CLEARLIGHT SYMPHONY

Incredible prog rock fronted by Cyrille Verdeux. On this particular album, he has members of GONG (Didier Malherbe, Steve Hillage, Tim Blake), as well as Gilbert Artman of LARD FREE, and Christian Boulé and Martin Isaacs. The album is basically two side length cuts with no titles. The members of GONG play on the first half of the album, and the music really isn't much like GONG, but more in the symphonic prog vein, with lots of piano, Mellotron, synthesizers (with Blake's trademark synth bubble included here and there). No drums used here (just some percussion near the end).

The second half is with LARD FREE members, and drums are used here. This side tends to have a more Canterbury feel to it at times (reminding me a little of HATFIELD & THE NORTH). And there is plenty of sax here, leading me to think the album liner notes were incorrect and that it was actually Didier Malherbe who played this side (as I sure don't notice him on the first side). I heard how perhaps the music got switched around as the LARD FREE members played the first half (which is doubtful, because I recognize Tim Blake) and the GONG members played the second half (which I only recognize Malherbe here, and there is a drummer here, which is Gilbert Artman). Regardless, a great album if you like prog rock, or you're a GONG or LARD FREE fan.