À L'AFFÛT D'UN COMPLOT

Early this summer I spent time with a couple of Quebecois artists named Frank Dervieux and Jacques Blais. Both had CONTRACTION as their backing band and both albums were fabulous. So much so that I did some research to see if I was missing any other bands from that fertile seventies Quebec scene. CONVENTUM was really the only significant band that kept coming up, but I had already taken a pass on them because Folk and Chamber Music just aren't exactly in my wheelhouse as far as sub genres go. I'm so glad I took a chance on this band as I bought both CONVENTUM studio cds this past July.

Both are on ProgQuebec and feature some important info on their history in both french and english. Lots of great pictures as well of this band. It seems like there are so many people in this band as many of these photos have a dozen or so individuals looking back at me. They really were a collective and if you were a guest you were just treated as a member of the CONVENTUM family. This attitude really springs from that institution in Montreal called CEC(short form) where writers, sculpters, painters, filmakers and musicians met and did workshops etc.

There were two incarnations of this band and both disbanded, but when poet Alain-Arthur Painchaud met with three former members in August of 1976 it was agreed that they needed to reform again, for the third time. This lineup would produce the album I'm reviewing today. Basically a six piece including Alain-Arthur's spoken words and vocals. An unusual lineup of three acoustic guitar players, violin and bass. One of the guitarists adds electric guitar and mandolin. Guests include another violinist and a sax man besides five vocalists who are all on the same three tracks.

And one of those singers is Christiane Robichaud from CONTRACTION! It comes full circle doesn't it? This was meant to be. And three of the guests are from that killer band ORCHESTRE SYMPATHIQUE. My first listen was a wonderful experience. I had little in the way of expectations and was promptly blown away by the gorgeous strings and guitars. Very acoustic yet powerful. No drums either, or keyboards! To quote the liner notes "The music became this mixture of folklore, progressive rock and contemporary music. They now had a unique orchestral sound that was dense, elaborate, acoustic chamber music."

The album cover has long intrigued me. It looks like a rich kid from way back, listening to music with the latest technology. Turns out that this is an actual photo of Charles-Eugene Tremblay listening to music on the custom radio his uncle built piece by piece. In 1928! There is a story to this, as Charles-Eugene would one evening hear an SOS coming through that radio and he acted upon this of course. Love the picture on the back cover of about 14 musicians all wearing the same headphones as Charles-Eugene. Also the ProgQuebec label's official symbol is of these headphones with the antennas.

I've gone on far too long, but this record is very uniform sounding and very consistent. The one track that does stand out for me is "La Premiere Piece(21 Juillet)" at 6 1/2 minutes. It's just darker and there's some suspense. The bass stands out and it builds and includes some avant leanings. Angular sounds. Beautiful strings. A solid 4 star record and for sure up for consideration when I do my best of Folk list. Great album!