LIVE @ PROG. EN BEAUCE

An Affectionate Review

Joys and Perils of Live Performance

Here's the first live release by (mostly) French nonet NINE SKIES, of a recording of their performance in 2019 at progressive rock festival, PROG EN BEAUCE. Held in a small-town venue in Pierres, France, this annual festival also featured MYSTERY, ALBION, and CLEPSYDRA, as well as NINE SKIES.

The album is being released as a digipak edition; at almost the same time the (now) nonet ? with the addition of multi- instrumentalist/vocalist Moroccan Achraf Elasraoui? will release their acoustic album "5:20".

On THIS Release

Here are the musicians:

Eric Bouillette: Guitars, piano, keyboards, violin, vocals, arrangements

Alexandre Lamia: Guitars, piano, arrangements, recording, mix, mastering

Anne Claire Rallo: Keyboards, lyrics

Aliénor Favier: Vocals

David Darnaud: Guitars

Laurent Benhamou: Saxophones (but unable to attend this concert)

Bernard Hery: Bass, and

Fab Galia: Drums

NINE SKIES

THIS iteration of the band comes across as a mixture of heavy progressive, symphonic progressive, and neo- progressive rock music.

There are many changes in mood, texture, key, tempo, and instrumentation, with mainly female vocals, and very occasional harmonies added- an area I'd like to have expanded.

It's sophisticated and complex and musicianship is excellent, on a par with any progressive rock outfit I can think of.

Tunes

In my humble opinion, there are actually eight songs, an intro that consists of intriguing keyboard sounds and rhythms drawing in the attentive and appreciative audience, two spoken tracks in French by band leader ERIC BOUILETTE, and a fairly unnecessary quartet of acoustic guitar/electric guitar snippets that were a tad sloppy and appeared possibly unrehearsed.

So for me, the actual meat of this album consists of the eight tracks from the two studio albums released by NINE SKIES. I'll focus on those, and you can decide about the rest for yourself.

Burn My Brain

This track opens with a heavy progressive feel with the full band, soon joined by the gutsy female vocals of Aliénor Favier; and for me one of the highlights throughout this performance, the excellent drumming of Fab Galia. Eric's characteristic expressive, melodic lead guitar was also a standout.

Return Home

Meditative piano from Alexandre Lamia leads to some melodic guitar/piano revery, which is soon joined by hushed vocals. Not for the last time I thought I heard some slight intonation problems with guitar sounding flat.

The passage builds and there are more expressive solos from the guitarists, leading to a heavy passage, and now I think I hear some flat tones from the bass guitar. There is an uptempo section with nimble synthesizer, and agile rhythm section that usually works well together. Sometimes bass guitar gets overly busy, and works higher registers to some detriment since with seven members things can get muddy fast.

No doubt about it though, Bernard Hery can play, and play with exquisite precision.

Season of Greed

Eric switches to piano on this one- a real strength in NINE SKIES is the astonishing virtuosity of several members who are multi-instrumentalists. It's a moody open, and soon Alex comes out from behind the keyboard bearing an acoustic guitar, which features prominently.

He's good, and there are some tasty licks here, and also perhaps some intonation problems sometimes. There's lovely interplay with acoustic guitar and female vocals, some lush, laid-back keyboard sections, some agile bass lines, and whispered voice in this gentle track.

Catharsis

Here's the only instrumental track on this performance, with percussive acoustic guitar rhythms, picked guitar chords, wistful lead guitar, with atmospheric keyboard backing from Anne-Claire.

Sweetheart Grips

Ominous, thumping bass drums usher in the full band in a vigorous, deliberate passage. There are agile bass lines and those melodic guitar solos. This transitions to wailing synthesizer sequences and rumbling bass guitar, with that precise, powerful drumming. Guitars come in heavy in a very busy section that almost become chaotic as vocals punctuate as well. It's intense and almost overwhelming to keep track. This subsides with picked acoustic guitar, hushed vocals, and atmospheric keyboards, a lush passage.

The overly busy bass subsides to acoustic guitar, and there are times I almost breathe a sigh of relief when the gentler passages come, since I can hear more clearly what's happening.

Soldiers of Shame

Moody acoustic piano enters, then an atmospheric string sound. this builds, with a piano passage, expressive guitar solos- it turns out David Darnaud can really shred as well as stay melodic and sensitive as the music requires.

There is a lovely passage featuring electric piano, and again I hear some guitar intonation problems.

Fields of Perdition

The band boldly opens in a busy section, and dramatic vocals enter. There are some sweet twin guitar lead lines (I'd like to hear more of these too). More spry lead guitar from David before the song ends.

A Way Back

This track is a fitting climax to the NINE SKIES segment of this concert. We hear that moody acoustic piano, hushed female vocals which soon strengthen, and some spoken voice. The full band enters with gusto with soaring lead guitar, which then subsides.

The band again builds intensity as the lead guitar continues to sing, only to give way to acoustic guitar and piano?and closes.

Throughout the performance, the audience is appreciative and respectful, and NINE SKIES gets a well deserved standing ovation for a reward.

In Conclusion

I like NINE SKIES a lot, and am in awe of what this (now) octet will be able to produce, with excellent musicianship and sophisticated musical tastes.

Live performance- and recording- is challenging, as well as rewarding. So many moving parts, and one chance to get things right- or not. And much as I admire Aliénor's vocals, I'd like to see more energy and expression in her presentation, and more harmonies would help break up the repetition that I began to sense.

For the most part, NINE SKIES did quite well. For me, this is a good live recording, but non-essential, presentation from NINE SKIES.

NINE SKIES is the French group based across the Atlantic to follow in recent times as they released their first opus in 2017. NINE SKIES, which is boosted by musical celebrities as guests, is also remarkable and worth mentioning. A live show to show off their rock, pop, jazzy and progressive influences, to show that prog is still not dead, revisiting here parts of the 70's to the 90's without concession; a subtle, airy, invigorating and tortured prog at times with superb solos, synths and guitars included, a live in these times of pandemic to immerse yourself in the atmosphere, let's go!

"Burn my Brain" from the last album to set the mood with a punchy track, with monolithic keyboards and twirling guitars from mentor Eric, Fab's drums energizing more than in the studio and magnifying the tempo changes; Eleanor's particular voice to tame. "Return Home" on this sensation of the break of "Capt'aine Coeur de Miel" with intro piano of Alexandre and meditative guitar, this title is worth by the musical breaks juggling on the tracks of GENESIS; happy melodic title, melodic with ARENA at times, which imprints the sound of the group in fact. "Eric's Speech" presenting their first scene and moving on to an intimate "Season of Greed", with acoustic guitar for the prog ballad, a piece where the song flows best with the musical register; the final guitar gives the notion that the handle is well maintained, especially for a 1st live. "Catharsis" for the only instrumental, my favorite title, the guitar arpeggios taking you very far with Anne Claire's keyboard; dubious intimacy, dreamlike romantic spleen, musical enjoyment in a few notes, the wistful guitar melting, too short in my opinion. "Sweetheart Grips" for the live track with Eleanor's voice firmly in place here molding itself into the progressive, atmospheric vibe; the instrumental part takes on a powerful trance with intense drums, dark guitar lines, moaning synths, starting with the KING CRIMSON directed improvisations; acoustic digression then return to the central tune, a typically prog track which shows that CA still exists. "Eric's Speech # 2 and band's presentation" says it all and "Soldiers of Shame" for the most beautiful dreamlike intro followed by the installation of keyboards, guitars; everything is beautiful, the incisive voice unfortunately out of sync, yes that is my great regret. The break with the soaring of enjoyable guitars is just divine, the final electric piano increasing the progressive note. Nervous, aggressive "Fields of Perdition", alternation of very high, too high, syncopated, chopped sung parts! The guitar solos calm things down a bit and leave me perplexed as to the text-music association. "Acoustic interlude (Eric & Alex Medley)" which has trouble starting, a more precise mixing could have been done ?; short live version here with excerpts from some dinosaur songs of course, YES, GENESIS and others, Alexandre showing that he can excel in acoustics. "A Way Back (Return Home part2)" for the melodic title with the acoustic piano, worked, one of those who made me listen to them, mastery of the instruments; the voice spoken to the PATTI SMITH being more accessible and getting closer to what is done best with HOGARTH and his friends from MARILLION to magnify the musical breaks, that is said, yes there is in this group of real musical potentialities that must be remembered and not spoiled.

NINE SKIES offers this raw live to be discovered, while also awaiting the release of their latest acoustic "5.20" this same month (ah pandemic when you hold us!). Engaging music bringing obvious progressive vibrations, sophisticated breaks.

Beauce is a geographical region in central France. This area also is referred to as the granary of that country because of its agricultur. Enough of master Dick, over to your blinking prognaut.

We write October 26, 2019. In the concert hall of the French town of Pierres, all the progfans from the wider Beauce area come together to enjoy the music at a small festival with an international line-up for the seventh year on a row. Respectively on the stage there is room for Nine Skies (France), Clepsydra (Switzerland), Albion (Poland) and Mystery (Canada). Quit a lot to swallow.

On June 4, 2021, the CD "Live @ Prog En Beauce" is released with the performances of Nine Skies that afternoon. The album, which sounds like a kind of official bootleg, shows an incredible amount of adrenaline. Music is not a sport otherwise you would say Les Bleus played a home game. The passion drips off, it is for flag and country so to speak.

The album contains ten tracks, eight actual songs and two speeches. The songs are from the two studio albums of the band at that time and they are played in a mixture. The debut "Return Home" is represented with four songs and the strong successor "Sweetheart Grips" as well. These eight songs clearly show Nine Skies is an excellent band despite the poor sound quality. Anyone who can listen beyond the bootleg-like sound will hear some great prog. However, it is difficult not to be blown away by the vocals of Aliénor Favier. She delivers quit a lot.

In addition to a number of excellent musicians, it is very nice Nine Skies has access to two leading multi-talents: Eric Bouillette (guitar, keys) and Alexandre Lamia (keys, acoustic guitar).

As on the studio CDs, their actions are neatly framed by the moody keyboard chords of Anne Claire Rallo and for the main part lead guitar playing of David Darnaud. Everyone asserts himself emphatically and bassist Bernard Hery and drummer Fab Galia are having a great time as well.

The first two songs, Burn My Brain and Return Home, radiate unvarnished the adrenaline level of the music. Many music lovers will be confronted with an inner split between sound and music.

A major instrument change takes place when Season Of Greed presents itself. Eric Bouillette starts playing keys and Alexandre Lamia takes up the acoustic guitar. David Darnaud still plays fantastic lead guitar. What follows next are the instrumental Catharsis and the over ten-minutes Sweetheart Grips, which unfortunately allows the overpowering vocals to dominate a little too much. With her nasal voice Aliénor Favier has enough qualities which will suit better in a gothic or metal band. In any way, she has the looks for it (on YouTube the entire performance can be seen).

The band continues strongly with Soldiers Of Shame and Fields Of Perdition. As closure there is the beautiful A Way Back (Return Home Part II).

All in all, "Live @ Prog En Beauce" is a turbulent album that will evoke the necessary mixed feelings. Well, who doesn't want them to come up with a fantastic double CD with a DVD added to it?

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com