CHARLES KACZYNSKI - LUMIÈRE DE LA NUIT

This album came out between the two Conventum albums (he was a guest on the first and a full-time member on the second) and is likely to interest all progheads especially those loving the progressive folk of Conventum. While the album is not in the same style (this is very close to classical music) as the group, there are enough characteristics that will endear you to it. Graced with an almost "prog" artwork, the album is really a solo album since Kaczinsky chose to play every single instruments and "sang" (not many moments of singing or scatting) the whole thing too.

Musically as I stated above we are hovering between classical music (with the pre-classical folk music in mind as well), but the whole thing manages to retain a bit of rock atmosphere most notably around the half of the album. With only two tracks that are expressly sung, there are a few more where Kaczynsky experiments with his choirs (composed of his multi-tracking self) in sorts that it comes almost as jazz scats. The overall feel of the album is still quite violin-dominated and obviously this can only lead to a rather conventional fusion of folk, classical and soft rock. One of the (very) few negative remark I can think of, is that Kaczynsky's choice to have absolutely no-one intervening on his album (except for the sound technician) is that he lacked a sense of perspective and the album sometimes gets a bit lost, or at other times borders on the cheesy.

While hardly essential, the album is nevertheless an enjoyable affair likely to please the progheads, especially those into acoustic symphonic music. But the album is nothing to write home about with a telegram; just wait for the normal mail delivery.