POLLEN

Only album from a forgotten Québécois prog band. The cover art prepares you for something psychedelical and stuff but, in fact, the album has absolutely nothing to do with its cover in my opinion. The music is definitely more symphonic prog. As usual with most of Québec's bands, their music is blended with a lot of folk elements. That's why I think that the cover doesn't fit with the music. Folk doesn't go along with a kind of alien woman lighted by spotlights. Anyways, on with the actual music now.

This album is a forgotten gem and is different from all other Québec's 70s albums because the music is clearly influenced by Genesis. However, they still develop their own style and they do it marvelously. The keyboards dominate the album but the guitar plays a lot of great parts. The music is highly emotionnal (at least to someone who can understand the lyrics) and we go through a lot of completely emotions in the listening process. For example, Tout l'temps is so happy it makes you wanna run in a sunny field but L'Indien makes you cry. I like the voice of Jacques Rivest. He is not your usual symphonic singer but his voice is charming. He has a strong Québec's accent by the way.

The second side of the album contains the best songs in my opinion. The longer La femme ailée is really a masterpiece. The album also starts out strong with Vieux corps de vie d'ange but the first side is weaker. The weakest track may be the L'indien but it's still quite good. The album is enjoyable from the start to the the finish.

I won't say that this album is a masterpiece but I will say that this album is great and that I recommend it to anyone who really likes symphonic or the genuine Québec sound. The only sad point about it is that the keyboard player now plays with Céline Dion... Too bad.

4,5 stars really!

-Bern