MOONDRAGORE

1. "The Crescent Moon" (5:23) an excellent song with two parts: one in which the sublime voice of Cherry Pob sings the poem of Amy Lowell's while Arnaud accompanies on Richie Havens-like strummed steel-string acoustic guitar, and then when Didouk takes over with some wind instruments (ocarina and flute). I absolutely love hearing Cherry sing in this Susan Osborn "Lay Down Your Burden" (Paul Winter Consort) style. (9.5/10)

2. "Le Sorcier" (3:29) Arnaud's folk strum-and-picked acoustic guitar with Cherry Pob's percussion instruments accompany Didouk's play on the Chinese bawu. (9/10)

3. "Daydream" (2:27) gently picked acoustic guitars, piano, and synth strings support Arno's deep voice (singing in English). Again, Richie Havens comes to mind (only with much better sound recording). The second half of the song is all instrumental. (4.5/5)

4. "Bindi Blues" (1:58) sitar, tabla, acoustic guitar and other percussives launch a very East Indian-sounding song--but with a Ry Cooder-like Western acoustic guitar fitted into the mix. Great tune--one that could've gone longer (for dance purposes). (4.5/5)

5. "Papangue" (6:04) Arno's acoustic guitar with Cherry Pob's kalimba-like tongue drum and Didouk playing a lively ocarina over the top. Great world music blend! The pensive, patient, middle section with its loose improvisational feel to it is my favorite part. (9/10)

6. "Seeds" (3:01) a blues-rocker with slow paced drums, bass, acoustic guitar, and prominent organ used to support Arno's gospel-bluesy vocal and Ry Cooder-like dobro soloing. Then, in the second verse Cherry Pob sings harmony, eventually taking over with her soaring gospel-blues vocalese. Wow! (9/10)

7. "Karma" (3:37) dobro (or is it Arno's weissenborn?) with droning sitar notes opens this one with a one minute introduction before frame drums, synth strings, and guitar jump into a propulsive motif for Arno to sing over. At the two-minute mark Cherry Pob's Shiela Chandra-like East Indian voice dronings enter and take the fore for a bit before Arno returns with the second and final verse. Very cool. (9.25/10)

8. "Looking Across" (3:26) folk-Americana acoustic guitar two-chord strumming supports Cherry singing in English a jazzed-up folk vocal that reminds me of some of the incredible psychedelic folk-blues music that came out of the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-to-late Sixties! What a voice! Everytime Arno let's her shine on one of his compositions she blows me away! Amazing! (10/10)

9. "Hobgoblin" (1:44) a nice folk guitar display. (4.25/5)

10. "Crimson Skies" (2:20) guitar and synth strings combine to support Arno's final Richie Havens-like (4.5/5)

Total Time 33:29

Music that is balm to my soul! The music here is superbly composed, performed and, as usual, impeccably rendered. I am in absolute heaven listening to the album that Arnaud has just sent me: some of them simple ethnic-feeling folk songs, others more sophisticated jazz-rock fusion songs that the other Gong founders would be quite proud of!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive folk or prog world music in the traditions of Richie Havens, Ry Cooder, and the Paul Winter Consort. Awesome stuff! Highly recommended.

Share this ARNAUD BUKWALD review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to BrufordFreak
• Report this review (#3125034)
• Buy ARNAUD BUKWALD music online with PA partners
• Show all ARNAUD BUKWALD MP3/Stream
• Go to ARNAUD BUKWALD page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Moondragore page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for ARNAUD BUKWALD related discussions