LA VIEILLE QUE L'ON BRÛLA

What do you get when you mix Ange like symph prog with folk music and some baroque classical music ? Something that comes very close to La Vieille Que L'on Brûla from the French band Ripaille. Tragically, this is the one and only album from this band. A great loss if they had continued in the same direction as on this album.

I will not get into trouble with the prog folk team if I claim the split between symph prog and folk prog is near 60 % in one direction or another. Let's say it is more in my direction than theirs. Yes, there is a lot of folk rock here. But more like in baroque classical music folk rock, if you get my drift.

Anyway..........

The music on this album is lush as always from a French band. The vocals is excellent. The various strange instruments adds a lot of extra flavour to this album. This album has a high spirited feeling.... let's put it like that.

It is with some sadness I have to report that not all the music here is that great. Yes, there are some great melody lines here and there. But not enough for me to label this as a great album. Inbetween the funny instruments and high spirited expressions, there are also some pretty mediocre stuff here too. Hence, this is a good album but nothing more than that. But it is also a highly enjoyable album which brings a smile to my face.

3.5 stars