MEMORY ASHES

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I was as surprised as a lot of people, I imagine, to hear that Pulsar, a semi-obscure but much talked about space rock band from the late 70s, had reformed to record again, with the original musicians. I was very curious to hear what the 21st century version would sound like.

I'm pleased to say that Pulsar's modus operandi has not changed a bit. The band specializes in languid, beautiful melody-making, the foundations of the sound being spacy guitar and layers of synths. The title suite is a four part piece that doesn't really change much throughout its length, although it does go briefly mid-tempo in part 3. Gilbert Gandil's guitar playing is tasteful and emotional, and he has wisely decided to sing in French on this recording, although vocals are very sparsely used.

There's not much else to say about the piece, except that it works just as well as ambient music as it does rock. It reminds me of the Egyptian Kings album that was out recently. Great meditational, reflective music.

The album is rounded out by two pieces, Monks and Respire. Monks features some samples of Gregorian chant and may stray too close to Enigma territory for some, but it is a pleasant listen. Respire is a quiet piece that gives Gandil yet another opportunity for some emotive soloing.

My only quibble is that the drums on this album are mixed a little high (a standard modern practice), and the snare is a little thuddy. There isn't much variety in the drumming, or the compositions in general, but then there never was on Pulsar albums. It's mood music, take it or leave it...I'll take it.

This is a welcome return by this venerable band, a classy album that lovers of the symphonic modern Camel, and the Egyptian Kings, Hawkwind and other space bands will enjoy, as well as fans of Pulsar's old classics like Halloween and Strands of the Future.

Yes, this is the legendary French progrock band that made wonderful albums in the Seventies and Eighties, I still love Halloween (1977), what a mindblowing Mellotron sound! Pulsar performed on the annual Mexican progrock festival Baja Prog in 2002, perhaps this has lead to a new album. The line-up features four members of the original line-up and the guest musician Louis Paralis joined Pulsar on their latest album entitled Gorlitz in 1988.

So what about the new Pulsar sound? Well, that is a different story, it sounds more modern and quite atmospheric, let's say ambient! Especially the first composition Memory Ashes (four parts) sounds as ambient delivering dreamy music with warm French vocals, some sound collages, sensitive electric guitar work (obviously inspired by Gilmour and Latimer) and a pleasant colouring by tin- whistle, clarinet and acoustic guitar. Only part III sound smore heavy with powerful electric guitar play. Then the song Monks, you can divide it into 3 sections: first Gregorian choir, blended with several instruments, then a compelling rhythm with Floydian slide guitar runs and finally a mellow part with flute, piano and cello.

Don''t expect a Pulsar that sounds like their Seventies and Eighties albums, this anew album is beautiful but for me a bit too laidback.

"Pulsar" is attempting a difficult come back some eighteen years after their last album "Görlitz". Very few bands are successful in such an approach. But this album is very much similar with their early work and sounds much better to my ears than "Conseil D'Administration" or "Görlitz".

As usual "Pulsar" will propose an ultra long song on this album. Even if it is divided into four pieces this album almost consists of one song (like "Halloween") which lasts for about twenty-six minutes.

Ambient and very soft mood for the first section of "Memory Ashes". Comparable to some "Lands End" offering. But the mood is a bit too mellow and uniform here.

The second part of "Memory Ashes" is fully atmospheric, with pleasant piano, good bass play and smooth guitar. Very melodic "Pulsar" was at its best. The emotion included in the guitar solo is a great musical experience. My favourite part by far of this long song.

The third part rocks a bit and it's not too bad. Two third are really close to "Ange" work from the early eighties (not their best of course). The last part of the song will go back to the ambient atmosphere and merge into the final section.

This long suite is best comparable with "Görlitz" (the track). Pleasant but too uniform to be great. But rather relaxing.

My preferred song are "Monks" and the fully Floydian "Respire" (no wonder since this means.breathe). "Monks" : indeed! It starts with a long choir as if a chorale of monks were singing out there. One has to wait for about five minutes to see the crying guitar entering the scene. The whole sounding very close to "Echoes" before the abyssal and spacey break. Great work and an appetizer for the closing number from which the Floyd inspiration is obvious as well.

Three stars and a pleasant return even if the past grandeur has not been matched. Maybe for their next album ?

With this last album, the monument of french symphonic-spacey rock is back after long muted years. The original line up is re-united for the event. The supreme volunty of unity works almost the same as before. Memory Ashes can be considered as a semi- conceptual album about the aesthetisation of "past time" described as a strenght of revelation in order to escape the eternal return of the self. Memory is an operation that demystify the impotence of nostalgia. I would like to say that this thematic sums up the ambitions of Benjamin, Kafka in their reflexions about history. In fact the music of Pulsar is re-vitalised, constantly changing without breaking out the roots and the essence of their own style. The music is still fresh, spontaneous and creative, including lyrical expressive sequences, subtle meditative vibrations and many more arrangements. Compared to the first offerings of the band, Memory Ashes is much more intuitive, less sophisticated but sometimes equally substantial due to the presence of powerful and warm instrumental leads. The album starts with an eternal, ascendant new agey synthesised magma progressively covered by emotional floating guitar tones, crystal-like piano textures. The atmosphere tends to be mainstream admitting obvious references to the " chanson française". With its gorgeous, aerian and fragile guitar accents, the last part of the long suite delivers some of the most intense moments of the album. Monks is the proggiest and most complex piece you can hear. An astonishing musical hymn dominated by a superb acoustic/ electric guitar duet, suspenseful synth lines, spiritual, religious choir collages, spacious sacred flute lines (...) The ambience is simultaneously tragic and luminous. The track contains some ferocious echoing cosmic guitar leads that are reminiscence to Eloy and Pink Floyd. The track which closes the album is a mellow and delicate moving ballad. To sum up things Memory Ashes is a pleasant musical experience that features charming / touching, deeply serene excursions. Certainly the most intimate album by Pulsar but it contains too discreet proggy and challenging moments to be qualified as a masterpiece of the genre. For those who want to discover their fascinating-enigmatic and propulsive progressive hours their three first efforts remain highly recommended.