SÈVE QUI PEUT

If it wasn't Ange it would be a good album, but it's Ange and this album is far below the classic albums of the group (1972-1978). The line-up of 1977 is back but unfortunately it doesn't work as well, although the idea to make a concept album about French Revolution was good. As usual the lyrics are wonderful but, this time, the music lacks of emotion and the drums sound is awful : Only for fans (and i'm !)

I'm just listening to this LP right now and as I understand very little of the French language, the concept is a little lost on me, something about the French civil war/Revolution or similar. Anyways, the album has a lot of narration and the songs themselves are 'stuffed to the gills' with lyrics. Only the opening track 'Aimer/Hair' has resemblance to their classic works of the 70's. Keys a-plenty (digital sounds unfortunately, some are awful) and guitarist Jean-Michel Brezovar turns in some fine solos. Christian is in fine form and the rhythm section is solid but not as distinctive as one hoped. Songs range from the more traditional symphonic prog, towards a more sophisticated pop sound and even one 'stinker' with the track 'Non!'. For those fans curious about this album, I wouldn't recommend trekking through leech infested jungles in search of a copy, but it deserves 3 stars as it is decent enough, but hardly essential.

We are heading now the end of the eighties. Ange produced extremely poor albums during this decade. The year of this release is a very special one for France. It is the one commemoration of the bi-century of the French revolution. Founding members as Brézovar and Haas are back in business and I guess it is a very good sign.

The band has always been rather anti-establishment (catholicism, politics) so it was quite a surprise that they were asked by the French government (Mr. Chevènement) to produce an opus about the French revolution.

I guess that the exreme popularity of this band in France only made this possible (and potentially their need to substantial financing).

When you look at the back cover and all the subtitles of each song; displaying incredible play-on-words (only understandable to French speaking persons, unfortunately) one might think : maybe we'll get another great Ange album (after all those horrible ones).

The opening track is rather promising. Crazy lyrics as they ought to be during their early years, heavy keys (somewhat reminiscent to ELP) are ways better than their poppish/disco sound of their recent productions.

I do not know what was the final purpose of this order from the French government, but I really do not care. At least it will be the opportunity for Ange to come back to its roots and as a die-hard fan of the band, I can only be pleased by that.

Don't get me wrong : this album is not on par with their great seventies production but at least Ange is back on track. Only this fact should please any prog fan, because this band although extremely underrated (mostly because of their incredibly complex French lyrics).

This album will hopefully bring some hope about future releases.

Ange will produce some really good songs here : "Aimer Hair", "Les Plaisirs Faciles" (especially for its lyrics). "L'Or, L'Argent Et La Lumière" is IMHHO (in my humble and honest opinion) the best song of the whole album. Fully symphonic, emotional. A song like Ange produced in their earlier albums. What a great feeling for me !

This is the reason why I will stick to my policy review. I want to review almost the entire catalogue of the bands and not only their best ones (it sounds too easy for me). This have lead to a lot of disappointment of course because it always hurt to just tell the truth about some of your preferred bands (Genesis; Yes, ELO, Heep, Kansas, Tull etc.). But when it is bad, I have no option : I just tell it is bad.

When a band produces a good album out of the blue, I am just like a child discovering the world : happy, happy, happy. And I am overwhelmed by this feeling with this album. At least some decent work !

This remind me a recent comment on a thread posted by Eric on the forum about the craziest experience to go and see a band far away from home. Well, maybe I'll go to Paris in November to see their "Olympia" show. This band has produced so many great albums that I am sure that I will just feel like the child dicovering the world I have just mentioned.

The poetry of "Les Amours-Lumière" is just enormous. Another great Ange moment. At this time of the album, I really wonder why the hell this band has released so many poor albums for such a long period and all of a sudden release a much better one. Mystery.

The only weak song by its beat (because the lyrics are completely irreverent) is "Non!". Extremely erotic (and I mean it) these lyrics are on par with their greatest moments (the early seventies). I know of no bands going that far in their "sexual" approach. But this is the typical French (and Belgian as well) way of life. So funny and devastating at the same time.

The good news, my friends is that the great Ange is back. Hopefully they will keep on with this quality.

You have understood that I will be quite generous in my rating with this album. I would rate it seven out of ten but since this is not (yet) poosible on PA, I will upgrade it to four stars (adding one star for the lyrics as I have done already for some other Ange albums). What a nice come back after eleven difficult years.

THIS BAND REALLY DESERVES TO BE DISCOVERED. FORGET ABOUT THE EIGHTIES (EXCEPT THIS ONE) AND DISCOVER HOW GREAT THEY WERE IN THE SEVENTIES. ONE OF THE GREATEST, REALLY.

In fact, this is one of the most symphonic albums of Ange ever and still it's one of the most neglected ones as well. The band sound better than on any other of their previous albums. All music on "Sève Qui Peut" has been written by Francis Decamps, while Christian Decamps has limited himself to writing the lyrics, which in my eyes is a wise choice. "Sève Qui Peut" is a concept album celebrating the 200 years anniversary of the French revolution. The story is told from the critical point of view of an ancient oak tree, who was still young when the turbulent events of the French revolution took place. Ofcourse, if you want to appreciate the well- written lyrics, you have to be able to speak and read French. The line up is still mainly the one we know from the great albums of the old days. The guitar parts are divided between Jean-Michel Brézovar with his more simple bluesy approach and Robert Defer, who is able to display greater technical skills. This results in a solid sound. The keyboards play a very dominant role on this album and it's clear that Francis Decamps has learned a lot since the early days of Ange. You could almost consider "Sève Qui Peut" as a solo project by Francis. The album hasn't that nostalgic atmosphere, that characterized albums like "Au delà du délire" or the aggressiveness of "Guet-apens", but with brilliant symphonic songs like "Aimer/Haïr", "L'or, l'argent et la lumière" and the more quiet, but beautiful "Briser la Glace" it's somewhat of a neglected masterpiece to me. After Ange had released a number of non-progressive albums, who actually were not so bad at all (they just didn't satisfy the needs of progrock-fans), no-one really bothered listening to this album anymore. Often without listening it was dismissed as uninteresting. I think, that "Sève Qui Peut" is one of the most important albums Ange ever produced and I think lovers of the French progressive rock scene do well in checking it out ! I think this is one of those albums that deserve five stars

Erik de Beer.

1. Love/Hate with the narrative intro to announce the concept film; Quercus explains his role, his life over a grandiloquent rock sound; classic synths, Christian singing like his very theatrical son, an omen; fat synths 2. Living With The Heart and the synths that continue, Quercus like the schoolmaster of the famous film narrates each title; on classy pop with colorful lyrics from Christian 3. Les Plaisirs Faciles with an energetic riff, a metronomic keyboard, an overly typical text and a very marked marshmallow piece where the drums float on a 'Subway'-style soup; go to the autumn winter catalog on sale 4. Gold, Silver and Light divine or angelic intro choose for a beautiful progressive piece that would have deserved to be played in concert; arpeggio, period harpsichord, languorous voice, explosion and orgasmic rise in D minor for a fresco... hey can you hear me? The chorus is a bit dated with a not-so-innocuous wake-up call; solo, voice and the dreamlike crescendo starts again; the catchy drum-synth finale, the guitar solo which, on the verge of good hard rock, makes this piece enjoyable with the riff eyeing another angelic title, the panard

5. Breaking the Ice ...if the Phrygian is ignorant...the title soft like a nursery rhyme for the text to incorporate and forget the rest; well the world is crazy there is nothing more to do; the stereo choirs, the syrupy keyboard, the latency, the sticky guitar solo and the Louis Jouvet-style voice as tendentious as ever 6. Les Amours-Lumières with one of the most beautiful songs on the album to the point that I have to dry my tears; sweetness, emotion, spleen, memory, intrinsic beauty; the real, imaginary sax adds the romantic tear to this air which unfolds on its own, with a particular flavor of concentrated 80-90 prog latency 7. No!! for the cry of... revolt with a cheerful air and a somewhat simplistic text where the keyboard takes the lion's share, yes Jean-Pierre must have been happy; narrated text without image or almost, push me yes well even for a witch it's olé I wrote; the most this solo which tears Haasien and Hardien to finish the enjoyment 8. Great Feelings go Louis finally Quercus go ahead we listen to you; a hymn to revolt on a fresh, changing but vintage keyboard, the voice-orchestration association is slow to come together and only the guitar saves this piece a little. 9. Sève Qui Peu arrives, Quercus with its bio-nature message a little eco-friendly before its time; rumbling synth aided by the metronomic drums introducing the anthem, the march towards the Elysée, uh the Bastille; a grandiloquent text on a tune of the same lineage, a crescendo which gives a little air with this last guitar solo which reminds us that Ange had great guitarists, two here in addition; the finale returns to the sound of the start before a drum roll.