GAZEUSE!

Not really Prog, more jazz-rock fusion, but a fun and energetic album. A veritable percussionfest with Pierre Morelen in the drivers seat, Mirelle Bauer, Mino Cinelou and Benoit Morelen providing enough hammered instrumentation to satisfy anyone's "I just want to bang on the drum all day" sentiments. Marimba and Vibes add that color and flavor that sets this era of Gong history apart from the psychodelia-bizarro of previous incarnations. This is also the first album to feature Allan Holdsworth, giving his guitar and song-writing skills plenty of room for exploration.

Night Illusion and Shadows Of are tunes that Allan Holdsworth has recreated with other bands and different titles, but these recordings are among my favorites. Holdsworth's guitar work shines and weaves in and out of the mix. Very heady, indeed.

Percolations (part 1 and 2) is one huge drum solo. The first part being more band oriented, the second, pure Pierre Morelen in a classic workshop for percussion enthusiasts. Maybe not a tune for love making, but it will propel you down a highway nearly six inches above the pavement.

Expresso and Esnuria, penned by Morelen, follow the course with Francis Moze laying down some powerhouse bass lines, fretless howls and propulsive bottom. Didier Malherbe's sax work on Esnuria adds flavor to the track.

The final track Mireille is a soft melancholy end to an album that maintains high energy throughout, rather strange? It reminds me of the wind down after an all out Hurricane Party. Sleepy (no, that on the next album).