FIND YOUR SUN

The usual top-notch instrumental performances from Stéphane and guests trying to melt multiple styles and structures into the framework of single songs. The justifications for such odd, hodge-podge, patchork compositions are only, as always, in the mind of M. Désbains; as usual, they don't really make sense (or pleasure) to me. I'm surprised producer Andy Jackson (whose rendering of sound quality is great) allows these often disjointed and incongruous sections to end up in their final sections. Perhaps the Stéphane-Andy team have a vision that progressive rock should always be constituted from the gluing together of many separate songs into one. (Lord, what a precedent Peter Gabriel GENESIS created with "Supper's Ready"!) As always with Stéphane albums, there are great sections, great instrumental performances, cogent and relative lyrics, yet I have trouble liking any one song start to finish. The best song he's ever produced (and the only one that remains on constant rotation among my playlists) is the amazing title song from 2006's "Shimmering Lights."

3.5 Stars based upon the strength of "The End," "Find Your Sun," and "Be Free" and 12-string guitars. You be your own judge.