LE TRÉSOR DE VALLIESRES

I guess that most of the progheads prefer to describe some Genesis, Yes, Tull etc. great album over and over than to discover some brilliant bands. Of course, "Versailles" did not choose for the easiest task. Singing into French has NEVER been a plus. Especially on this site. It sounds as the language barrier has always have been a problem. And this is really a shame.

Some exceptions for the Italian symph style. But that's it. I really feel sorry for so many great French truely prog bands that are just not recognized as such.

"Versailles" second album was a great prog album and this one holds maybe one of the greatest epic ever written (well, let's not be too over-enthusiastic, maybe one of the top thirty one...). But before this epic, the listener will already go through a fantastic voyage. Musically with the opening track "Le Serment des Damnés" and lyrically with the short "Exquise Bêtise" (fantastic texts, really).

Now, "Une Saint Barthelemy Dévote". A magnificent piece of music. Wonderful and quiet intro. It makes reference to one of the darkest period of the French history (the "Saint Bartelemy" period - a religious massacre). Of course, it has some "Supper's Ready" moments. But don't you like these ???

Keyboards are grandiose, hypnotic chorus, "vitriolesque" lyrics, fabulous guitar work. Can't you cope with this ? Do you really want more ? This epic song is so brilliant, so inspired, so wonderfully played that I just can say one thing : give it an attentive ear. You will be so pleased to have done so. No doubt about that.

It is a five star track : no discussion about this. Well, actually, I hate to be so vindicative. But I just can recommend you to have a listen. I bet you : you won't be disappointed. Some spacey moments fully Floydian will transport you to the other side of the ...). A great, great song.

A gentle acoustic track ("Horizon's" & "Mood For A Day" like) will lead us to another beautiful prog moment : "Dégénerescence Obsessionnelle". Another long and gorgeous song ( over thirteen minutes). An incredible opening : outstanding guitar work, spacey keyboards. All of this during a superb intro (four minutes long). Some inspired lyrics, and here we go for a very much "ASOS" oriented song.

Brilliant symphonic and space-rock with great lyrics is a cocktail I like very much. If you also add some very nice flute solo instants, you might imagine that I am just stunned with this number as well. Finale is very much Genesis oriented ("Watcher"). BEAUTIFUL my dear prog friends.

"Avec Tous Mes Hommages" holds absolutely irreverent / vulgar / obscene lyrics (but how much I like these...). This song is the most "The Knife" oriented one that I have ever heard. Almost a cover, musically. A bit too short, unfortunately.

The closing and title track opens on a fully spacey mood (but this already has been noticed on this great album).

Once in a while I do upgrade an album. The very much inacurrate rating sytem available on PA (twenty per cent increment between each grade) makes it very difficult to decide whether or not an album deserves more than the four star rating. This one deserves nine out of ten. Since I am rather scarce (ten per cent of my reviews end up with five stars) I will just rate this album with five stars. I will downgrade it with four and a half or nine out of ten when available.

This is a great album. Have a try and review it, please !

Great musicianship, original songwriting, complex yet accessible (?) music, good lyrics. These ingredients are the ones you can find in this amazing album.

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