PAR LES FILS DE MANDRIN

One more decent Ange release has reached my ears. "Par les fils de Mandrin" from 1976 is Ange's fifth studio effort and it features the commonly known group: DecampsX2, Haas, Jelsch and Brezovar. This record has not the same magic as the earlier recordings and some pieces are quite lame. I miss the penetrating sound of heavy (almost ugly) organs that uses to charactarize Ange's music. As Ange's music uses to, it has an interesting cover with a clown playing on an accordion.

The strengths are "Par les fils de Mandrin" with the most obvious rock sound and a grand bit of humour, "Des Yeux Couleur D'Enfants" which is a deep track with different passages, the sweeping long "Hymne a la vie" and the best track "Saltimbanques" which is the most folky track, with sweet flute and rhytm. The vocals there are dramatic and spiced with much humour.

The shortcomings are the lack of the typical organ sound and some quite boring tracks like the dull "Ainsi S'En Ira la Pluie" which feels like the band has forgotten their audience and the even duller "Atlantis Les Géants Le La 3e lune" where the singer seems to be afraid of being heard.

Over all a nice record to hear but I can't see the real highlights that brighten my mind and some tracks were unfortunately boring. Still I can sense a development in Ange's music that presumably would satisfy some fans. Ange had polished away the dirtyness in their music and made a record that was more well-behaved than before.

Best and most recommended track: "Saltimbanques" My rating: 3,44 = Three stars