GAMME

In the year following "Minuit Ville", SYNOPSIS swapped both vocalist and bassist. While the late stage French theatrical symphonic prog remains intact and Maike Ravonison even does his best to sound like his predecessor Michel Bail, probably a requirement from the ruling Christians, this one is a bit more energetic and well produced. But is it better? Perhaps, but only marginally so.

Substitute the incomparable "Desert" from their debut with the nearly as singular "Tany Mena" here and you have the same formula: one astounding track surrounded by mostly highly competent but forgettable companions, like the old cartoon with the big bulldog and the tiny yappy dog that idolizes it. For instance, I didn't ask that L'Homme fou" be sung by one, only that it be about one. It is about by this time that the GENTLE GIANT ish habit of inserting angular guitar licks becomes predictable. It's second half is more measured, but really one should look to "Cites" and "Novembre" for the best use of group and vocal arrangements before they become stale and Maike Ravonison is forced to stop singing and start vitriolically speaking. Yeah, the one real reason to own this is "Tany Mena", a shapeshifting suite of engagement from all concerned, with not a moment wasted.

Based on published records, it doesn't seem like anyone in this group went on to work in other bands once they predictably dissolved, their range falling dramatically short of their ambitions, at least in a commercial sense.

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