JACQUES BLAIS - THÈMES
Contraction
•Crossover Prog
From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
![]() Write a review |
Studio Album, released in 1975 Songs / Tracks Listing
- Jacques Blais / guitars, lead vocals (ProgQuébec MPM27) Thanks to Sean Trane for the additionEdit this entry |
Buy CONTRACTION Jacques Blais - Thèmes Music
![]() | Live 1974 Imports 2009 | $19.99 $98.13 (used) |
![]() | La Bourse Ou La Vie Imports 2007 | $21.99 $45.88 (used) |
![]() | Contraction Imports 2005 | $17.90 $25.20 (used) |
![]() | Contraction by Contraction (2005-04-12) Imports | $49.76 |
![]() | La Bourse Ou La Vie by Contraction Progquebec | $54.56 |
![]() | Live 1974 by Contraction Import | $105.56 |
More places to buy CONTRACTION music online
- DOUG LARSON IMPORTS — Buy prog rock music and rarities (Free shipping on orders over 10 cds)
- AmazonMP3: Search for CONTRACTION DRM-Free MP3 Downloads @ Amazon.com MP3
- Try Amazon Prime Music (30-day free trial)
CONTRACTION Jacques Blais - Thèmes ratings distribution
(14 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(0%)
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(71%)
Good, but non-essential (21%)
Collectors/fans only (0%)
Poor. Only for completionists (7%)
CONTRACTION Jacques Blais - Thèmes reviews
Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings
Collaborators/Experts Reviews
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk

Musically besides being a worthy Contraction album, Blais' wonderful and warm guitar virtuoso and autodidact style is plenty more reason to fall under the spell of Thèmes, which appears to be a musical thematic album Starting on Robichaud's inimitable vocals, the "Theme" is a lovely quiet intro, moving on to a mid-tempoed piece where Blais' guitar takes the listener by the emotions soaring in the sky, before the closing section returns with Christiane's heavenly vocalizing. Sept Quatre is a 7/4 piece that was quite popular on the radio airwaves and features wordless vocals ala Wishbone Ash in Argus, but Contraction is blasting away, while Blais is now reaching the stratosphere. Le Matin is a Blais-sung track (accompanied by Chrstiane's brother on flute), but Blais' voice is certainly not his main feature. Ascencoeur (a clever pun associating elevator and heart) is a slow developing crescendoing piece dominated by Blais guitar, ending the first side and contrasting heavily with the flipside opener.
Indeed Vrai Ou Fou (true or crazy) is a schizophrenic piece contrasting between an evil guitar riff and more atmospheric moments, but in the end, the guitar histrionics win easily, Blais putting in a brilliant performance, although pushed to the limit by Contraction. T'as Des Nuages (you have clouds, but bunch of clouds if you remove the apostrophe) is another Blais-sung track, but neither outstanding, nor standing out Bord En Bar sees the discreet return of Christiane Robichaud, but the track is a Hendrixian guitar fest, while the closing Thèmes is a reprise of the middle section of the opening track.
After parting company with Contraction in July that year, the second part of 75 will see Blais enjoying major local success, sharing Festival stages with Offenbach, Aut'chose, Conventum and Michel Madore. By mid-76, Blais had formed a new duo called Fantasia, improvising very popular gigs, before performing for Mick Jagger's birthday (in Montreal to see the Olympics). Fantasia will grow, including members of Eclipse, Pollen and Pouls and will eventually release in 77 an album called Jacques Blais & Fantasia, produced by Harmonium's Michel Normandeau, but this is another story. In the meantime, Themes is an extremely fine album, one that was almost forgotten, but the fantastic duo of ProgQ ebec just unearthed this gem.
Latest members reviews
No review or rating for the moment | Submit a reviewPost a review of CONTRACTION "Jacques Blais - Thèmes "
You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.
MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE
As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.
You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).