EMILE JACOTEY

As with the vast amount of 70's bands, Ange had to face a major departure by the middle of the 70's, when drummer Gerard Jelsch left the band and was replaced by the unknown Guenole Biger.The Studio Des Dames in Paris welcomes the French legends for the sessions of their fourth studio album, a concept work around an old man called ''Emil Jacotey'', released in 1975.

Being a concept work, the album is dominated by the voice of Christian Decamps and for the non-French speakers this would be a hard listening, not understanding with what this work deals.Propably a good reason the band never became really succesful in non-French speaking countries.Soundwise it follows the lines the band itself established a few years back, it sounds a bit more aggressive and energetic with even some harder guitar runs at moments, but the overall atmosphere flirts with a fairy-tale, theatrical approach.The limited instrumental parts are pretty great with organ, Mellotron, synthesizers and piano in evidence, retaining Ange's symphonic overtones, with Brezovar's well-adjusted guitar work offering some nice solos and lead parts as well.The grandiose outros and interludes remain a highlight of their sound, such beautiful orchestrations and emotional lines.The acoustic intros and textures are still in the menu, but it appears that the concept had somehow affected the balance of the vocal and instrumental separation.Apart from Decamps' always expressive chords, the voice of an old man, the hero of the story, appears every now and then.Despite the short length of the tracks, Ange manage to offer endless different moods with their music: from melancholic themes to joyful echoes and almost every emotional state inbetween.

No contradiction about the depth of the concept, but this goes more for the French-speaking audience.It just seems that the lyricism had a questionable effect to the album's result.Still, this is pretty nice French Prog from the 70's with some impressive keyboard parts and mellow moods.Recommended.