LEITMOTIV

I'd say the music is really well done. The guitar playing is impressive, the keyboard work complements it nicely and the drumming is solid. The bass playing doesn't stand out in a negative way either. Compositionally the album is also very good, even if some parts may feel a bit drawn out and repetitive (filler ish) almost as if the songwriter(s) needed more ideas despite not being able to come up with enough parts. Overall, it's very nice. Kinda jazzy, but with some rockin' touches, a good balance between imaginative and atmospheric. I'd give the musical side of Entangled a thumbs up.

There is one thing that kills my enjoyment of this album. It's the vocals. TBH I can tolerate the accentuating on the wrong syllable, the off pronunciation, the constant uncomfortable wailing, the vocalist randomly breaking into spoken word and the incredibly strained vocal tone. But... the vocals are off pitch! Yes. The vocals are out of tune. Ouch! And that alone makes them unbearable. They ruin the album, I'm afraid. So, sorry folks, I can't really rate this album any higher because of this glaring flaw.

ok ! ok ! I know most of PA menbers says "... one another Genesis clone !" However I consider which we need calm with the Leimotiv's music. In spite the sound realy shows a strong influence from Genesis(especially in the vocalizations), but not only: I hear cleary influences of another great bands like Gentle Giant, Rennaissance, Happy The man and much more, besides, the moments where you can feel more strong Genesis influences presents a certain will to release the music of this tendency, changing the beats or instrumental timbres to make the audience forget such influence. To tell the truth in some moments the band introduce some moments totaly out of the Symphonic Progressive Rock sphere. The musicians are excellent and the quality of records are also very good. My rate is 4 stars !!!

Let them motivate you with their early stuff! ....maybe not

Leitmotiv's debut, Entangled, was a very original Symphonic Prog album, with top notch musicianship and compositions, while this one deals with a more varied sound, being a ''archives'' of their early recordings, which it brings a less professional sound, mainly because it was recorded in live sessions, as well as not having a defined sound, which may drop the rating down, but how about the songs?:

Archives brings you:

- Sort of Psych Rock stuff: - On the Road gives you a groovy bluesy Leitmotiv, in which then will develop to this Pink Floyd early psych similarity, with a organ resembling Richard Wright's playing in their early days, as well as having a playful drumming similar to Nick Mason's playing. The song also carries some heavinness mainly for it's opening and closing riff, similar to what Cream or Deep Purple were doing in the 60's. A good return to the 60's.

Big Groove also features Floydish spacey characteristics ala Atom Heart Mother(without the brass of course) or Echoes, but like On the Road, it also has another genre to make the song more diverse and entertaining(for the listener or the musicians, not sure who), this genre is a type Garage Rock feel, mainly for the opening and closing riff, and style of drums. I must admit that it's a interesting mix, which results quite good after all.

- Symphonic, Groovy and Spacey: - Funk You is definitely the one for these tags, changing constantly to Yes-type Symphonic melodies, to a very entertaining funky rythm which makes you make un-thinkable dancing moves, to some quite crazy sung melodies, though it doesn't last long. The song also features some heavy symphonic sound which Genesis had in their early albums. To describe this song brief, it's a exciting Symphonic Funk Prog song, with very good musicianship.

- Fooling around?: Paris 50 demonstrates that Leitmotiv likes to have fun, the guys are fooling around with some good and not-so good melodies/chords, whatever... It does have some moments of sparkle, but it's so bad placed and connected, which I would careless.

A Nova Bossa is a Rock(and maybe even Prog) version of a Bossa Nova rythm. It has from the obvious Bossa Nova intro feel, to a more sophisticated heavy sound in the middle, though the Bossa rythm is there. A interesting song from the first listens, then you might find it dull.

- Leitmotiv is Heavy!: Well Gring Organ definitely is, with a almost metal-style intro, you know where the song is moving to. A good riff, as well as good heavy organ for those who like heavinness directed by the organ. A enjoyable heavy rocker.

Mario Bug is a heavy blues one, with the blues base rythm well tight and trustable guitar solos. Pittily the last 2 minutes are quite absurd noodling, though it might be of interest for those who like experimentintal stuff in middle of well based song.

Mr. Raw is the last song, and belongs to the heavy songs of the album. A straight-forward heavy rock song, with a now quite boring guitar, probably because of repeating itself. The song finishes with a annoying dark-melodic organ solo, which can't do any good to the album.

Archives is certainly a album in which Leitmotiv had fun doing, with a bit of all, showing talent as well as not-showing it. The album starts very well, but then moves onto too much noodling and fooling around, which makes the album un-worthy in general. And well, the sound quality being annoying, which makes this odd mix difficult to listen, can't do any good.

2 stars. For fans/collectors of this band. Definitely check their first, first.

I first started out wit h the dreaded it's not a four, but more than a 3 rating - 3.75. Enough to get me salivating as I await their next release, hopefully this year. And then I thought "I've listened to this album 15-20 times in the past two months; more than the new releases from AC/DC, King's X, and D.O.A. . Apart from Marillion's Happiness is the Road, I haven't played an album that much in some time". So it really should be a four. If I may start out with a very succinct overview of this band's sound on this release - imagine Genesis meets Maneige, with Gabriel era Genesis meets Neo vocals (yes, I know. some say Neo is Gabriel vocals), all put together with the Piano as the main instrument. This makes for a sparser sound than either Genesis or Maneige, but by no means minimalist. A little B3, some synth, no mellotron. Just piano, guitar, bass, drums.Think back to early Genesis, Trespass era, with a similarity in the vocals to early Peter Nicholls from IQ. The vocals show traces of an accent of their native french language. It reminds me of the better efforts of the Italian groups' English recordings. But the lyrics do not show any strain from being sung & written in their second language. So how can a Symphonic fan not like this little band from Levis ?

P.S. Oh, to avoid a little confusion - the last song sounds as if it is cut short. That is on purpose. If you play the CD on repeat, i.e. the CD restarts after the end of the last song, you will find that it flows into the first song as if they are part of the same composition. Indeed, the group says that the next planned release Ashes City, may start the same way, as if it were part two of Entangled.

Well worth your time, and best of all, if you find the songs on their MySpace and Facebook pages to your liking, you can order or download this album through their website.