JUST'EN PASSANT

Boule De Son's sole album, Just'en Passant is a rare sighting even in its original province, because it was a private pressing and release way back in 75. Originally presented as a work of a duo made of singer-songwriter Sylvie Granger and Daniel Lepage (also on piano), but it's clearly a group album that was released. Can't say the group searched far for an artwork, but at least the music inside it much better thought out and successful. The duo is joined by a quartet of musicians that really bring the project to life and bring another dimension to the music. The group did not hang around long after the album's release, with the drummer Toupin jumping ship to Opus-5 that will record the poignant Contre- Courant later in 75 (and a posthumous release as well), continuing onto Concert, which would also record just one album in 78., but he's the only one to have moved on.

The album opens on the upbeat Arc-En-Ciel where Sylvie Granger's crystal clear vocals accompany the recorder of Etheier and Lepage's piano, the track developing in a fine folk rocker with plenty of feeling, setting more or less the tone for the rest of the album. After a short title track, serving as intro to Voler En Rond, the group's folk rock is very Quebecois (no surprise, uh,), despite neutral French vocals. Réveil is slowly leading the group to a more electric and dramatic soundscape, especially in its second part where the Harmonium influences are rather obvious. Did anyone say Depuis L'Automne? Levez Les Yeux is also built as a slow starter but once it is unleashed it is clearly going full rock, this time with wailing guitars, much reminiscent of Skynyrd's Freebird.

The flipside is more or less the same type of music as the opening Le Temps Est Venu is yet another slow starting tune that develops into a full rocking track, most tracks gliding smoothly and consolidating the album excellent progressive folk rock formula, somewhat similar to Demi-Heure or L'Engoulevent. Another excellent moment is the album's longest track Apprendre A Prendre (learning to take), starting from cymbal scratches and solemn flute, with serious male vocals (almost a declamation) over the female wailings in the background, this is clearly another highlight in this very surprising album. The album closes with the Choses A

While this kind of private release is generally for amateurish works, in La belle province it simply means that quality groups abounded during the 70's prog boom, and some talents were left without being detected by the international or local labels, leaving few choices but auto-production, which generally lead anonymity; In the view of Ungava, Boule De Son , Agape or Demi-Heure, this is not only a waste, but a shame as well. As for Just'En Passant, the album might not be essential per se, but it's one of those consolidation blocks that help the depth of your collection. Should one day this album find a CD legit issue, no doubt that you should jump on it.