VU D'UN CHIEN

O.K. - I'm gonna submit a review on this album....only because I've just spent some time listening to 80's Ange lately. Ange were an island unto themselves - the warbling Viscount Organ, Mellotron, Christian's theatrical vocal delivery - they are all Ange. Unique. This quality is present, even in the 80's releases to an extent - the strong keyboard prescence (not vintage keys unfortunately), the intense vocal delivery, but, as time has it, an even stronger guitar prescence is felt with the 80's-onward albums. We all give nasty 'stick' to Ange during this period (well the song-writing and arrangements were much too straight-forward) - I honestly enjoyed their 1985 release 'Fou' (particularly side 2) upon recent listening. Vu D'un Chien is a product of its times, recommended in the same way as 'Duke' is within the Genesis canon) - by this time, we are greeted with an all-out guitar heavy rock music - upon hearing is not a good sign, however, the opening track Les Tempes Modernes is a little bombastic in a Styx kind of way - a fair tune at best....by the 2nd track 'Les Lorgnons', we have an attempt at being theatrical AND accessible together, which should appeal to prog-heads. Foutez-Moi La Paix shows a more exciting vocal approach with some musical integrity and then leads into an extended piece which is enjoyable but not that exciting - it is not the great prog piece that we expect. Francis' 1979 solo LP 'Histoire de Fou' is much more exciting..... 'La Suisse' is OK as is 'Personne Au Bout du Fil - the backing vox and Sax kill the feel a bit, giving it a very commercial edge which is not what we really like to hear, 'Pour un Rien' is as exciting as 'Heathaze' is to Genesis, and the title track is decent without being anything too special. Good but inessential - go for ANY of the 70's albums.....