MICHEL MADORE

This is Michel Madore's second (and final album) and it's a very different thing from his debut Le Komuso à Cordes. This album, from what I can tell, first appeared in Canada in 1978 in Kebec Disc (the album was completed in March 1978, but the Kebec Disc version does not give a year of copyright, but it could have been still easily released in 1978 given it was completed early in the year), and in 1979 on EGG in France, as that LP clearly gives a 1979 copyright. I own the Kebec Disc pressing, which has a gatefold. The back cover features Michel Madore with such wild hair that it puts Giorgio Tsoukalos (of the TV serious Ancient Aliens) completely to shame (his previous album shows him with even wilder hair, but it looks more like an artists' illustration). The recording of this album started in July 1975 so that meant parts of this album was recorded during the same sessions that gave us his debut, although unlike his debut, this features completely no outside help, all instruments played by Michel Madore. La Chambre Nuptiale (The Wedding Chamber) was the name of some strange avant garde exhibit by Francine Larivée that premiered at the opening of the Complexe Dejardins in Montreal (combination shopping mall, hotel, and apartments) in 1976, so I'm under the impression the album was inspired by the exhibit. It had to be, the LP included liner notes from Francine Larivée, so there's a big change Michel Madore was so inspired by this exhibit that he befriended Larivée and recorded an album inspired by it.

While Le Komuso à Cordes finds him in the space rock vein (hence the inclusion in Prog Archives under "Psychedelic/Space Rock"), Le Chambre Nuptiale is very firmly in the Progressive Electronic vein. Much more similar to Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, solo Edgar Froese circa Aqua. "Cycle 1" consists of lots of droning string synths (looks like every type of string synth available at the time, ARP Solina String Ensemble, Ekla Rhapsody, Eminent 310 are being used here) and spacy electronic effects. Ominous sounds of what seems to me suburban housewives laughing. "Dialogue" is played all on pipe organ, but done in such a way you can't mistake it for anything other than progressive electronic, in face I swore synthesizers were used, but give it a closer listen and I noticed it's all pipe organ. This is an amazing piece, I love that ominous vibe that goes with it. OK the big mistake is starting the side-length "La Chambre, Une Visione" with Felix Mendolssohn's "The Wedding March" (given how overplayed that song is during weddings, alongside "Here Comes the Bride"). It looks like he simply took an old classical recording of it, and electronically modify it, so it sounds more like a galactic wedding (like on the 1978 version of Battlestar Galactica, which I imagined it for). But then it goes back into his own original stuff, more tons of droning synths, a short acoustic passage that gives you the only reminder what his previous album was like, lots of spacy synth effects from a VCS-3. This electronic music certainly doesn't play it straight. Given it's a lot less accessible than his predecessor, it's little wonder if doesn't get the same praise. So those into space rock/prog will enjoy Le Komuso à Cordes, but I recommend Le Chambre Nuptiale to those into progressive electronic music. This was never reissued, so you'll have to find the LP (be it Kebec-Disc or EGG).

Since 2006 I have been really amazed at the amount of great prog to come out of Quebec in the 1970s. The fact I was able to get a lot of these LPs for a real decent price helps big time (many of them on major labels helped so they were pressed in large enough quantities for the Quebec public in general to buy). The type of space rock as pioneered by the likes of Gong was not common in Quebec, but Michel Madore is that rare exception. Too bad he only came up with two album, this being his first. While Gong is a frequent comparison, this is all instrumental, and actually has a more serious vibe (no Pot Head Pixies here), so comparisons to the likes of Clearlight and Carpe Diem are more valid to my ears. Lots of spacy synths (not like Tim Blake), jazzy drumming, and similar style of sax playing to Didier Malherbe. I noticed how "L'Avant-Dernière" bears more than a passing resemblance to Dave Mason's "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave", the acoustic guitar theme sounds very similar. Of course, "L'Avant-Dernière" is all instrumental and progressive and spacier (where Dave Mason's song had a more down to earth folk rock sound reminding me of The Band). This is the kind of music, had Madore been French, Musea would have been reissuing. Sadly neither of his two albums had ever been reissued, forcing you to find an original LP. Another one of those total obscurities that I highly recommend.

A Canadian multi-instrumentalist and composer from the Quebec area, escaping from the typical style of the local groups into more synthetic music.He composed his first album ''Le Komuso a cordes'' in 1975, released the following year on Barclay, where he played keyboards, guitar and wind instruments.Errol Walters along with Fernand Durand play the bass, a member of Dionysos, Mathieu Leger provides the drumming, formerly of Lasting Weep and around the time a member of L'Orchestre Sympathique and Ron Proby handles the sax, synthesizers and percussion.

During an inventive and very different album regarding the more Fusion and Folk side of Quebec Prog, Madore enters the realms of GONG and CLEARIGHT with this release, providing a beautiful synth-based background with certain Electronic variations, upon which the instrumentalists build an elegant Space Fusion enviroment with dreamy and cosmic climates.The music is mainly driven by Proby's ethereal sax solos, a bit similar to DIDIER MALHEBERE's style, and the discreet acoustic soundscapes of Madore with spacey keyboard lines supporting the music.If you expect a vastly psychedelic album with long, hypnotic instrumentals you are completely wrong, because the team here occasionally breaks into more furious waters with a definite Fusion vibe, where the drumming becomes powerful, the sax plays are dynamic and the alternating piano, keyboard and synth moves offer a certain instrumental depth.Very cinematic textures with some great shifting moods between sax-based themes and keyboard-drenched sections, which are combined with intelligence and talent to delliver fascinating, atmospheric instrumentals.

Madore released one more work in 1978, ''La chambre nuptiale'', on Kebec-Disc, which is said to contain long Electronic ambiences in a more experimental style, executed exclusively by himself.From 80's and on he abandoned music and focused on his career as a painter and a sculptor.

Atmospheric Space Fusion.Beautiful images created by Madore's composing talent and an accomplished team of musicians, resulting to a work somewhere between Space Rock and Prog Fusion.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

Madore 's debut album is a gentle affair that is rather difficult to classify, unless broad-brushing between Oldfield's Tubullar Bells and JM Jarre's Oxygène, but at times it sounds like a quiet Gong (the sedated RGI line-ups), the whole thing taking on a special space rock full of phasers and other electronic effects. Behind the superb and intriguing artwork, lays an assembled band that plays tight enough, but only drummer Mathieu Leger (ex-Lasting Weep and future Orchestre Sympathique) stands out with his superb and constant rolls.

Mac has a bit of GonG, more in the ambiance than in the pure zaniness, but sets the tone for the album to come. Closing up the first side is the lengthy Avant Dernière (second last), which claims a certain serenity that propulses into positive thinking, even if some of the sound effects can seem quite dated.

Highlighting the flipside is Rush, again is a bit reminiscent of GonG's isle of everywhere, but breathing its own life. The aptly titled Juggernaut (its almost 10-mins length) is a jewel of space rock that hovers the flying teapots and electric cheeses. Excellent stuff. The short Bali is fitting the album mould with haunting bells and birdsongs aerial synth lines and Madore's haunting 12-string guitar; a fitting close to the album.

Unfortunately, both of Michel Madore's albums have yet to receive a Cd reissue, but something tells me that either XXI or ProgQuebec should indeed one day get interested in them. In the meantime, Madore's two vinyl albums remains accessible (both musically and price-wise), and it shouldn't cost you that much to get acquainted with the man's works, which are much worth the discovery, this one in particular.

An Obscure Gem

As crazy and wild was Madore's debut Komuso album, as much as this one is completely different, to even think that both albums were made by the same man at all. But here Madore is alone (no group) and plays out everything himself. And given this fact, you shall not be surprised that the album is more personal and looks in the Oldfield direction, but with a Jarre-Vangelis twist as well and even a touch of early Krautrock (Zeit-era Tangerine Dream). Just two tracks (two merged into one on the first side) on this disc, each taking up one side; both sides are also dramatically different even if on the whole they are a bit complementary. In this regard, this album is not far from Dionne-Brégent's two albums, as if the first side of this disc was reminiscent of their debut album and the second side of Chambre Nuptiale was dedicated to D-B's second album.

The first side of the album is definitely more electronic spacey-ambient that most Krautrock fans should love. Clearly this side has my favours and it is building up such an excellent feeling that your expectations are enormous for the second side. Alas, the first few minutes are disastrous (as the dodgy artwork and title had warned you of) and we are plunged in a third-rate Mendelssohn Wedding March reworking, which is not only tacky, but corny as well. Thankfully Madore does not expand this idea too long and the music comes back to a more normal Madore-level even if it never reaches the first side's intensity.

If it was not for the second's disastrous intro, this album would be as good as Madore's debut album and as good as Dionne-Brégent's overall works. Hopefully ProgQuebec will one day have the time and money to re-issue Madore's two albums which are yet another fascinating chapter in Quebec's late 70's prog rock that is in danger of being forgotten.