ASGARD

For their second album `Tradition & Renouveau' in 1978, French band Asgard offered a mix of soft-rock and folk, where the usual acoustic instruments of the purer folk groups were frequently supported by electric guitars and a restrained use of synths and Mellotron to bring a light progressive-rock quality to their music. Sung entirely in French, it boasts sweetly charismatic lead vocals and delicately implemented brief instrumental runs around strong tunes, always remaining dignified, atmospheric and melodic without being too clean and obvious.

Right from the start it's obvious we're not getting a traditional folk album, as `Le Braconier' mixes in shimmering electric guitars, spacey keyboards and twinkling electric piano dreaminess to chiming acoustic guitar strums and wisps of flute, sounding especially lovely in an extended instrumental stretch in the second half. The sprightly ` Quand Je Menais Mes Chevaux Boire' is punctuated with a catchy and winning electric guitar theme, humble ballad `J'Ai Mon Amì Sous les Brandebourgs' rises with gentle electric life, and both the rollicking ` L'Alouette Est Sur La Branche' and the pretty yet playful `D'Ou Venez - Vous Belle' interludes burst in and out of jig-like dances.

But it's the second side that takes the album to another level, beginning with `La Petit Hirondelle', jangling acoustic strums and whirring keyboards throughout a repeated chorus-like break lifting to the heavens with tasty creaky Mellotron and supremely symphonic reaching electric guitar fire. `Ce Soir Francois Villon' is laced with darker urgency, its Mellotron choirs, skittering drumming and dramatic spoken word passages almost calling to mind French symphonic legends Ange, and meditative recorder and an urgent group-vocal repeated chorus flit through `Le Lac d'Argent'. Best of all might be `Le Vent', full of drowsy Pink Floyd mellow guitar strums, trilling synth whirrs and Rick Wright-like embracing piano over a wearing yet comforting group chorus vocal. Closer `Les Landes D'Harou' brings together all the characteristics that makes the album wonderful, striking spoken word passages, lonely piano, airy wisps of floating synths all weaving together with darkly symphonic Mellotron majesty, especially satisfying in the moody and dramatic instrumental finale.

Asgard here offer a more reigned-in group vocal than something like Malicorne's hypnotic cult-like hold, but the album boasts some of the loveliest singing on a French prog-related disc since Pentacle's wondrous `La Clef des Songes' from 1975. Listeners who enjoy the plugged-in medieval flavours that permeated bands like Gryphon and Gentle Giant might greatly enjoy a lot of this album, and `Tradition & Renouveau' is a precious and sublime crossover work that proves to weave a seductive hold on repeated quiet listens.

Four stars for an essential Prog-Folk release of the vintage period.

70's French Prog Folk act from Caen, for which little is known other than they had a good contract, recording for Warner Bros.The begun as a trio of Patrick Grandpierre on guitar/vocals, William Lawday on bass/violin and Bernard Darsh on percussion/vocals/flute and with this line-up they recorded the 76' ''L'hirondelle'' album, released both in France and Canada, said to be in a traditional Folk/Folk Rock path.By their next album they had added Guy Printemps on keyboards, eventually ''Tradition & renouveau'' was released in 1978, again both on French and Canadian grounds.

Album's title is a bit prophetic, because at this point Asgard retained much of their traditional influences, but stretching them a bit further with the addition of keyboards and the prominent use of electric guitars.Actually they sound to my ears as the French equivalent to PERERIN, an extremely ethereal approach on electric Folk Rock, led by excellent mono- and multi-vocal parts and a sweet touch on guitars with a bit of lovely keyboard lines.The tracks are full of melodious textures, romantic flutes, some light violin doses and an almost constant electric/acoustic enviroment.The addition of Guy Printemps has only made good to the band and his discreet piano and synth lines complete a mellow, but still pretty attractive musical background.Traditional, reworked Folk tunes meet with the sharper edges of Rock instrumentation and the album contains very nice instrumental combinations between keys, guitars, flute and violin.The best is saved for the flipside, where the band makes a slight turn towards more dramatic pieces.''Ce soir Francois Villon'' is a bit like ANGE in its theatrical approach, featuring dark electric backgrounds, GENESIS-like synths and majestic Mellotron choirs over a poetic singing performance, while ''Les landes d'Harou'' features a similar atmosphere, albeit a bit more melancholic, with storytelling vocals, calm flute-based and electroacoustic moods and a bombastic, cathartic ending section with a symphonic vibe, based on heavy bass lines, flutes and keyboards.

I do not know what actually happened to this group, but their second album is among the real goodies of French Prog Folk.Intense, melodramatic and sweet instrumental and vocal performances with excellent songwriting.To be discovered without hesitation.

An album in Prog Folk vein from seventies decade. Beautiful compositions with a very melodious singer. Some inspiriation in sounds of Middle Ages are made by the flute but all compositions are very sober with piano and guitar parts. The whole album is very beautiful with compositions very harmonious and pleasant to hearing. Short tracks made a not boring album, good to listen in calm nights and deserves apreciate the music composition that are very good because have some spacey and involving parts. One special adiction for all Folk Progressive collectors because it's one of the beautiful albuns in this vein. I have the M2U edition with a very good record sound. I give 4 stars because it deserves

A French Amazing Blondel!

This is the album that convinced me to quit trying to review French-language music. I don’t understand a lick of it, and even when trying to discern/translate some of the lyrics the idioms and nuances are unfortunately lost. I get that most of these seem to be traditional folk tunes, but really that doesn’t help much since those are the kinds of songs most likely to have difficult-to- understand idioms.

The one thing that surprised me was the occasional emergence of electronic keyboards. Also I’m not sure what’s going on with the (obligatory) flute, but it sounds very tinny and strangely amplified. Not unpleasant, but definitely unusual.

The harmonies are pleasant enough to listen to, but if you can’t follow the lyrics then you tend to notice more that they veer closely to barbershop quartet territory at times, and particularly on “Automne” and “La Payse”.

With apologies to our French members, the spoken tracks like “La Dame des Landes” remind me of a cross between the wonderful Armando Tirelli ‘La Profeta’ album and an Inspector Clouseau dream sequence. All in good humor.

“l'hirondelle” has some beautiful acoustic guitar on the other hand, and “La Dames Des Landes” ends with a synth swirl that’s pretty unusual for a folk album.

So I’m not writing this to take shots at the album, nor to promote it since my listening skills give me no ability to judge a musical work without a clear understanding of its lyrics and meaning. The point is more to raise awareness than “Asgard” was a fairly common band name at one time, and unless you are a French-speaking folk prog fan then it is highly likely this isn’t the Asgard you are looking for. As prog folk it is mildly adventurous, but for the most part seems to fall along fairly traditional folk lines. For that I’ll say two stars and take my leave.

peace

Asgard's first album in no doubt harder to find than its successor, having never found (to my knowledge, anyway) a Cd re-issue. Asgard was still a trio when they recorded this almost trad-folk album, where the majority of tracks belong to the public domain and are part of the traditional repertoire of many folk artistes. But Asgard does actualise all this tracks while remaining fairly faithful to the original spirit of the songs. Not only is there a rock drums (when necessary), but the bass play is often enhancing the enthralling medieval ambiances, and the odd use of synths (which will much more present on their next album) layers bringing a well needed modern touch. A naïve pastoral artwork and the recording sessions in Paris are more contrasting evidence giving you this cool mix of influences. On the English front, Asgard would be more of much proggier version of Steeleye Span, avoiding the permanent jigs trap.

If you ever wondered what French trad folk might sound like without veering in the horrendous Bal Musette with accordions or the endless waltz of jigs and other tacky clichés, Malicorne, La Bamboche and Asgard are your winning trio, with Asgard being the more modern aesthetically speaking. From the first side, I will point out one of my all-time fave Automne with the superb Colchique Dans Les Prés air. Asgard did take care to hava continuity by placing two different versions of La Dame Des Landes on each side of the vinyl even if the narration on the first side's version is close to being cheesy, but nothing appalling, sounding much like but much better and less corny than Magna Carta's Lord Of The Ages.

The second side is more personal to Asgard, as some of the traditional tracks are extended by their own compositions (this is more than arranging or adapting, IMHO), showing a more confident approach, but none of the tracks go beyond the 4'30" mark.

While L'Hirondelle is only Asgard's first step to Tradition & Renouveau (their second and last), it is obviously more naïve, more even, but clearly less accomplished as they played it safe here. If you are into semi-medieval folk but not looking for a purist approach, this type of album is for you.

Rounded up to the upper fourth star!!

Asgard's Tradition & Renouveau is really a fitting title for this great folf-rock album. France had quite a few excellent groups in the late 70's that picked up on Fairport Convention , Steeleye Span and Pentangle had left on English traditional folk music. In France , mainly Malicorne and Alan Stivell & Dan Ars Braz (but the last two were definitely more Celtic ) were the main attraction . Malicorne was never really into Keltia and concentrated more on older material going back even to mediaval times and did a few re-worked and rocked-up classics from "Rondes , Gigues et Danses De France" and were followed by a few groups who did not manage quite the same commercial success. Among these were Ripaille (one fabulous album) and Asgard.

Right from the first track Le Branconnier (The Poacher) , you are swung into a different century so much that only some of the instrumentation can remind you that this was 78. All of the tracks are acoustic and are about regional folklore (beit Normandy or Britany) but relaying the ever same concern of the times , the hardship of life in those times but alsothe nature around the backcountry.

On the second side however (except for the opening francois Villon) , the tracks seems to be a little less "historical "and a little more personal relaying more fantasy themes. Most progheads looking for a little more than faithfull medieval music reproduction (such as the first two or three Gryphon albums ) will appreciate this second side best.

Althogh not quite as progressive as one might wish it , this album remains a very enjoyable listen for folk-minded progheads but clearly this does not reach the level of Ripaille's "La Vieille Que L'On Brula".