SI, PARTIE II - L'HOMME IDÉAL

In 2003 I received French progrock formation Nemo their second album entitled Présages as a promo while working for the Dutch progrock paper Background Magazine. I didn't know Nemo but it was 'love at first hearing', I was blown away by their dynamic and often exciting prog! Meanwhile they have produced a live CD (Immersion Publique - Live 2005) and this is already their fifth studio effort. I have to admit that I was a bit shocked while listening to their new album for the first time: to me it sounded as if the music was going into too many directions and that I needed at least a 'third ear'. But how often good prog needs a few turns and indeed, during my third listening session I got into their album. I even conclude that this new album is another captivating step into the development of the very distinctive 'Nemo progrock sound'.

You can experience this on the 10 compositions, every song is a musical adventure but you have to be up to huge variety (scouting the borders between jazz, symphonic, metal and classical), lots of complex structures and a slightly theatrical undertone in the French vocals. From the first track Nemo succeeds to make impression delivering awesome work on guitar (fiery runs, propulsive riffs) and keyboards (from fluent piano play and spectacular synthesizer flights to wonderful violin-Mellotron waves). The interplay between all musicians is amazing and the rhythm-section sounds very dynamic and adventurous. In fact all tracks flow into each other but the climates are different: a captivating blend of funky bass, jazzy Fender Rhodes electric piano and heavy guitar with a howling solo in L'homme Idéal (1), a compelling contrast between the orchestral keyboards and the wah-wah drenched guitar work in Reflets, spectacular guitar and keyboards and suddenly a Fender Rhodes piano intermezzo like Riders On The Storm (The Doors) in Décadanse, a wonderful blend of psychedelic organ (Farfisa-like sound) and fiery guitar in the propulsive Une Question De Temps, a flashy synthesizer solo and swinging piano in the fluent L'homme Idéal (2) and stunning interplay in the strongly build-up Les Visages Du Monde.

If you are up to adventurous prog in the true meaning of the word 'progressive', this new Nemo album will delight you!