LAZ

"Laz" is like some of the outer gas giant planets in our solar system - all atmosphere and oppressive gravity, with a lifeless core. Curiously, this album evokes the worst of the overrated "Halloween" by Pulsar. If Halloween (the group) did take any valuable cues from their 1970s ancestors, and that is questionable, they might have at least wanted to leave behind the wretched melodramatic wails that have strangled many a promising French prog band for over 30 years. Unfortunately, they have upped the ante by providing some of those grating voices, and even growls, in heavily accented English, such as in "The Wood", but even in the Francophone "suburb", it is lamentable. The sung parts of the title track also have a certain seductive charm, but they are surrounded by barely musical passages and more rants.

Musicianship is strong, including a few imaginative violin solos, and the arrangements aren't bad when they can be perceived dwelling beneath the ubiquitous harsh cloak, but the album really doesn't contain any songs or compositions, and is far too dissonant to be called symphonic. It strikes me that fans of jazz and fusion styles would not necessarily be that impressed with the improvisational level either, so we really have a lose-lose situation. Very little here is memorable or makes me want to listen again. Even as accompaniment to eerie science fiction or horror films most of this album would be too obtrusive to be taken in context. An exception is the bass-led instrumental "Just for You", which really brings something unique AND listenable to the table.

I am sure there must be an audience for this type of music, but I bet it's small in number and tending to be people who avoid the light of day and enjoy driving their parents crazy with nasty sounds wafting up from the basement. Otherwise I cannot recommend it at all.