ROMANCERO

Garolou's third album sees another personnel change, ex-newcoming second guitarist Baudouin did not hang around and he was replaced by Gaston Gagnon. Romancero is the logical continuity of the group's electric folk rock adaptation, but there is a modern twist to it. Even if the artwork doesn't imply it with its XIXth Century-type photo, the group does modernize their sounds, as if Tull had moved from SFTW to TB&TB

Opening on the Tull-sounding (HH-era) Mariage Anglais, the following Sur Le Bout Du Pont presents some disputable synths sounds, with an almost new-wave rhythm, sign of the times (we are now in late 79- early 80). The almost 6-mins Nicholas is probably the most Tull- sounding track, yet sports a medieval fell conveyed through the opening riff. Unfortunately Dans Paris is a bit like MOR Chanson Française with a sax intervention courtesy of guest Wiseman, and Limonade is one of those cliché jigs with guest violinist brother Robert Lalonde. Not a very good opening and unfocused side

The flipside returns to Tull realm with Garçon, but it's really up to D'Où Reviens-Tu Mon Fils with its six minutes of quiet ambiances and slow build-up leading to finally some real interplay between the members. This track is easily the highlight of the album with Nicholas a distant second, just before the excellent follow-up dramatic Le Condamné, which stops with the firing squad doing its deed. The album finishes with two average tracks, but it's clear that the flipside does save Romancero from sinking.

Not exactly living up to its two older siblings, Romancero still has enough arguments to be presented as a Garolou classic album, something that will not be possible to its successor Centre Ville. Not essential, but if you liked the first two?..