ET CETERA

Not to be confused with the German Krautrock band led by Wolfgang Dauner who first used this name for a band or the Danish symphonic prog band Etcetera which emerged in the 90s, this ET CETERA was an eclectic high energy band from Quebec, Canada which formed and disbanded in a blink of an eye in the mid 70s and left only this one outstanding gem of an album (self-titled) in 1976 to prove that this band ever existed. And what an album this is. Their sole release was put out on the Apostrophe label.

The main inspiration for this band was Gentle Giant which covers the entire spectrum of the first half of GG's career. The hard rock riffs remind me of the "In A Glass House" album while the mellower acoustic guitar parts can bring earlier albums such as "Acquiring The Taste" to mind, however it should be stressed that despite using GG as a primary influence this band excels beyond those parameters and includes a plethora of classic prog bands in the mix. It melds it all together so perfectly that this album has become a staple in my frequent listening. I can honestly say that this is one of the few albums that i can listen to and immediately listen to again and again and never get tired of.

While the music is based on GG as a reference, this is a perfect marriage of GG's style with symphonic prog. There are ELP-esque synth runs, Yes inspired piano riffs that would fit in on early Wakeman albums but the soft sensual vocals form Marie Bernard Pagé sung in French bring a lightness to the music which sounds more like the Quebecois sounds of Harmonium who resided nearby in both time and place. There are airy pastoral segments that remind of early Genesis and also tender vibraphone segments that can bring a touch of jazz fusion into the mix.

One of the most unique aspects of this album was the inclusion of the Ondes Martenot which is an obscure and little used instrument in the rock world which is similar to the theremin. Although it has been used in the classical world by composers such as Honegger, Milhaud and Varese, ET CETERA remain unique for its use in the entire rock universe. The instrument is used in tandem with the synthesizers and provides some unique pitch bends that come and go unexpectedly adding a whole new dimension to the music.

Really what we have here is a band who took the baton from GG as they were simplifying their music as were many a prog band at this point, but unlike, say Starcastle who simply took over the classic Yes sound, ET CETERA took the next logical step from "Free Hand" and created an album that incorporated the GG playbook and upped the eclecticness even further. The result is a stunning array of tunes that keep the listener engaged for every single second of its short 36:02 run. With a healthy wealth of both influences and originality on board with this one, it has in a short time become one of my desert isle picks for i can listen to this over and over again and only dream of a much longer discography that followed.