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toroddfuglesteg 
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 Topic: Something about France ?
Posted: January 16 2010 at 10:55 |
Hi.
I have yet to hear a straight Genesis/Yes copy progressive rock album from France. All the prog rock I have heard from this country is pretty avant-garde, weird, theatrical, neo-classical and pretty different than the English speaking scene (UK, Ireland, Australia, Anglo-Canada, USA etc etc), South America, Scandinavia and the Italian scene. Is it just me or is it something special about the French scene ?
Edited by toroddfuglesteg - January 16 2010 at 10:55
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Slartibartfast
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 10:57 |
Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries. 
Edited by Slartibartfast - January 16 2010 at 16:28
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Logan
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 11:13 |
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There's definitely something special about the French music scene. Most of my collection is French and I found that it really appeals to me across various PA categories. Before that when I was really into film, I also found something something very special about French cinema.
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apps79
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 11:19 |
 toroddfuglesteg wrote:
Hi.
I have yet to hear a straight Genesis/Yes copy progressive rock album from France.
All the prog rock I have heard from this country is pretty avant-garde, weird, theatrical, neo-classical and pretty different than the English speaking scene (UK, Ireland, Australia, Anglo-Canada, USA etc etc), South America, Scandinavia and the Italian scene.
Is it just me or is it something special about the French scene ?
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I would say I agree at some point...It is propably the French language ,which has a more theatrical/expressive impact to the music than the English...and bands like ANGE,ATOLL,MONA LISA,ANGIPATCH or MAGMA,ESKATON on the other hand have a sound of their own...plus this obscure yet attractive space prog of PULSAR,CLEARLIGHT or CARPE DIEM...
...But I have also heard tons of French jazz-rock who is rather unoriginal, imitating bands like BRAND X,RETURN TO FOREVER or WEATHER REPORT...though I admit that most of them are quite good... albums...
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When the power of love overcomes the love of power,the world will know peace...
listen to www.justincaseradio.com , the first ever Greek Progressive Rock radio
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harmonium.ro
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 11:27 |
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One Shot plays Jazz-Rock in a, let's say, conventional manner; nothing avantgarde or experimental about it. It is quite original and powerful, though, as the members are current or past members of Magma. Highly recommended.
Parallaxe play an awesome (almost Fusion type) kind of prog metal. Nothing bizzare about it, just original. Also, Morglbl are an awesome mix of Jazz-Rock and metal.
Lazuli were also a nice, melodic crossover band of the last years. Too bad they disbanded.
You can't go wrong with these bands if you want something "safe" but good and original.
I'll think of some more.
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fuxi
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Joined: March 08 2006
Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 12:00 |
psarros wrote:
But I have also heard tons of French jazz-rock who is rather unoriginal, imitating bands like BRAND X,RETURN TO FOREVER or WEATHER REPORT...though I admit that most of them are quite good... albums... |
As a Brand X fan, I am intrigued. What are the names of those bands? Any albums you recommend?
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apps79
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 12:46 |
fuxi wrote:
psarros wrote:
But I have also heard tons of French jazz-rock who is rather unoriginal, imitating bands like BRAND X,RETURN TO FOREVER or WEATHER REPORT...though I admit that most of them are quite good... albums...
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As a Brand X fan, I am intrigued. What are the names of those bands? Any albums you recommend? |
Two albums that immediately spring to my mind are the debuts of TRANSIT EXPRESS and SPHEROE...
Add to these ones the whole EDITION SPECIALE discography...all of them are listed on progarchives.
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When the power of love overcomes the love of power,the world will know peace...
listen to www.justincaseradio.com , the first ever Greek Progressive Rock radio
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American Khatru
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 13:53 |
I don't really have anything to add to the discussion. But I'll say that France is superb! I was about to sign off when I got to thinking how they also stand out in the area of classical/romantic composers. Rebel right through Roussel I can happily vouch for. Even though many wrote in what was called the "italian" or "german" style, they were always very frenchy. 
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 Why must my spell-checker continually underline the word "prog"?
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Slartibartfast
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 16:29 |
What? What?? The wines, the cheeses, the fries???
Edited by Slartibartfast - January 17 2010 at 08:30
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akamaisondufromage
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 16:48 |
Slartibartfast wrote:
What? What?? The wines, the cheeses, the fries??? |
The LADIES
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Help me I'm falling!
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lucas
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 18:49 |
Of the recent prog bands I would highly recommend Seven Reizh which is a nice celtic-prog band.
If you want some interesting prog by non-prog artists check out 'Histoire de Melody Nelson' by Serge Gainsbourg and 'Métronomie' by Nino Ferrer.
As for jazz-rock (as an answer to the guy who is looking for Brand X-like bands), you may be interested in Didier Lockwood (seventies and earlier eighties) and Jean-luc Ponty but sincerely their music was far from being original as it was inspired by all the surrounding jazz rock bands.
otherwise you may be interested in this obscure band : Six cylindres en V with the album 'le dernier cri' released in 1985, it sounds like Lounge Lizards or James Chance and the Contortions.
Another one called Ma banlieue flasque should be of interest to any Frank Zappa fan. They released one self-titled album in 1979.
But one of the most interesting jazz-rock artist is Michel Colombier, known for his soundtrack to various movies. He released two interesting jazz-rock concept-albums : 'Wings' and 'Old fool back on earth'.
Otherwise, there is one artist that brings humour in his prog/avant-garde music : Albert Marcoeur, french alter ego of Arthur Brown or Todd Rundgren.
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"Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood)
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Raff
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 19:05 |
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I'm not an expert on French prog by any means, but I have heard some of Ange's albums (Micky likes them quite a bit), and have found some similarities with the more theatrical Italian prog acts - especially as regards the singing style. This, of course, does not mean that French prog sounds like Italian prog.
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harmonium.ro
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 19:12 |
akamaisondufromage wrote:
Slartibartfast wrote:
What? What?? The wines, the cheeses, the fries??? |
The LADIES |
I agree... but please don't tell my girlfriend. 
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Mellotron Storm
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Joined: August 27 2006
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Points: 14044
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Posted: January 16 2010 at 23:19 |
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It is interesing that there are few Neo-Prog bands from France.STEP AHEAD comes to mind, but your right French musicians seem to prefer and to be influenced by those Classical and Jazz flavoured styles.Which is true of Magma,Art Zoyd,Moving Gelatine Plates and on and on. The music i have from France is the most interesting in general.I like how dark a lot of it is too.
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"The wind is slowly tearing her apart"
"Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN
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memowakeman
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Posted: January 17 2010 at 01:17 |
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From France, I always think of Sandrose, I quite like their only album.
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Follow me on twitter @memowakeman
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Kazuhiro
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Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Posted: January 17 2010 at 01:29 |
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I like "L'Homme-Voilier" of Oniris. However, it is not existing as CD now.
It is likely to buy it surely if sold with CD.
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American Khatru
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Location: New York
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Posted: January 17 2010 at 08:25 |
Raff wrote:
I'm not an expert on French prog by any means, but I have heard some of Ange's albums (Micky likes them quite a bit), and have found some similarities with the more theatrical Italian prog acts - especially as regards the singing style. This, of course, does not mean that French prog sounds like Italian prog.
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I'll agree with that to the letter. As for English-style prog, the band Mona Lisa is the closest I've heard to a French band being derivative of Genesis. And it's still not all that close.
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Why must my spell-checker continually underline the word "prog"?
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Slartibartfast
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Posted: January 17 2010 at 08:29 |
Did I forget, forget to mention Stephane Grappelli? 
Edited by Slartibartfast - January 17 2010 at 08:30
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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akamaisondufromage
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Posted: January 17 2010 at 08:40 |
I won't tell her. And I won't say that the few French women I have met (In this country) have been, well, slightly excentric to be polite. But excentric mainly in a nice way. They were all without exception very attractive!
Their cheese is overrated but good. The wine is verygood but expensive. The Fries are awful.
Gong are fantastic. Pierre Moerlins included. I think French music is underrated.
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Help me I'm falling!
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TODDLER
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Posted: January 17 2010 at 08:41 |
toroddfuglesteg wrote:
Hi.
I have yet to hear a straight Genesis/Yes copy progressive rock album from France.
All the prog rock I have heard from this country is pretty avant-garde, weird, theatrical, neo-classical and pretty different than the English speaking scene (UK, Ireland, Australia, Anglo-Canada, USA etc etc), South America, Scandinavia and the Italian scene.
Is it just me or is it something special about the French scene ?
A straight Genesis/Yes copy? No. Probably not. On the first 6 Ange titles I hear chord progressions that are reminiscent of Genesis. Decamps is the French Gabriel etc. But It doesn't bother me in the least. Ange are very special to me and the least amount of Genesis and Crimson influence is taken in powerless strife. Edhels were a visit to the mid-period Hackett material. The Avant-Garde in France is more dominent in prog and you will definitely find more bands displaying an originality of sorts. Much like 2 prog bands from Canada in particular.....Conventum and Harmonium. There has always been something very grand about the French prog scene. You might be able to pick out detailed aspects of influences that derive from English prog bands. Those influences might be here and there in the French prog bands however, it is carefully planned it seems when adding the musical ingredient. From Clearlight Symphony to Pulsar I am overwhelmed.
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Something about France ?