GUET-APENS

Ange delivers again! With their sixth record "Guet-Apens" from 1978 they take another little step away from their sweet-ugly organ sound but conquer a new more rocky beat. Now Ange featured Christian and Francis Decamps on keyboards and vocals, Jean Pierre Guichard on drums, Claude Demet on flute and guitar and Gerald Renard on bass. The cover shows something new in the way of Ange, not a peacefull countryside but a big city in the night with a crazy gentleman and a stone age wildman in the front.

It opens with "A Colin-Maillard" (8/10) which has a lot of old style Ange sound, with brutal organs and rock guitar fanfares. The vocals begin in a slower and sentimental way and later it becomes faster and the end is energic. That is the record's third best song (The others take place on the B-side). "Dans les poches du Berger"(7/10) is calmer and preserves some feelings from last record "Par les fils de Mandrin". Here they mediate mostly a feeling. "Un trou dans la case"(7/10) is better and begins with classical feeling and vocals fanfares put in layers with guitar and organs. This play is vital and tastefull. "Virgule"(7/10) is acoustic and pretty with distinct vocals. "Réveille-Toi!"(10/10) is for me the record's best song with a very theatrical approach and the singer sings with compassion. This is a powerful song and shows the dark side with screaming organs and vocals. The album ends with "Capitaine Coeur de Miel"(8/10) which proves Ange can do cool rock music. A very vital track, the second best here, which has something of everything. It feels like this song points the way for future Ange which can be heard on their next wonderful record.

Over all one more great Ange release with plenty of good music. Perhaps now it's too well produced or too much rock but it's still great. I found out Ange is a reliable band. Thank you for that!