MANEIGE

Intriguing avant-leaning fusion album with the occasional spooky, dissonant section adding a bit of ambient spice to the compositions, which otherwise lean more towards jazz than rock. I don't hear the Canterbury influence most others hear, but then again I don't detect the Zappa, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever or Weather Report influences of most other fusion bands of the era; Maneige's debut therefore establishes them as one of the true originals, coming up with their own unique fusion sound. This sound is delivered mainly by the prominence of flute and piano in the music - the flute, in particular, not having had much attention in fusion up to this point. A decent debut for a cornerstone of the Quebequois prog scene, though some of the dissonant sections outlast their welcome a little and feel like they are there simply to pad out the running time.