Oort (France): Hmmm, somewhere for sure!

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But where...???  
This band has actually been around for a looong time, and I've been sitting on this suggestion for over a year now...! From the band's official website: http://groupe.oort.pagesperso-orange.fr/indexa.htm
"We're from Rennes (Brittany, France). Our songs are influenced by Marillion, Ange, Kansas, Camel..."
Bio from their website (also reproduced at http://melosprogbazaar.com/index.php?topic=3215.0):
OORT seriously started at the end of 1993 when Jean-Luc Spehner (vocals, flutes), Francois Albert (guitars), Pierre-Eric Coucharriere (guitars) and Olivier Martin (keyboards) decided to start from scratch again after a few misfortunes towards the rhythm section. The band became stabilized when Frederic Miquelin (drums) and Jean-Michel Vautrin (bass) respectively joined in january and february 1994. 
A first soundtrack was realized in april. Its result was rather convincing, even if the band members had only been playing together for 4 months. Six songs were therefore recorded on a 8-track tape and then mastered on a CD used to create the demo tapes. In may, Frederic Miquelin informed the band that he wished to go back to ‘hell’ to play his favourite style of music : trash-metal... damned ! Diego Guyard took the place of Frederic and was brave enough to face the band’s first concert just one week after he joined... Well done ! The following day, the band carried all its gear along to shoot a video in Nantes. What a week-end ! Unfortunately the film won’t be used and has not been used ever since. 
The band kept enlarging his repertoire and performing on stage or in bars. In may 1995, it was Diego Guyard who left the band and the new drummer was called... Frederic Miquelin, back from hell, not too burnt and ready to start anew. In february 1996, OORT recorded a second soundtrack made up of 5 songs. In july, Jean-Michel Vautrin left his place and the decision was taken not to look for another bass player -Francois and Pierre-Eric would in turn play the guitar and the bass- so as to make the arrangements clearer and give the vocals their real place. The band performed concerts again after a little period of adaptation. Frederic Miquelin left again in september 1997. 
Arnaud Tizon took his place in october. Just time for him to get used to OORT’s repertoire which is now quite widespread and the ‘new band’ shows an harmonious cohesion. Concerts have started again since march 1998. In july, 11 songs were recorded for a new demo. In august, OORT took part in the 2nd progressive rock festival 'proglive' in Corbigny (58) along with Xang, Priam, Osm'oz, Outside, Abraxas, XII Alfonso and After Crying. 
In september, bang, Pierre-Eric quits... but he plays for a show already booked in october. It takes a longer time to replace him and Gilles Roggia arrives on bass only in february 1999. Francois is back on a full-time-guitarist-job. First show for the new band in march... and it's on the road again ! 
November 2001 : Gilles quits. We're looking for a bass player, we can't find one, Francois plays bass, we're looking for a guitar player, we find one... we also find a bass player, the 2 of them stay in the band, Francois is back on guitar... Anyway, in january 2002, welcome to Florian Motteau on guitar and Sundae on bass. OORT is back to 6 members. 
March 2002 : Diego Guyard is back on drums after 7 years ! Arnaud, who has played with Beth since a few months, couldn't be deeply involved in the two bands although he tried to. 
Summer 2002 : It's been a long time since the last changes ;-) We're back to 5 !! Due to personnal problems, Sundae is unable to continue. Francois plays bass again. Next demo in january 2003. 
April 2004 : we're recording our first CD with Arnaud on drums. Diego left because he didn't have much time for all his musical activities. 
March 2005 : we're still recording. It's very long but it'll be worth the wait ! 
April 2005 : There's violin in Oort for the first time. Yann Emery got the job and should be able to play on a few tracks from the CD. 
March 2007 : Mastering is on the way...
And finally...

Oort - Oort (2010)

1. Les faubourgs de l'ivoire (8:05)
2. Chambre 23 (9:19)
3. Fly (6:31)
4. Le ciel se vide (12:05)
5. Premier souffle (6:12)
6. Théâtre (7:34)
7. Choc (10:50)
8. Echo sans retour (4:55)

Total Time: 66:06

BAND MEMBERS

- Yann EMERY / violin
- Florian MOTTEAU / guitar 
- Jean-Luc SPEHNER / vocals, flutes 
- Olivier MARTIN / keyboards 
- François ALBERT / bass 
- Arnaud TIZON / drums

http://www.myspace.com/oortprog

Another feature on them is at http://www.progressive-area.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1782 (in French - here is google's interpretation of it):

"The solar system does not stop at the orbit of Pluto. Sun poses its gravitational influence on body 3,000 times more distant, midway the nearest stars. There comets immeasurable amount weave their orbits around the main bodies of the solar system, forming a giant icy halo, cloud OORT. This cloud is a vast region Cold border, where temperatures reach only four Kelvin (-269° C), where tens of millions of kilometers apart comets each other. In these regions, the Sun, although it remains the most star bright sky, no lights no more than Venus in our night sky.

No astronomer has never "seen" the cloud OORT, not more than Physicists have seen an electron: we deduce the existence and properties of cloud OORT as the properties of the electron is determined according their physical effects. In the case of cloud OORT, these effects are a train constant long-period comets that pass through the planetary system.

This scientific introduction to tell you that the OORT I'll talk to him, scientifically tested and proven. Rennes Group "old" only 17 years (almost a teen, what), he presents us with a very real album (after two fairly confidential in the 90s and a passage demos in August 1998 in the second edition of festival of progressive rock "proglive" Corbigny (58) company XANG, PRIAM, OSM'OZ, OUTSIDE, ABRAXAS, XII ALFONSO and AFTER CRYING) ... no less!) and when the group no longer exists! It is dissolved effect, as if the atmosphere of the 2000s did not suit him. In short, even if it is a dead celestial body (a corpse ransom) that I speak to you today, discography trace of his passage "flash" will forever ... and that's better! For OORT is a true fountain of youth in these times of gloom (corner corner).

Generally placed in the neo-progressive box sung in French, you must add the influences of some few English groups (MARILLION top) even though it is clearly on the side of ANGE, MONA LISA, and others that ATOLL mainly derive their references. Fans of the first SHINE (under the name TO SHINE), CAFFEINE, GALAAD (their first album) or even HÉCÉNIA (song sounds quite like his singer JP TRUTET) will find certainly their account. We are in the presence of an ambitious group, consisting of long pieces fed very progressive developments, but never headlock. The violin (not the small violin Mr Gregory, but it could!) brings definitely a plus, as the flute held by the singer, which includes all texts.

These latter are very interesting turns poetic, whistleblowers or current and are in beautiful CD booklet. The group seemed very united and it's a shame that no longer exists because it could appeal to many people. No player does seem to take precedence over the other, even if the song Jean-Luc SPEHNER, enough now, will put off some. Indeed, the tone of his voice sharp enough (on some songs, it sounds like a woman singing) will not appeal to everyone. He gave me a lot to think about Jean-Paul TRUTET, the deceased group HÉCÉNIA nugget unknown that I invite you to (re) discover also (album "Legends" published in 1989 by Musea and small history "sacrificed" by the label saw fit to release it in vinyl while choosing the CD format, but new stammering promising, is required ... The group never recovered, selling very few records, the market has changed, without Musea has felt the wind coming ... The CD reissue intervened years after the group split and did not allow his reformation ... but back on topic).

Finally, I would just say that this is very representative of the current "market" progressive rock, is the time taken by OORT out for the first CD (self-released, of course). Recording began in April 2004 and lasted about three years to March 2007 and mastering. More than three additional years (three mixes!) Will necessary for the group to get the final product ... more than six years in total! ... for how many sales?

After that, you'll wonder that groups are dying of hunger and all are forced to work for a living ... Come on, do a good deed for the year 2011, which begins and order the CD directly to the group on its website (€ 14, misery)! The constant listening to the comet OORT thank you a hundred times...

Can listen and recommended on their Myspace site."

When I first prepared this suggestion last year there were two tubes available from the album - now there is just one, after the account of the guy who uploaded the third track 'Fly' was terminated for "multiple copyright imfringements" .

Anyhow - that track is available to stream in full on the myspace page (together with a few short excerpts of other tracks): http://www.myspace.com/oortprog, and here is the only other full sample that I can reproduce here:

Pity, cos this is a decent, little-known band who certainly belong on the site. 

Tagged in most places as Neo Prog...but I don't really hear it as Neo myself. 

Thoughts anyone?? 