannot do better than refer you to the first paragraph of this review and think of the bands I have named, but the actual real gem is the 13 min closer Fuite: absolutely outstanding crescendo from a demented acoustic track into an incredibly crazied-out electric tune: du très grand art, mon cher Monsieur!! Another highlight is Un Autre Poisson Dans Le Mur, which is closer to RIO and Zappa than Miriodor and is astounding in its execution.

In the RIO/Avant prog category of the ProgArchives, this album is certainly in the top 20 and well above of some genre classics. Highly recommended for its very melodious soundscapes in a genre that is not always melodious by nature.