ANGE

This is the french group Ange's fourth studio record from 1975. The Band was made up by a six men strong ensemble: Guenole Biger, Jean Michel Brezovar, Christian Decamps, Francis Decamps, Daniel Haas and Gerald Jelsch. It is seldom you fins such a theatrical expressivity in the vocals as in this music. I love the vocals and how they drive everything on this record. It is just unfortunately I don't understand french, but it sounds great.This is the first Ange record I review but the third I listen to (after Le Cimetière de Arlequins and Au-Delà Du Délire).

The track a prefer on this plate is those most coherent with the deepest feelings included. "Sur la trace des Fées (5/5)" is such a quite slow song with a prophetic and very dramatic attitude. "Ego Et Deus"(5/5) is a little harder but very catchy. "Les Noces" (5/5) has a driving organ and very melodical guitar almost playing rock'n'roll and ends in ecstasy. Furthermore "Le Nain de Stanislas" (4/5) also is excellent. Sometimes on this record I get a medieval feeling. The theatrical vocals and the ancient sounding composition makes Ange a bunch of jesters entertaining their audience for som swill and mercy. I find their music very attractive. All tracks here aren't very good but over all there is a high quality. For exampel I can't really enjoy the first goat track. This is thus an excellent addition to a prog rock collection.

The final triumphant blast of the gloriously creative period Ange enjoyed during the 1970's, 'Guet-Apens' found the French symphonic outfit producing one of most impressive efforts of their career thus far, and at a key juncture too. Issued on the French arm of Phillips during 1978, this would prove to be the rockiest Ange album so far, featuring a smoother, harder sound and a streamlined production but still firmly rooted firmly in the group's highly-progressive symphonic style. The winning formula sees both Decamps brothers given much more space to stretch out - vocalist Christian employs a mellotron for the first time on an Ange album whilst brother Francis lets rip on lead guitar - the group hitting the perfect moment between their progressive inclinations and mainstream aspirations. This powerful new sound is best heard on the two lengthy tracks that bookend 'Guet-Apens', with the atmospheric opener 'A Colin Maillard' exuding a misty rock vibe over it's slow- burning eight-minutes and the extraordinary fourteen-minute epic 'Capitane Couer De Miel' building up a heavy head of steam through some red hot guitar heroics courtesy of Francis Decamps, all the while thrusting Ange ever deeper into into darker realms of heavy rock. This final track provides a glorious explosion of a finale, with Christian Decamps grizzly vocals adding a sense of urgent menace to the song's heady atmospheric trip. Elsewhere, a quartet of impressive shorter pieces fill out the space between 'A Colin Maillard' and 'Capitane Couer De Miel', each one anything but filler. The fragile acoustic ballad 'Dans Les Poches Du Berger' harks back to the more careful, art-rock style of 'Les Cimetiere Des Arlequins', providing gentle relief after the album's opening histrionics, whilst both 'Un Trou Dans La Case' and 'Reveille-Toi' exhibit the Descamps brother more playful streak lightly embossed by yet more hard rock moments. Overall, 'Guet-Apens' proves a fine album, the new, confident, rocked-up approach adding an exciting edge to Ange's keyboard-heavy sound. It would prove to be the final Ange album of note, yet caps of the six successful years since their 1972 debut 'Caricatures' very aptly. Although very much for those who enjoy Ange's classic albums - both the daunting strains of 'Le Cimetiere Des Arlequins' and the inspired brilliance of 'Au-Dela Du Delire' - 'Guet-Apens' also makes for a great place to start for those looking to explore the colourful world of Ange. Simply put, this is highly-impressive stuff from one of the key group's of the French progressive scene, and a contender for one of the truly great French albums. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

The best place to start for those who have yet to delve into the colourful world of Ange, 'Au-Dela Du Delire'(Beyond The Delirium) is both the French symphonic outfit's most accessible and impressive work. Often rather unfairly compared to Genesis, Ange were formed by the brothers Christian and Francis Decamps during the beginning of the 1970's, eventually issuing their patchy debut 'Caricatures' in 1972. There first big hit would follow a year later in the shape of a brooding cover of Jacques Brel's 'Ces Gens-la', a single culled from that years album 'Le Cimetiere Des Arlequins', the first essential Ange release. However, Decamps and company would truly find their feet here on 1974's 'Au-Dela Du Delire', the first album in which the group managed to find the right balance between Christian Decamps stream-of-conciousness monologues and the musicians instrumental ambitions. One criticism of Ange has always been their overly chatty style, a style which sees Christian Decamps dominate, sometimes to the detriment of the actual music. Here, though, we have some wonderful instrumental passages, as shown on the rousing opener 'Godevin Le Vilain' and the gently acoustic 'Ballade Pour Une Orgie', and the group even find time for a rare and blistering Francis Decamps guitar solo on the slow-burning 'Exode'. The album's highlight, however, has to be the final, nine-minute title-track, a sumptuous symphonic odyssey that closes 'Au-Dela Du Delire' on a rather grand note. Featuring delicately-shimmering keyboard twinkles and another frenzied vocal show from Christian Decamps, the album's final piece caps of a remarkable slice of French progressive rock. As we know, every great band has their great career moments, and for Ange it is this album that proves to be arguably the apex of their lengthy career. Alongside Christian Vander's zeuhl exponents Magma and the softly-cosmic Pulsar, Ange are one of the most important outfits from the French progressive scene of the 1970's, this excellent album showcasing their quirky style at both it's most adventurous and enjoyable. Later albums, particularly after 1978's 'Guet-apens', would fail to hit the same bright notes as found here, yet for a brief while Ange - who were one of the few non-English speaking rock groups to find success in both Britain and North America - really were one of the most vibrant progressive rock acts of the genre's golden age. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

One of France's three main progressive rock outfits alongside Christian Vander's zeuhl exponents Magma and the Pink Floyd-styled Pulsar, Ange have enjoyed a long and varied career sinde starting up at the beginning of the 1970's, enjoying both national and international commercial success. Unusually for a French-speaking rock group, Ange regularly toured outside of their homeland during their peak years, visiting Germany, Belgium, Scandanavia and Britain on numerous occasions during the 1970's; as a result the name Ange is now synonymous with French progressive music, the group often rather lazily compared with Genesis thanks to their keyboard-heavy sound. One of the group's 'classic' releases alongside 1974's follow-up 'Au Dela Du Delire' and the mellotron- drenched 'Guet-apens' from 1978, 'Le Cimetiere Des Arlequins' was the album that truly broke Ange, introducing them to a wider audience thanks to a deal brokered with the French arm of Phillips and the album's distinct and jaunty musical flavour. Crucially, it would prove to be a remarkable improvement after the group's interesting yet underwhelming debut 'Caricatures', whilst also showcasing the five individual musicians rapidly- growing instrumental chops, with the incessant Gallic chatter of lead-vocalist Christian Decamps now underpinned by some intricate technical displays and richly-drawn melodies. Like many of the better progressive rock albums, this is best listened to from beginning-to-end, though individual tracks do stand-out, such as the forceful opener 'Ces Gens La', which features both Ange's trademark keyboard stabs and Descamps eccentric vocal style, and the haunting, almost gothic strains of follow-up 'Aujourd'hui C'est La Fete Chez L'apprenti Sorcier', which drifts effortlessly from ominous symphonic rock into serene acoustica rather beautifully. Elsewhere, the bouncy 'Bivouac' exhibits the group's more playful side, whilst the album's lengthiest piece, the eight-minute title-track, closes the album in suitably grand fashion. Like much European progressive rock there is an arty and complex edge to Ange's music, though the pompous seriousness that can blight such material is thankfully absent here, Ange very much a group with a sense of humour that is apparent even to those who don't fully understand the French language. A fine album, 'Le Cimetiere Des Arlequins' isn't quite as impressive as follow-up 'Au Dela Du Delire', yet there is still much here that should please fans of both symphonic and European progressive rock. Inventive, eccentric and occasionally wildly adventurous, this is one of Ange's genuinely essential records. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012

The good times for Ange started soon after the release of their debut.The band crossed the English Channel in 1973 for a tour on the British grounds and with the support of their label Phillips they released the same year their sophomore album ''Le cimetiere des arlequins''.

Surprisingly the album opens with a cover of Jacques Brel's ''"Ces gens-la", a naturally theatrical song and a perfect choice for Ange's repertoire, adapted nicely by the band in a Theatrical Prog style.The rest of the album shows hints already known from Ange's debut, a Symphonic/Psychedelic Rock with intense keyboard passages played by the Decamps' brothers and the expressive vocals of Christian Decamps on the forefront.The production remains very muddy, adding the album an overall haunting atmosphere even in its more romantic moment.Compositionally the album stands well next to the band's debut, but it is a bit more vocal-heavy with limited instrumental themes and an even more theatrical approach.The music though is quite charming with psychedelic guitars, folky acoustic moments, including some flute passages and powerful bass work.The dark keyboard parts will always remain Ange's trademark.Grandiose interludes and beautiful organ breaks are offered with generosity and add the album this unique symphonic flavor that only Ange could create.

Not as good as their debut but of course another succesful Ange album.Dark, lyrical and deeply atmospheric Symphonic Rock for dedicated fans of the style.Recommended.

3.5 star for sure

Guet-apens from 1978 is considered with good reason the last classic Ange album, after that they gone in some diffrent direction with only sporadicaly prog elements in their music. Anyway this release show that they are still in bussines, delivering some best of their moments on the opening track , the best from the album nd among the best pieces they ever compose, at least in my opinion. A colin maillard is a killer track so very much in Ange tradition with captivating instrumental parts, where the keyboards and overall atmosphere is great. I can't say that I feel attached by the rest of the pieces of the album, for sure are good but I'm not so well convinced that are among the best they ever done, still enjoyble. This is a classic prog album as previous 3-4 releases, that needs attention from prog listners.3 stars maybe 3.5 in places, but I prefere Delire and Emile their most captivating and complete albums they ever done so far.

Par le fils de mandrin from 1976 capture Ange in their not so prolific moments, even the album is good in many parts, it seams to me that they lost the great ideas and originality of previous albums. Some truly great moments on tracks like Au cafe du colibri, title track or Saltinbanques, the rest of the pieces even are not bad at all, are little pale in comparation of the gretness of previous albums. The theatrical, dramatic moments exist for sure, but the overall atmosphere is only ok to my ears. My least fav Ange album from their golden era, but with all that desearves attention if the listner is orintated for such music. Desearves 3 stars for sure. Another great gatefold cover like on previous 2 albums aswell like on next one Guet apens.

One year passes since their most known album and Ange delivers another worthy release from their vast career. It is time for Emile Jacotey issued in 1975 to please my ears, and what a ride it is for my thirsthy for prog ears. To me this is equal in greatness with previous album, I like it a lot and is my second best after delire. Another fine gatefold cover with an old man who seams to apper breafly with some spoken words here and there on the album. The music has same ingredients and characteristic as previous Ange albums, theatrical dark music with melodramatic vocal arrangements so well offered by the band on each album. For me the best Ange pieces are on this album, like Le nain de stanislas is simply a killer track, everything Ange had best in that period is in this pieces, Jour apre jour is another beautiful tune, Ode a Emile. the more edgy Ego et deus dominates the sound and atmosphere of the album. So, another one of their best releases for sure, to many times being in the shadow of Delire without reason, because thes album is as good as anything they release before. Symphonic prog with a harder edge that will please most of the fans of the genre, even tose non french speakers. 4 stars

Ange is for sure one of the bands , at least for me. that in the beggining of my musical journey I really can't understand what they play and now I like'em a lot. The music offered and specially the voice of Christian Decamps is an aquire taste for many listners included me. Well Au-dela du delire released in 1974 is one of their most solid albums and aswell my fav Ange album together with their next one Emile Jacotey.. The music is symphonic prog but with a harder edge, very much like King Crimson meets Genesis. Also some acustical folky passages here and there interludes in the darker atmosphere of the album. From the excellent gatefold cover, to the last pieces of the album Ange manage to capture my attention for sure. Eve the vocal passages are in places overly dramatic and theatrical for my taste, I can easely say that Christian Decamps is one hell of a versatile singer, one minute he whispers softly and the next minute delivers dramatic over the top vocal parts. Anyway pieces like Les longues nuits d'isaac is truly awesome, the passion in his voice is without doubt outstanding, the best piece from this album. The title track is another highlit for sure. Even the album is sung in french I have no preblems listning to it. One of the better albums from prog movement in the '70s. 4 stars easy.

There are things you may strongly dislike with the music of Ange, the leading French prog band, but there's one thing everyone seem to agree on: they were very original. For the theatrical, over-dramatic nature they are often said to be the French Genesis (Gabriel-era), and also soundwise they are comparable to Genesis, with some hints of King Crimson. Lots of keyboards including Mellotron! The sound is thick, colourful and dense. Instead of wind instruments that could lighten it up there's a violin.

The usual issue that may turn one off is the style of vocals. They are in French, naturally, but as if that wasn't enough for all non-speakers, they are quite over the top, approaching frenzy speech. One can hardly call it ordinary singing what Christian Decamps does. Unfortunately the music is very full of those vocals. I would surely enjoy Ange a whole lot more as an instrumentally oriented band. This (like several other 70's albums) is also a concept album. Too bad I can't figure out, with my rusty and never-been-good French, what's it all about.

But the music, very eclectic within its frames of symphonic prog, can indeed be a strong listening experience for an advanced proghead. Not for beginners, I presume. None of the tracks is unlistenable, nor without excitement. Perhaps the album is a landmark of continental prog; I personally enjoy it enough for four stars. However, if Ange's other classic albums are more or less similar (many are equally praised), it would probably be too hard a task trying to digest them all.