NICOLAS II

After the second album "Triton," the Toulouse based POTEMKINE engaged in a hefty touring schedule with bands such as Art Zoyd, Mosaik and Etron Fou Leloublan and performed all over the band's home nation of France all throughout 1977 and during that tour the band decided to drift off more in a jazz rock fusion direction and left behind most of its 20th century classical and zeuhl influences. The third and final album NICOLAS II came out in 1979 and refers to the last reigning Emperor of Russia before the 1917 revolution. The band's interest in Russia's history isn't surprising considering its very name POTEMKINE is a Russian word that refers to a construction (literal or figurative) with the purpose of providing an external façade to a situation that makes people believe the situation is better than it is. Often used in the term Potemkin Village.

This third and final album from POTEMKINE swung more in the direction of the debut "Foetus" and reverted to a more jazz oriented style of fusion and deemphasized the 20th century classical, avant-prog and zeuhl complexities of the band's second album "Triton." The album also sounds a lot like Soft Machine's jazz fusion years roughly from "Six," "Seven" and especially "Bundles" although no Alan Holdsworth around to ignite the fire that brings the music to another level. While more energetic and with more substantial composiitons, NICOLAS II sounds a bit like a standard jazz fusion affair from the 1970s rather than an innovative work that sets the band apart from its competition unlike the unique stylistic approach achieved on "Triton." Basically this album sounds an amalgamation of any influences the band could garner up. A touch of Brand X here, a dab of Weather Report there with other influences coming to mind but the keyboard work of Michel Goubin brings the Soft Machine connections to light.

While the Magma influences had been deemphasized, they still come through on some tracks such as "Ode de Mars" courtesy of Dominique Dubuisson's beefy bass riffing so every once in a while the album feels like a mix of Magma, Soft Machine, Weather Report and Brand X although the POTEMKINE of "Triton" is sorely missing as it much more experimental and daring in its approach and NICOLAS II sounds like the band is trying to play it all safe in order to fit in with the accepted jazz fusion sounds of the day. The problem is that the band didn't deliver a sound that is unique and neither are the compositions enthralling in any way although the performances are acceptable. Charles Goubin is quite busy on this album with his guitar playing yet he seems like a second rate guitarist in the world of jazz fusion in an era that has produced veritable guitar gods such as John McLaughlin, Alan Holdsworth, John Albercombie and Al DiMeola just to name a few.

While better than "Foetus" which was a rather dull album that barely steamed above simmer, NICOLAS II is a rather by the books jazz fusion album of the 1970s and doesn't really stand out in any particular way. This is sad because "Triton" on the other hand was engaging and dynamic all the way through its run. While this is perfectly acceptable jazz fusion that won't disappoint as far as enjoyability, the album to me sounds a bit generic considering by 1978 the prog world was chock full of classic jazz fusion albums that far exceeded anything POTEMKINE crafted on NICOLAS II. Overall this is an OK if average jazz fusion release that found the band lose its momentum and although would carry on for a few more years until its demise in 1982, never was able to release another album after this one as the tides were turning against complex music in the market and POTEMKINE seemed to peak and then rapidly decline.

3.5 stars rounded down