LES PORCHES

1. "Les porches de Notre-Dame" (19:14) The opening epic is so refined and majestic--opening with a section that feels as stately as a Russian nationalist song. (It's not very proggy, though; more classical.) "Suite I" is so gorgeous, sounding very much like the modern day Greek Prog Folk band, CICCADA. Suite II sounds and so French! Like Ravel, Fauré, or Debussey--with its piano, flute and tubular bells/vibraphone trio format, while "Suite III" shows the band's sound beginning to take on a jazzier, more-MIKE OLDFIELD sound palette while the arrangements and melodies harken back more to folk traditions. (Province-mates CONVENTUM sounded a bit like this in 1979.) The "Déscouverture" section is more classical (using an upright piano?) The final section "Les porches" is the first to use any electrified instruments--including a vocal addition in which a quite unusual male voice sings. The effect is quite romantic and emotional! The song wends its way into a three-chord major-minor-minor "Stairway to Heaven" blues-rock end progression and pace while piano, electric guitar, trumpet, and, later, saxophone weave their individual noodling to the song's end. Other than the closing movement, there is very little jazz or rock in this suite, but it is absolutely awesome, start to finish! (40/40): a) Ouverture (3:03) b) Suite I (2:34) c) Suite II (0:45) d) Suite III (3:25) e) Désouverture (2:48) f) Les Porches (6:50)

2. "La grosse torche" (1:24) folk melodies given a bit of a symphonic prog sound. (4.375/5)

3. "Les aventures de saxinette et Clarophone" (15:41) This is far more straightforward jazz with a little jazz-rock à la THE SOFT MACHINE than the opener--and it's a kind of B-level jazz-less-rock at that. It has a prolonged opening section in which nothing is really established or developed (other than sound palette). The middle section ("Chapitre I, épisode 2") finally establishes a structure rhythm and repeated chord progression over which vibes, saxes, and clarinets take turns soloing. About ahlfway through an electric guitar enters to solo a bluesy solo before the suite moves into the next movement. With "Chapitre II, épisode 1" the music becomes sax-dominated--even into the next section, "Chapitre II, épisode 2," where it gets really weird: with some crowd noises before a section which feels as if the listener is shut in a closet. (Why? To avoid the crowd? To think? The thoughts may provide one great idea, but that idea is quickly forgotten and left behind in lieu of the usual banal patterns and habits of the day. Weird.) The final section is much more disciplined and cerebral before falling into the sway of a friendly little folk melody. A fine effort full of character, wit, beauty, and creativity, and excellent performances, but, personally, I prefer the band's self-titled debut album over this one. (27.5/30): a) Chapitre I, épisode 1 (3:47) b) Chapitre I, épisode 2 (5:16) c) Chapitre II, épisode 1 (1:31) d) Chapitre II, épisode 2 (2:34) e) Chapitre III (2:33)

4. "Chromo part I" (2:36) now this is jazz rock! Kind of cheesy bass play but great flutes and reeds. (4.375/5)

5. "Chromo part II" (1:37) part two of the Chromo suite, this one has some of the pretentiousness of a Canterbury act but then flies into some serious jazz-rock territory. (4.375/5)

Total Time 40:32

French jazz fusion band Maneige's most highly acclaimed album opens with a superb side-long folk-classical epic, "Les Porches de Notre-Dame" but then falters a little with two brief pieces that feel more like practice études and one other strange epic, "Les aventures de saxinette and clarophone." The band's winds section and tuned percussion players are deserving of superlatives.

A/five stars; a certifiable masterpiece of folk- and classically-infused symphonic rock.

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