EGNA

It appears that Christian Descamps once said that if one Ange album was an anagram of the band's name, it would mean the end of it. We know by now that Ange will still release lots of album after this one, but we remain really in the very poor territority with "Egna", believe me.

No question of prog here. I can cope with the facxt that a band has to evolve but the change of musical direction is completely unbelievable in the case of Ange.

Unfortunately, "Egna" will be the sixth poor Ange album in a row. We are zillion miles away of their brilliant music of the seventies. I can understand that a band is less inspired but with this regularity is rather unexpected. The opening number "C'est Après Coup Que Ca Fait Mal" is absolutely dreaful.

The first song to escape this awful sound is "Les Dessins Animés". But its spacey background music won't save it from mediocrity. Ange will even propose a mellow and naive rock/pop/ballad with "Coeur De Paille Coeur De Pierre". Press next.

Of course, the rock FM style won't be ignored : "Le Dernier Romantique" has nothing to do with romanticism. Pure boredom.

After a weak intro "Le Cul Qui Jazze", is probably the least weak number on this album. But this jazz-rock piece is far from being great. The second average song on this album is the closing number "Tout Comme Dans Un Livre". A melodic rock ballad. At least it is bearable. But there are hundreds of French songs of that type produced every year; so one really deserves more from Ange. But again, not this time.

One miserable little star.

Egna is Ange 1986,and the music is different from their classic 70's days in as much as shorter,snappier songs with strong guitar,synth strings ( not the Vicount organ here!),and a more 80's new romantic beat. As a progressive rock album,this is not,maybe apart from the moody closer Tout Comme dans Un Livre.As an album by Ange I would repeatedly listen to - yes certainly. Love Le Cul Qui Jazze.Love Christian's voice and performance.Les Dessins Animes is another Jour Apres Jour- lovely and delicate.The final track is nearer the Ange of the classic period. So as a prog album,no - as an album by a prog band,good.

Egna from 1984 is perhaps a little bit better than Fou! It is Ange's twelfth record and made in the same year as Tou! The cover picture is mostly blue and shows the name of the band as a reflection, which throws around the letters to "Egna". We can se two legs in the air and a woman in the top. Christian Descamps, Francis Descamps, Serge Cuenot, Laurent Sigrist, Francis Meyer and Martine Kesselburg made this record which is far from fantastic.

The sound of these songs is not special at all. The spirit is plastic and uninspired. I miss something unique or more honest. This music is just too bland. Some songs are nice. My favourite is the soft typical eighties song "Coeur de paille coeur de pierre" with great melody, vocals and for sure saxophone(6/10). Also "Tout comme dans un livre" is a nice and melodic track(6/10). I also find something of spirit in "Fais pas la Guele"(5/10) and the vocal work must be acknowledged in "Le cul qui Jazze"(4/10). But otherwise is the record very boring and have not anything particularly of interest. There's no prog to find here and perhaps you will find something else. The music doesn't sound very bad but for existing here at Prog Archives it is quite bad. I recommend the tracks five and eight and give the record two stars.

Listen to: "Coeur de paille coeur de pierre" and "Tout comme dans un livre".