CLAIRE VEZINA

This album starts and ends with the same theme ('Cyber Neptune' I & II), consisting of a repetitive piano/rhodes pattern, like the sounds generated by a barrel organ, and the album title repeated in the chorus, after verses dealing with the conflict between life and death. The lyrics and music are the same in both songs - however absence of drums and guitar in the closing track provides a softer, quieter mood to the song, while voices conform to the reduced musical accompaniement.

The second track, 'Meluzine', starts in a nu-jazz vibe with its discrete programmed beat and delicate piano touches. A sustained Hammond, reminding early Procol Harum, can be heard before drums replace the programmed beat and echoing guitars join. The programmed beat remains in a far background in the second part of the song. Guitars are more aggressive as the song progresses.

'Naufrage' starts with some trip-hop programmation, then it highlights a contrast between the slow and discrete drums/guitars/rhodes during verses (fear and questioning - "peur de te perdre" [afraid of losing you], "qui es-tu" [who are you]) and the enlivened chorus and bridge with echoing guitars and louder drums besides weird synth layers and rhodes respectively (assurance and storm - "debout devant le vide tu es là" [you stand before the emptiness], "soit ma tempête" [be my storm])

'Il pleut sur la ville' is a nice balad. It retains some Americana feel in the guitar, with the amosphere of Fish's balads and Pink Floyd's 'wish you hear' overall.

'Jeanne' starts with some "grunge" guitar and follows in a rock mood, with the main theme repeated by the rhodes in the chorus.

Track 6, as its title would suggest ('dans ton monde cyber' [in your cyber world]), presents with some computer-generated "jungle" beat, imitated by drums at the same time. Rhodes, bass, and syncopated drums give it an aquatic feel, like the movement of waves above the sea.

'11h52' features hypnotic rhodes (once again the aquatic feel) with floydian drums and some eerie orchestrations, Claire ensuring the choir with her voice (without lyrics).

Track 8, faithful to its title ('Soleil' [Sun]), is a sunny pop song displaying an exotic feel in the sparse use of percussions and "Pacific Island" guitar.

'Soldat', is a song that features cascading/echoing piano and David Torn-like sustained and aerial guitars.

'De l'ouest ... une brise souffle' is a song with a Middle Eastern flavour, thanks to the use of dembir and saz (in place of oud). Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to heaven' (and not 'Kashmir') comes to mind in the chorus.

'Tant de guerres' starts with a programmed beat followed by usual rock instrumentation. This is a song where lyrics are split between english and french in a same line of verse. A midtempo song with Bill Frisell-like guitar ? i.e. suddenly changing in directions and creating some steel guitar echoes in the solos' finales. One half of the album title reads "Neptune". Neptune can refer to the planet (as seen on the cover), but since water is present in lyrics all along the album, it is also a reference to the God of the seas in greek mythology : water comes first from the depths of seas ("du fond des mers"), it is then confined within the limits of a fountain ("approche de la fontaine, entre dans l'eau claire" [come close to the fountain, enter the clear water]), then it is back in the sea ("tout au fond de l'eau" [in deepest water], where a coin falling in water is compared to the treasure of a sunken boat), it pours from the clouds ("il pleut sur la ville" [it's raining on the city]), it flows in a river ("sur le fleuve" [on the river]), and in the end it returns to the depths of the seas. The other half of the album title reads "cyber" - this computer world transpires in the use of programmed beat and in the lyrics of 'dans ton monde cyber'.

Overall, this album is very enjoyable, with a talented vocalist/keyboardist, good musicianship and a clever use of various musical influences.

"Si loin... d'ici" is a slow-paced song, with a discreet rhodes and some vocal shifts in the repeated words "si loin" and echo effects to mirror the title ("so far...from here"). Some cosmic keyboard touches can be witnessed in the chorus as well. After the second chorus, a piano joins the backing rhodes for a short solo. Overall, a cheerful melodic song.

"Seul le coeur compte" is a song reminiscent of the western-flavoured pop of Daniel Lanois. This time, guitar assists the rhodes in the chorus. Guitar tone reminds the Edge of U2, and the parallel with the folk/western songs on 'Unforgettable Fire' and 'Joshuah Tree' (which saw the collaboration of Daniel Lanois, and the loop is closed!) is not exaggerated.

In "Malobiannah", reverberating guitar with light drum chops echo H-era Marillion's elegant music, rhodes are still present.

"Dans les Appalaches" is a lullaby with an "aquatic" vibe, as if the listener was lulled by the waves of the sea. The guitar and rhodes contribute a lot to the craddling effect of the song.

"Qu'un jeu" is a song of the opposites, where the hesitating rhythms that support the verses (the fortune that I sense...) contrast with the confident straightforward music of the chorus and its lyrics ("I know that I will come back from far away"). Sheryl Crow influence transpires in the chorus (Claire's voice intonation, the guitar work and the drums/percussion play).

"Big Jack (C'est mardi gras)" is a tribute to the music of the New Orleans. Polyrhythmic drums help imagine a brass band marching and dancing. Steel guitar solos in the chorus gives it a country flavour.

"Tellemend froid ce soir" is a melancholic song that deals with the absence of the beloved. The sad piano layers completed by slow pace generated by a rhythm box and a begging voice are tricks to suggest the sad feelings.

"Camée Léone" is a cheerful song. A play on words with the nickname of the mysterious tatooed lady that is the center of the song, Camée Léone, cham'l'onne is "she chameleon" in english, another wink to Marillion?

"Alambic" is the title song. A downtempo song, with elegant atmospheres and a sublime chorus. The drumming is highly reminiscent of Marillion's albums from 'Brave' to 'This strange engine'.

"Encore un blues" is a beautiful minimalist song, with voice and rhodes only.

Overall, this album is very pleasant, with elegant atmospheres. Claire Vezina has a unique and expressive voice, recognizable among many others, and the musicianship is top-notch.