LIVE @ PROG. EN BEAUCE

NINE SKIES is the French group based across the Atlantic to follow in recent times as they released their first opus in 2017. NINE SKIES, which is boosted by musical celebrities as guests, is also remarkable and worth mentioning. A live show to show off their rock, pop, jazzy and progressive influences, to show that prog is still not dead, revisiting here parts of the 70's to the 90's without concession; a subtle, airy, invigorating and tortured prog at times with superb solos, synths and guitars included, a live in these times of pandemic to immerse yourself in the atmosphere, let's go!

"Burn my Brain" from the last album to set the mood with a punchy track, with monolithic keyboards and twirling guitars from mentor Eric, Fab's drums energizing more than in the studio and magnifying the tempo changes; Eleanor's particular voice to tame. "Return Home" on this sensation of the break of "Capt'aine Coeur de Miel" with intro piano of Alexandre and meditative guitar, this title is worth by the musical breaks juggling on the tracks of GENESIS; happy melodic title, melodic with ARENA at times, which imprints the sound of the group in fact. "Eric's Speech" presenting their first scene and moving on to an intimate "Season of Greed", with acoustic guitar for the prog ballad, a piece where the song flows best with the musical register; the final guitar gives the notion that the handle is well maintained, especially for a 1st live. "Catharsis" for the only instrumental, my favorite title, the guitar arpeggios taking you very far with Anne Claire's keyboard; dubious intimacy, dreamlike romantic spleen, musical enjoyment in a few notes, the wistful guitar melting, too short in my opinion. "Sweetheart Grips" for the live track with Eleanor's voice firmly in place here molding itself into the progressive, atmospheric vibe; the instrumental part takes on a powerful trance with intense drums, dark guitar lines, moaning synths, starting with the KING CRIMSON directed improvisations; acoustic digression then return to the central tune, a typically prog track which shows that CA still exists. "Eric's Speech # 2 and band's presentation" says it all and "Soldiers of Shame" for the most beautiful dreamlike intro followed by the installation of keyboards, guitars; everything is beautiful, the incisive voice unfortunately out of sync, yes that is my great regret. The break with the soaring of enjoyable guitars is just divine, the final electric piano increasing the progressive note. Nervous, aggressive "Fields of Perdition", alternation of very high, too high, syncopated, chopped sung parts! The guitar solos calm things down a bit and leave me perplexed as to the text-music association. "Acoustic interlude (Eric & Alex Medley)" which has trouble starting, a more precise mixing could have been done ?; short live version here with excerpts from some dinosaur songs of course, YES, GENESIS and others, Alexandre showing that he can excel in acoustics. "A Way Back (Return Home part2)" for the melodic title with the acoustic piano, worked, one of those who made me listen to them, mastery of the instruments; the voice spoken to the PATTI SMITH being more accessible and getting closer to what is done best with HOGARTH and his friends from MARILLION to magnify the musical breaks, that is said, yes there is in this group of real musical potentialities that must be remembered and not spoiled.

NINE SKIES offers this raw live to be discovered, while also awaiting the release of their latest acoustic "5.20" this same month (ah pandemic when you hold us!). Engaging music bringing obvious progressive vibrations, sophisticated breaks.