AVANTI!

4.5 stars. MIRIODOR are one of my favourite Canadian bands, they never disappoint.This is their seventh album and third of this decade.They also put two out in the nineties, and two out in the eighties. I must admit I was taken by surprise with this their latest album for a couple of reasons. First of all we get seven long tracks for the first time on a MIRIODOR album. They always have short songs and lots of them. Secondly the quartet of musicians who make up this band are on their own for about half of this album. Again they always have guests and usually on every track. There are three guest horn players. The sound here is less quirky and avant than usual. The guitar, bass and drums are the focus. So yeah this is a definite change in direction for the band.

"Bewitchment" is dark and ominous to open with lots of atmosphere. The music kicks in and it's dark and heavy. It settles in to a relaxing soundscape 2 1/2 minutes in. Very cool. The guitar is so liquidy before 3 1/2 minutes.The song changes around 5 minutes and the tempo picks up. Very intricate with all the se sounds coming and going. "Dare Devil" is brighter and we get some guest horns on this one as drums pound and bass throbs. I like the angular guitar that comes in. Horns blast away taking over for the guitar. A calm then it picks back up around 3 minutes as contrasts continue. I like the organ, bass and horns after 5 minutes. Vocal expressions late. "La Roche" almost sounds like a music-box melody to start out. Guitar before a minute followed by a calm. The tempo continues to change. Keys and bass around 4 minutes as it settles. Guitar before 5 minutes as it builds again. These contrasts continue. "Meeting Point" opens with a sample of a female opera singer who is uncerimoniously blown away quickly by the band (haha). Ethnic sounds then drums kick in. Guitar after a minute. The tempo and mood continue to shift throughout. Love the guitar on this one.

"To Be Determined" has this faint almost spacey intro as bass and cymbals come in. Vibes too. Organ before 3 minutes as the sound gets fuller. It settles then builds. Accordion after 5 minutes and a great sound follows. Horns before 7 minutes and they get dissonant too. Piano late. "Avanti !" Opens with odd sounds then drums come in followed by a full sound. The guitar around a minute sounds amazing. Some distorted vocal expressions as the bass throbs. Intricate angular guitar 3 1/2 minutes in and i'm thinking Sweden. More incredible guitar after 4 1/2 minutes. What a great sound 7 minutes in. "Shadow Of The Alarm Clock" is experimental to open. It kicks in around a minute then settles back to those experimental sounds again. The tempo picks up then settles again as contrasts continue. The guitar is excellent after 5 1/2 minutes to end it.

This is close to being 5 stars for me. What a year for Progressive music. This one is a must.