GUET-APENS

I remember seeing that Steven Wilson had taken the time to give this album 5 stars and was sufficiently intrigued to hear why (and interestingly he also give PoS's "Scarsick" 5 stars.) While I've yet to hear the controversial PoS album I have now heard this one and it is quite good, though I think it falls short of 5 stars myself. The sound is a bit different from past Ange albums due to a slightly different line-up. Gnosis2000's Mike McLatchey notes "Ange returned to the studio in 1978 as a changed line up again with the Decamps, Guichard and new members Claude Demet on guitar and Gerald Renard on bass. As a result, Guet Apens had a different feel, this time much more spacey with a soaring edge. Francis Decamps' mellotron sounds less reverbed than in the past, and the overall effect is like Pink Floyd, or much more closely, the Pulsar of Strands Of The Future. Excellent music with two long tracks to begin and end the album, the closer Le Captain Couer De Miel is worth the price of the album by itself."

"A colin Maillard" launches big and bold with an "In the Flesh" like opening of guitar and drums. Following this is a soft synth section leading to the first fabulous vocals of Christian Decamps, one of prog's greatest singers for his voice and theatrical flair. The early verse is slow with nice acoustic and volume-pedaled electric behind, quite Floydian. It then speeds up into a more rocking section with great lead guitar and mellotron. Claude Demet's guitar work on this album is particularly raucous in places and I'm guessing it's one reason why Wilson was smitten with this work. Renard's bass is all over the place too with a nice fat presence. Nice opening track. "Dans les poches du berger" begins in a musically contemplative mid-gear with the musicians holding back, just creating a rather nice melodic space. There is much attention given to each part giving the feeling that this album was carefully written and arranged. Smooth synths and easy-on-the-ears guitar embellishments trading off with Christian's vocal. Very dreamy mood. "Un trou dans la case" is noticeably harder with groovy bass and guitar riffing, Decamp's vocals almost pleading. The guitar solo is full bore and jamming with dual layered electrics harmonizing in places. The synths are constant behind everything giving the tracks added lushness. Late in the track there is a typically strange Ange interlude with some vocal shenanigans before the close. The two-minute "Virgule" is a nice little acoustic morsel with vocal that almost reminds me of Harmonium. "Reveille-toi" has a very Pentacle-like synth sound in one channel with crisp, hard struck acoustic chords ringing from the other channel. Decamps is warmed up by this time, panting and pleading in places-I can only imagine what he's ranting about since I can't understand-but it's still great fun. This is an upbeat rocker with a great melody that gets majestic and then has this drop down at the end, all very punchy and increasingly crazy as the track progresses until Christian is maniacally caterwauling.classic Ange and my favorite track! "Capitaine Coeur de miel" at 14 minutes long is the big banana here. It starts with Christian speaking with a Johnny Rotten like sneer before the band fires up. Band stops for spoken narration which slowly morphs back into song. Then we get a brief blistering solo from Demet before another round of heavy verse followed by more raunchy bluesy lead guitar and this pattern continues. The middle section is quiet with a whispery background and some storytelling before an absolutely wailing solo leads the way into a dramatic ending.

Ange is a love or hate proposition. This band wears a slightly deviant heart and an in-your-face attitude right there on their collective sleeve, and their message seems to be you can like our approach or you can p*ss off almost as if they were the Oscar Wilde of prog. I say this because they seem to revel in this same mischievous approach album after album much to my personal delight. While I personally prefer their amazing "Au-dela du Delire" this is still a fine and accessible prog rock album that will please prog fans, many neo-prog fans, and one Porcupine Tree band member. 3 ½ stars easy but I can't quite round it to 4. Recommended for French prog fans for sure

Share this ANGE review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Finnforest
• Report this review (#161123)
• Buy ANGE music online with PA partners
• Show all ANGE MP3/Stream
• Go to ANGE page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Guet-Apens page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for ANGE related discussions