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Sébastien Gramond - Apothesis CD (album) cover

APOTHESIS

Sébastien Gramond

Eclectic Prog


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Conor Fynes
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars 'Apothesis' - Sébastien Gramond (6/10)

After a handful of pretty sporadic and disappointing releases like the shamed 'Words And Music For Supermarket Elevators' and the scattered 'Cosmic Line Wayfaring', it's clear that Sébastien Gramond has now gotten back on track with another fairly solid record. Shedding the use of his vocals for an instrumental ventune in 'Apothesis', Gramond takes a try with both classical music and jazz here, and contrasts the two styles in an album that really shows Gramond sporting his talents with the keyboard, at the loss of other instruments.

The first four tracks make up the 'Apothesis Suite', a piece of neoclassical music that is played solely by an organ keyboard. For the first twenty-five minutes of the album or so, the only sound heard is the sombre bellowing of the organ as Gramond plays his piece. While this could get boring for some listeners looking for more variety and energy in the music, it does show that Gramond can really write and perform in the classical style quite well. What the suite lacks in variety, it does make up for in beauty. There are few binding musical ideas played throughout the suite, but it does keep a rather melancholic, dark feel to it throughout. My favourite part of the suite is 'II. Quid Agatur Nescire' which has some of the most beautiful chord changes in the entire piece.

This solemn organ piece is then contrasted with a much more energetic second side; this time in the more familiar style of jazz-fusion. Here, one can hear exotic violins played over fast-paced drums and more keyboards, this time obviously played in a much different style than before. While leaving less of an impression on me than the 'Apothesis Suite', the violin sections are very interesting to listen to, and the album's closer 'Crysanthemum' has some great keyboard work to rival the classical piece.

Of course, the album's duality does come at the price of feeling incomplete as a musical experience, instead feeling like a contrast of musical styles for Gramond, and little more. While the music here can be quite good, the jazz-fusion side especially can wear a bit thin with its loose nature, and it sounds at times as if the 'Apothesis Suite' isn't as cohesive and intentioned a piece as it should have been. Standing for what it is though, 'Apothesis' is a pretty good piece of work, and certainly serves to prove that Sébastien Gramond is very much a universal musician.

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Posted Friday, February 18, 2011 | Review Permalink

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