JÉROME LANGLOIS

This is a different kind of a Prog album.Not that MANEIGE's influence is totally absent, but Langlois has moved on as a composer to the point that his music has become heavily Classical-influenced, gathering a tiny Chamber orchestra on ''Molignak'' and choosing to create soundscapes that can be ethereal, sinister, airy and dramatic at the same time.Langlois' compositions rely now heavily on piano preludes and interludes, intense string sections and clarinet moves and solos in a strong Classical/R.I.O. mood with deep, instrumental arrangements.The changing atmospheres are the absolute characteristic of the album.From romantic textures to dissonant exercises, ''Molignak'' evolves as a highly artistic album for forward thinking listeners.Jazzy influences are not absent either, while the folkier parts are the closest to MANEIGE's early albums.Electric guitars are used rarely, like on the sensitive ''Jac 23'' and its definite DAN AR BRAZ-like approach.Very often the music reminds me of the intense NEW TROLLS Classical-drenched arrangements in the ''Concerto grosso'' series of albums, especially in the violin-driven parts.The tracks, which feature some more depth with the addition of the rhythm section, are more orchestral in nature and definitely more grandiose with a very cinematic attitude, another angle of Langlois' genuine mind.

One thing is for sure, this album was not created to satisfy every pair of ears of this mightly world.It is a pretty academic-sounding effort with some tremendous instrumental segments, strongly influenced by Jazz, Classical and Folk Music and with a minimalistic approach to rock instrumentation.Warmly recommended to anyone with an open mind.

Ambient, instrumental, meditative, synth like music. Pleasant, that connects with word meditative, calm and slow, reminding album hated by many, Zodiaque by Rick Wakeman (I like that album). Maybe even medieval sounding sounds at times (but not so much, because this is electronic [who knows if drummer is living being, probably not] album).

This is unfair fight. Even I like this album, I have to put some borders, draw a line that divides this from my other ratings (and ratings by other people), because even I'm not able to push this through to upper league.

3(+), no more, you probably understand why, but also not less, because this is not bad album. And I don't give 2 and less stars to good albums.

As this is first review, please note that this is not rock album. This is Rick Wakeman style. Hell, later on this album is more like soundtrack to melancholic romantic film about something beautiful, like Out of Africa, or The Mission.

The first track Last Tango En Molinie will be of a greater interest in the new millennium, while La Fenêtre is most likely linked from the times when Maneige was recording their debut album (although windows will be a recurring theme in Maneige). Le Radeau is definitely a nod to Le Rafiot, also a work from Maneige's debut album, while Méduse is most likely linked to it (the famous painting of Le Radeau De La Méduse) as well and this is relatively evident, too, even if Jérome says it's about his daughter's birth. La Chanson Des Iles is definitely more reminiscent of Lasting Weep (the Albatross suite), but also one of the most reflective pieces of the album, but nevertheless also an enthralling march.

Starting the flipside is a short Nouvelle, which doesn't sound like the theme developed on Maneige's third album Ni Vent Ni Nouvelle and was part of the epic Sonate D'Hiver (see the bonus tracks). The last two lengthy theme of Le Ballon are distinct themes from the pre-debut album track, the 29-min piece La Balloune, which can be found on the two out of the three (so far) posthumous Maneige Live releases. The two pieces, clocking at 15 mins together, which means less than half the live track, are very much condensed adaptation of the group's previous epic.

This album is now available as a bonus disc of the Live At FMPM, 2006 and comes with two bonus pieces dating back from 76, but please look under that entry for details on these. While nothing enthralling, Themes is definitely an album for those Maneige enthusiasts, but not likely for a wider public, much like the Steve Hackett acoustic guitar albums. Despite the opening track, Langlois seems more able at this time to revisit his early days of music in this album, rather than delve into new grounds. Nevertheless this album is a real pleasure to listen to and one album to play to get close to the prog-hermetic mate. While maybe not worth the acquisition on its own (unless an unconditional fan), the Thèmes album makes a superb bonus on the FMPM release.

Well our major Quebec composer had kept on the Radio Silence airwaves for over 20 years since his (previously lone) solo album, but what a brilliant comeback this album makes. I am actually trying to fond adequate superlatives to describe this album, but I can tell you this is NOT an easy task, because the music is definitely of a classical vein, but it has a certain je-ne-sais-quoi of Maneige music. Definitely an awesome album where Langlois unleashes his "songwriting" (but can it still be called that?) that obviously he has had time to fine-tune to perfection.

And clearly this album, although not perfect, is one of the most exciting releases of the new millennium. The way Langlois' music flows out so effortlessly is simply more than amazing, it is unique. This album is IMHO one of those records that will have to be counted with over the next centuries along with Art Zoyd or Univers Zero's bests works (and to a lesser extent Karda Estra), but Molignak does not share the lugubrious and dark, sombre atmospheres of these groups. The music is simply awesome in celebrating life's beauties and in some way resembles Harmonium's most beautiful moments of Histoire Sans Parole on the Cinquième Saison album. Yes, that good!!!! And maybe even better in some ways! But the album is not flawless either as Jérome made some strange choices in drum programming ruining some superb moments that should've never been. But this might just be nit-picking to some, as the rest of this instrumental album is nearing perfection on all other levels.

The music is more related to romantic chamber music than to the usual Maneige fusion of thirty years past, but in some ways is still fairly closely linked to Les Porches and obviously is just as pastoral as that album was. Clearly Jérome is composing a good part of his music in the middle of nature somewhere by a stream and in some ways the music can make you think of a nobler Disney's Fantasia animations of Ludwig's Sixth. Again, it is a little too bad that some of those drum programming is sometimes a bit too obtrusive (see the middle section of Undertow), a weird choice when you've got at disposal one of the king of percussion, ex-Maneige's Gilles Schetagne. Langlois is using to great affects his clarinet (along with his daughter's as well), but most of his works is through the piano, and sometimes even through his electric guitar. Cormier's violin (he played with all of them back then in La Belle Province) Légaré's bass (both acoustic and electric) are also perfectly used to the point that you'd swear that they helped out writing.

I'd better end this review here, because I can only repeat whatever I've already said before. Not only is this album absolutely essential if you are a Maneige fan, but even if you are not aware of that group's works. Among the better "classical composer" with Daniel Denis and Richard Willeman, Langlois pulls one of those stunning works that unfortunately will probably go unnoticed even in the progressive realm.

After having released the fabulous Molignak album, clearly Jérome Langlois got a new-found confidence and assembled a group form the Festival des Musiques Progressives de Montréal (FMPM organised by the Takashy/McFee team, also responsible for ProgQuebec's superb releases) in 2006. And indeed his band is something that most Maneige fans would consider calling Maneige: while having the participants to Molignak (the veterans Cormier and Légaré, his daughter on clarinet, as well as the Maneige king Gilles Schetagne), it includes as well, François Richard on keys and flute and Maneige's Paul Picard on percussion. The first iof the two disc affair is the set that the group played at the afore-mentionned festival, with an added two tracks recorded the year before at another event called Gesù, which had the same line-up bar Paul Picard.

As opposed to the studio album, the live recording brings on much more of a Maneige imprint that has simply astounded the '06- FMPM crowd, and gone are the few weaknesses of Molignak (this writer thinks of the drum programming), starting out on the tears-inducing Le Cri/Arrivée medley. The second medley Duo/Huard is a little less perfect but an up-tempo thing that raises the overall energy level of the concert. With Le Rafiot Rafistolé (the repaired raft), one can sense that Jérome has finally found peace with this lifelong obsession of a track. The 9-min+ version still holds some (not that) evident hints at the old tracks, but it will take an experienced ear to still link the two tracks. And indeed, I don't see how Jérome will improve this track more.

The septet then revisits an old Lasting Weep highlight of the Albatross sow, Chanson Des Iles and again the magic of this line-up operates and provides an excellent version of this almost-classic. L'Envol Du Papillon is another beauty with the father/daughter team on clarinet, but the second part is a bit awkward because of the fast rhythm imposed by the original version on Molignak. Ex-Conventum Bernard Cormier pulls a fantastic second part on his violin and pulls the whole band with him in a superb rendition of Mars 97. The following Tango 2000 just glides on the public conquered minds, but remains quite enthralling, ending the set as it started on dawn nature noises. The remaining two tracks are from a show, the year bore: with the 12-min Rhapsodie Molinienne, the group sounds typically itself, even if they are only a sextet, Picard not having joined yet. That track and the following Molinie are both pure delight and add much passion to the first disc.

For a review of Jérome's 84 album Thèmes (added as bonus on the second disc of this release), please see the separate entry; but this 2nd disc album comes with two 76 pieces that holds much our attention. The 5-min Ouverture is very well played piano- piece and recorded in a much different setting than Thèmes. The 12-min+ Sonate D'Hiver is a piece that was written at the end of 76 after a very uninspired summer. Unfortunately this superb piece would get no release until some 30 years later. Anyway, this double disc Live At FMPM affair is close to being a must haven especially for Maneige fans.