YVES LAFERRIERE - YVES LAFERRIERE

Those people aware of one of Quebec's seminal group Contraction (which came from Frank Dervieux's heritage), should be aware of bassist Laferrière's important role in the group. While not the only person carrying the group, he was actually a bit surprising that he would be the only ex-Contraction member to release solo albums (there is a second one dating from the 80's), but this solo album is much worthy of the proghead's ear.

Graced with a star-studded guest (from Harmonium to Orchestre Sympathique and from Pollen to Conventum), the album develops a JR/F that is not that far from what Contraction was doing. This feeling is reinforced with ex-Contraction vocalist Monique Fauteux laying out her vocals generously throughout the album. Generally the fusion develops is rather calm (but not bland or tame) and reflective, but does not hesitate to get a bit wilder as the second track (Blank Shot-Loaded Instruments) and the almost 8-min finale Mouvements. And the ProgQuebec re-issue comes with four short but splendid musical extract from a film Cuisine Rouge, although the music is not immediately related with the album-track of the same name.

Graced with those short bonus tracks, this album's overall interest gets raised a tad more, but does not manage to make the album anymore essential than its original version. Still very much worth the spin, if you are a Dervieux/Contraction fan.