L'OREILLE ÉLECTRIQUE

Back with their first album since 2012, FBP may have a new guitarist and bassist on board, but drummer Patrick Forgas continues to drive his band and be inspired by Soft Machine, just as he was when he released his first solo album more than 40 years ago. Karolina Mlodecka (violin), S'bastien Trognon (saxophones), Dimitri Alexaline (trumpet) and Igor Brover (keyboards) are still with the band, while guitarist Pierre Schmidt joined the band as long ago as 2013 and veteran bassist G'rard Pr'vost joined in 2015. Interestingly, he appeared on Patrick's debut solo album back in 1977, but he overdubbed his parts back then so never actually played with Forgas.

This is instrumental music, which is heavily Canterbury inspired, mixed with JRF, containing an incredible lightness and deftness of touch. Patrick provides the support for everyone else to harmonise or take leads around him, with brass and violin combining together as one to create a gorgeous sound. It is relaxing, easy to listen to and incredibly fresh. The keyboard sounds take the album back into the Seventies, yet the violin and guitar are bright and sparkly and grab the album back into the present day. It is the perfect album for a Summer's day, inviting and joyous, with a complexity which combines into a glorious delight. Definitely worth investigation by those who have yet to come across this band.

FORGAS BAND PHENONEMA are a seven piece band out of France playing music greatly inspired by early SOFT MACHINE. Patrick Forgas the drummer and leader here has been very much influenced by Robert Wyatt over his career. Patrick's first solo album "Cocktail" from 1977 is worth tracking down along with "Axis Of Madness" under the FORGAS BAND PHENONEMA name. That latter album from 2009 is often mentioned when "best of" lists for that year are brought up.

On this 2018 release "L'Oreille Electrique" or "Electric Ear" we have a new guitarist since that 2009 record and a new bass player. And what a bass player! Gerard Prevost played on Patrick's "Cocktail" record way back in 1977, and some may know him for his work with ZAO, HELDON, RAHMANN, Jean-Philippe Goude etc. The man can play, and as Patrick mentions in the liner notes he has a lot of hilarious stories to tell from being on the road over the years. This album and package is so classy and well done. Patrick wrote the extensive liner notes and it's just such a positive enjoyable read. He even talks about each track along with his battle with vestibular neuritis that affected his balance and required emergency treatment. All is good thankfully, and the title of this record reflects that experience.

The photos of the band in the liner notes are appreciated. I like the one with all seven discussing things. Young and old all on the same page. Two horn players, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and violin. The violin dominates the sound much of the time but with two horn players we get plenty of sax, trumpet and trombone. Patrick is in fine form and I'm just going to say it, Gerard Prevost is the man here. An incredible bass player folks! We get five long tracks ranging from 9 1/2 minutes to 12 1/2 minutes. This is a very uniform album in the sense that each track has a similar vibe and sound to it. The keyboard of choice is the piano, and maybe my favourite moment is the electric piano to open "Creme Anglaise" where it echoes bringing Fusion to mind. There is some ripping guitar at times and the violin and horns certainly are not restrained much of the time.

This has been a pleasure. A mature and uniform work that I would describe as feel good music. You know, that warm blanket on a Winter's night here in the North sort of thing. Patrick mentions that the title of this record may bring to mind GONG's classic "Camembert Electrique" which is fine by him as Daevid Allen is a founding member of SOFT MACHINE his favourite band, and a musical genius as he points out.