SLOCHE

SLOCHE
STADACONE (1976)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

SLOCHE were a 70's prog fusion band from Quebec Canada who left behind 2 incredible albums of the highest calibre. Frozen somewhere in the fusion/prog vein "Stadacone" features standout musicianship and sophisticated song writing. Instrumentally this album is unforgettable with great 70's analog keyboards (Hammond B3, Mini-moog, clavinet and piano), great soaring guitar, bass and drum interplay. "Stadacone" is essentially an instrumental album with a bit of talking and chanting throughout. Musically these guys were awesome and really fall in the range of classic GENESIS, YES, GENTLE GIANT and The MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA. The album also features 2 great epic tracks with "Stadacone" and "Isacaaron" each over 10 mins giving the songs lots of room to explore. Both SLOCHE albums are to kill for and are very much essential in your collection.

1. Stadaconé
2. Le Cosmophile
3. Il Faut Sauver Barbara
4. Ad Hoc
5. La 'Baloune' de Varenkurtel au Zythogala
6. Isacaaron (Le Démon Des Choses Sexuelles)

SKYE

SKYE
KEEPING SECRETS (2009)
320 KBPS

Former Morcheeba vocalist Skye returns with more of the Folk/Soul/Trip Hop style that made her debut "Mind how you go" such an eclectic delight. That album had songs like "Love show' (which was featured on Grays Anatomy) and a killer remake of Gorillaz "Feel good inc" (which made theirs sound like it was a cover of hers). "Keeping secrets" is more of the same; Delicate guitars, interesting drum patterns and electronic flourishes perfectly showcasing the cerebral lyrics she sings and that soft ethereal voice that can be likened to a lark scaling glacial peaks.
Opening is the ambient and incredibly melodic "I believe" with lucullan arrangements which sets the tone for most of the 10 cuts on the CD. "Boo hoo" alternates between melancholic and a bit jaunty, while the stunning "Not broken" (with lyrics of self belief) is largely acoustic.
The dark and mysterious "Monsters demons" is made that more ominous by skittery beats and fuzzy guitars ("Monsters, demons, we give them wings, and we teach them to fly" she sings sensuously), while "Clocks to stop" has a Waltz-like sensibility (and Skye singing "Halfway to heaven, do a 180 for hell"). Love those? You'll love the trio of "Wrong alright", the dreamy "Maybe to Spain" (with gently marching beats) and closing cut "Exhale" (with beautiful harmonies and reverbing guitars).
Not everything is soft and ethereal though, "The shape I'm in" is sunny Pop, as is the bouncy "Almost killed me" (which reminds me somewhat of The Cure). An enchanting CD.

1. I Believe
2. Boo Hoo
3. Not Broken
4. The Shape I'm In
5. Monsters Demons
6. Clock To Stop
7. Almost Killed Me
8. Wrong Alright
9. Maybe To Spain
10. Exhale

DEVIN TOWNSEND

DEVIN TOWNSEND
OCEAN MACHINE: BIOMECH (1997)
320 KBPS

How? How can one man be so brilliant? This is the question that comes to my mind when I listen to anything spawned by the modern genius that is Devin Townsend. Ocean Machine arrives relatively early in Devin's career; he had only two Strapping Young Lad albums as well as the vicious pop punk satire Cooked on Phonics released under the brilliant name Punky Brüster. He decided to back off the extreme metal and instead focus on a softer sound. He formed a band and released one album: Biomech. The result was stunning.
The album opens with the riff-happy "Seventh Wave" that sets a gentle mood for the album. "Life" comes next and presents us with...pop metal? From SYL frontman Devin Townsend?! Yes, it is pop, but it's pop done perfect, with deep lyrics, catchy melodies, and emotion. "Night" is the first song that really moves the listener, but it certainly won't be the last. "Hide Nowhere" is a highlight of the album, with an excellent melody. It also establishes multi-layered vocals as a standard in Devin's work. "Sister" is a mellow instrumental interlude that sets the standard for instrumentals on later albums. "3 A.M." sounds like the beginnings of Terria with its bizarre sounds. "Greetings" shifts the sound back to atmospheric guitar and brings things back to Earth.
"Regulator" is a nod to the SYL fans that made up a huge portion of this album's audience. It isn't as extreme as SYL, but it's riff heavy and features some great screaming. "Funeral" raises the bar for the already wonderful atmosphere with surprisingly uplifting lyrics and instrumentation. It smoothly flows into "Bastard," which has a killer riff spaced out over a churning tempo in order to fill every crevice of your ears and mind.
Then comes my favorite Devin track. "The Death of Music" is a 12 minute opus consisting of only an electronic drum beat, a near-silent guitar that plays only one or two chords, and simple keyboards that expand to create the bulk of the sound. Devin's vocals here are his best, as he goes from growls to soaring cries effortlessly. The sound gradually fades as the music slowly passes from this world and leaves only contemplation in your mind. "The Death of Music" defies it's name by proving that music is stronger than ever, it's only in hiding. This song is one of the most experimental tracks of the 90s and can rival anything on Mr. Bungle's Disco Volante. "Things Beyond Things" closes the album with a simple riff and wonderful vocals. The last seconds, however, will scare the pants off you (I was told what to expect and I nearly wet myself).
Ocean Machine is a fitting name for this project. The music flows along like water in the sea, occasionally building to crashing waves, then giving back to almost disturbing calm. Devin's production job is amazing; if he never played an instrument, he could still thrive in music as the Phil Spector of metal. He retains all of the sound of SYL but substitutes speed and fury for experimentation and sublime beauty. Devin manages to transcend easy categorization; he seamlessly blends art rock. prog metal, avant-prog, and psychedelic rock into a 74 minute opus that would set the stage for his later triumphs like Terria.While not as stunning as that masterpiece, Biomech is a must own for fans of Devin and it's a wonderful place to start for the uninitiated.

1. Seventh Wave
2. Life
3. Night
4. Hide Nowhere
5. Sister
6. 3 A.M.
7. Voices in the Fan
8. Greetings
9. Regulator
10. Funeral
11. Bastard
1/Not One of My Better Days
2/The Girl from Blue City
12. The Death of Music
13. Thing Beyond Things

HERVE ZERROUK [RE-UP]

HERVE ZERROUK
DES HOMMES COMME NOUS (1998)
320 KBPS

Hervé Zerrouk , ex-leader of the band Les Désaxés, gives us a cd filled with catchy melodies, good songwriting and clever arrangements. Here's some real indie pop à la French with lyrics that go from melancholy to love. Not a bad song on Zerrouk's only album (at least to my knowledge) that didn't get the success it deserved maybe because Hervé didn't look like a pop star or because the album didn't get promoted enough. It remains a little lost germ those who like pop and French chanson will certainly enjoy.

1. Les Blondes Americaines
2. Ce Jour-La
3. Qu'est-Ce Qui Se Passe En France ?
4. Virginie Et Sa Soeur
5. Quand Revient Le Soleil
6. Le Bonheur Conjugal
7. Anita Emmene-Moi
8. Elle Dit Qu'elle A Gache Sa Vie
9. Je Ne Veux Pas Te Decevoir
10. Anna Prend Des Risques
11. Les Complications
12. Il Faut Faire Attention

QUETZAL

QUETZAL
DEAD END TRACKS (2001)
320 KBPS

QUETZAL was a Belgian post-hardcore band active in the late 90s and early 00s. After a loud and powerful debut album, the band evolved into something more melodic and diverse using cello, acoustic guitars and violin on Dead End Tracks and building a new sound which was clearly influenced by formations such as Neurosis, The Ex or even Godspeed You! Black Emperor while remaining true to their roots. Dead End Tracks is a good album and the only reason why the band's reputation didn't grow bigger is probably the small label on which it was released and the origin of the band. Yet, this remains a beautiful lesson into melodic violence that smartly allies finesse and aggression.

1. Touch
2. Happy Song
3. Dead End Trip
4. Focused Blindness
5. Let Them In
6. Prejudice Panic
7. Ceren
8. Party Of Ruin
9. Thought I Was Counting

THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT

THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT
EVE (1979)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

For the most part, 1979's Eve is somewhat overlooked as being one of the Alan Parsons Project's finest work, when in fact it involves some of this group's most intricate songs. The album's concept deals with the female's overpowering effect on man. Each song touches on her ability to dissect the male ego, especially through sexual means, originating with Eve's tempting Adam in the beginning of time. Not only does this idea gain strength as the album progresses, but a musical battle of the sexes begins to arise through each song. The gorgeous "You Won't Be There" spotlights man's insecurity. Sung by Dave Townsend, its melodramatic feel sets a perfect tone. The classically enhanced "Winding Me Up" follows suit, based on a woman's ability to dominate her mate and opening up with sound of a wind-up doll being cranked. Other gems include the bitter but forceful "Damned If I Do" sung by Lenny Zakatek, and the dominating fury of "Lucifer," a powerful instrumental. Even the loutish "You Lie Down with Dogs" bears wit with its gender inclined mud-slinging. The female vocalists, Lesley Duncan and Clare Torry do a splendid job of representing the females point of view throughout the album. Not only does Eve solidify its main idea, but the songs are highly entertaining with catchy rhythms and intelligent lyrics. Musically, the tempo appealingly switches back and forth from slow to quick, as does the temperament of the album. Somehow, Eve is dismissed as one of this band's greatest efforts, when in fact it's one of their finest marriages of both concept and music.

1. Lucifer
2. You Lie Down With Dogs
3. I'd Rather Be A Man
4. You Won't Be There
5. Winding Me Up
6. Damned If I Do
7. Don't Hold Back
8. Secret Garden
9. If I Could Change Your Mind
Bonus Tracks
10. Elsie's Theme from The Sicilian Defence (The Album That Never Was)
11. Lucifer (Demo)
12. Secret Garden (Rough Mix)
13. Damned If I Do (Rough Mix)
14. Don't Hold Back (Vocal Rehearsal Rough Mix)
15. Lucifer (Early Rough Mix)
16. If I Could Change Your Mind (Rough Mix)

JESSICA FICHOT

JESSICA FICHOT
LE CHEMIN (2007)
320 KBPS

Chanteuse and songwriter Jessica Fichot is a lot like her hometown of Paris: French at heart, but with a soul that s truly international. Her multi-ethnic French / Chinese / American upbringing colors the songs on her debut album. It's called "Le Chemin", "The Path", and for good reason: Jessica takes the listener on a twisting journey out of the French chanson tradition, into the lands of gypsy jazz, Chinese and Latin American folk music, through the classic American repertoire, and off into the wilderness of her imagination. Born in the U.S. to a French father and a Chinese mother, Jessica was raised in France in a multicultural environment. A youth spent playing music in Parisian coffeehouses and concert halls led her first to graduate from the School of Audio Engineering in Paris and then from Berklee College of Music in Boston. School was followed by a stint writing children s music for educational programs - her work includes over a hundred songs published in over a dozen countries - and later, for television. When Jessica moved to California, she began writing the songs that would eventually form the backbone of her new album. The album s center lies with her sophisticated writing and arrangements, her pure, beautiful vocal work - sung mostly in French and English, along with some Chinese and Spanish - and her piano and accordion playing. She also enlisted over 20 musicians to give each of her songs just the right mood...sometimes intimate, sometimes epic.

1. Le Grenier
2. 1, 2, 3
3. Le Velours Et La Soie
4. Si...
5. Los Peces En El Río
6. I Will Wait For You
7. Je Sais Qu'Tu M'aimes
8. Dream/Les Yeux Ouverts
9. Le Chemin

LES PLUS GRANDS SUCCES DU PUNK

LES PLUS GRANDS SUCCES DU PUNK
V.A. (1987)
320 KBPS

Here's something of historical importance for punk and French rock lovers. "Les Plus Grand Succès du Punk", a 1987 compilation, displays some of the finest bands from France's late 70s/early 80s.
Of course, some others are missing. For example, there is no Trotskids, La Souris Déglinguée or OTH here but with bands such as Dogs, Asphalt Jungle, Metal Urbain, Marie et les Garçons, Les Olivensteins or Electic Callas, to name a few, there's enough binary fun for the kids to rejoice. It also shows France wasn't as bad a country for (punk) rock music as so many people thought.
All in all, this is a good starting point for people wanting to know more about the French scene before "investing" in rare vinyls or import CDs. Essential I tell you!

1. LITTLE BOB STORY - Hightime
2. PURA VIDA - Last night (future BIJOU)
3. DOGS - Teenage fever
4. DOGS - Here comes my babe
5. LOU'S - Back on the street
6. PRIVATE VICES - Paris 84
7. ASPHALT JUNGLE - Planté comme un privé
8. ASPHALT JUNGLE - Purple heart
9. METAL URBAIN - Panik
10. TAXI GIRL - Les yeux des amants
11. TAXI GIRL - N'importe quel soir
12. MARIE ET LES GARCONS - Ton amour se brise
13. GUILTY RAZORS - Don't wanna be a rich
14. ABJECT - Regard sur l'après-midi
15. ABJECT - Rien de nouveau à l'Est
16. LES OLIVENSTEINS - Fier de rien faire
17. LES SCOOTERS - Hygiène (future STARSHOOTER)
18. KALFON ROCK CHAUD - Camion
19. ROCKIN' REBELS - Bleu comme jean
20. GAZOLINE - Radio flic
21. CALCINATOR - Electrifié
22. CONTROLE - Baby killer
23. CONTROLE - Hey man
24. 84 - Salted city
25. ELECTRIC CALLAS - Kill me two times
26. DENTISTE - Your dad's gonna be mad

TYPE O NEGATIVE

TYPE O NEGATIVE
OCTOBER RUST (1996)
320 KBPS

BLOODY KISSES established Type O Negative as one of the biggest goth-type hard rock groups of all time. While showcasing epic songs and vampiric vocals, KISSES brought Type O into the spotlight, earning them a rabid fanbase and winning some critics over in impressive fashion. OCTOBER RUST turns up the melodic elements of Type O Negative, while the hard thrash mostly takes a backseat here, but make no mistake...this is still a beautifully crafted metal monster.
The two opening tracks, one untitled the other "Bad Ground" are meant to be sarcastic, as they explain on track #2. But "Love You To Death" is quite possibly one of the most beautiful love ballads Type O has ever written, and its the more melodic metal that you're likely to find throughout the album. Highlights include the stomping cover of "Cinnamon Girl"; the incessantly catchy dirge of "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend"; the semi-creepy haunt of "Haunted"; and the beautiful yet transparently sick "Wolf Moon", which is an ode to a woman's monthly friend crossed with a little lycanthropic element. "Die With Me" is probably the lightest song Type O have committed to album, but it's got some clever and funny lyrics, some sweet but also darkly sarcastic. "In Praise of Bacchus" features a guest vocal spot from Pist-On's princess Valium, and the duet with her and Peter is quite good.
Peter was quoted as saying that OCTOBER RUST would showcase a "more melodic side" of Type O Negative. Throughout most of the album, it is indeed a more melodic and toned down record, emphasizing more melody over thrash and dark metal. While this album might not be to everyone's liking, OCTOBER RUST is the "melodic" side of Type O Negative.

1. Bad Ground
2. Intro (untitled)
3. Love You to Death
4. Be My Druidess
5. Green Man
6. Red Water (Christmas Mourning)
7. My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
8. Die With Me
9. Burnt Flowers Fallen
10. In Praise of Bacchus
11. Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young Cover)
12. The Glorious Liberation of the People's Technocratic Republic of Vinnland by the Combined Forces of the United Territories of Europa
13. Wolf Moon [Including Zoanthropic Paranoia]
14. Haunted
15. Outro (untitled)

SPARTA

SPARTA
WIRETAP SCARS (2002)
320 KBPS

Sparta's debut EP showed promise, but Wiretap Scars is a sound reward. It fills the void where At the Drive-In was with focused post-hardcore frazzle, leaving the relentless experimentation to Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez in Mars Volta and focusing instead on a terse melodic sense. Wiretap Scars is accessible, but on Sparta's own terms. "Mye" and "Cataract" return from the EP; the reflective "Echodyne Harmonic" has been more fully realized. "Mye" especially reveals the influence of Fugazi's mastery of tension and release on Sparta, from the Ian MacKaye-style righteousness of Jim Ward's vocal — "This time I'll get it right/You can't defend it, it's predetermined" — to the song's controlled fuse volatility. Taken with the shouty "Cut Your Ribbon" and the barbed guitars of "Rx Coup" and "Red Alibi," there's enough ATDI blood boil in Sparta to keep fans of the old stuff interested. But Ward, guitarist Paul Hinojos, drummer Tony Hajjar, and bassist Matt Miller like melody with their rage, as the incredible break at the end of "Coup" proves. They're also able to shift gears fluidly. "Harmonic" is tinged with piano, and "Glasshouse Tarot" drifts through moody dynamics before intersecting with its chorus, an urgent blast close to Jawbox or Friction. Scars could use the occasional sharpening on both ends of its sound. But it never hides where it's coming from, and often puts its lance into gristly, rewarding hooks. Wiretap Scars is certainly what's come after. But with their first full-length, Sparta define just what's driving them.

1. Cut Your Ribbon
2. Air
3. Mye
4. Collapse
5. Sans Cosm
6. Light Burns Clear
7. Cataract
8. Red Alibi
9. Rx Coup
10. Glasshouse Tarot
11. Echodyne Harmonic
12. Assemble the Empire