POLLEN

Pollen's one and only album is a forgotten gem that more people need to investigate... they are as talented as any of the big-name bands. By far my favorite French-Canadian band, they're similar in style to the classic British Symphonic Prog bands mixed with the unique charm of French bands like Atoll, Pentacle, and Carpe Diem. 'Vieux corps de vie d´ange' starts off similar to Gentle Giant, with excellent dueling-Moog-and-guitar play; the first half of the song is very aggressive and complex. The musicianship is incredibly tight on every song, but here especially. The second half of the song is more subtle and is in a classic Symphonic Prog mold with wonderful synth playing, powerful droning organs, and lovely piano solos. The keyboardist is brilliant on every song. 'L´étoile' is slower; featuring beautiful acoustic guitars and Moog playing. It has the most touching and memorable vocal refrain on the entire album. The lyrics are all in French so i haven't a clue what he's saying... but i can tell it's heartfelt. The singer doesn't have the strongest voice, but it's pleasant in tone and he sings with great conviction and emotion. 'L´indien' is an atmospheric and meditative acoustic ballad; dream-like and blue... I would say the mood is a combination of 'Dust in the Wind' and 'Entangled' by Genesis. The second half of he album contains my two favorite songs: 'Tout l´temps' is upbeat with an almost 'Hatfield and the North' Canterbury-like feel... followed by 'Vivre la mort' which is much darker and reminds me somehow of Russian folk music. This song is led by an amazing organ riff and a relentless driving beat... growing more aggressive as the song goes, this contains some of the best Moog solos i've ever heard in my life! The intro of the final song 'La femme ailée' bears a passing resemblance to Pollen's fellow countrymen 'Harmonium'. I highly recommend this to all Symphonic Prog fans... especially those who like the French strain of the genre. 4.5 stars.