MALICORNE 4 [AKA: NOUS SOMMES CHANTEURS DE SORNETTES]

A French cross between GRYPHON and STEELEYE SPAN. The songs are mostly old French traditional songs. The head of Malicorne is singer-guitarist-composer Gabriel Yacoub, other four fellows handle a folkish set of instruments (e.g. flutes, krumhorn, clockenspiel, organ, violin, cello, mandolin and percussion plus the usual rock instruments) and each one sings. This feature made me think of also GENTLE GIANT here and there. So even if this is filed under traditional music and not rock, there is a strong sense of Prog Folk. A knowledge of French would naturally ease the enjoyment...

I preferred those songs where Marie Yacoub's voice took the lead. Also 'Daniel Mon Fils' (2:40) is very nice, as it is almost completely a cappella, with an organ growing louder towards the end. The only non-vocal track is an old military dance 'Bacchu Ber' (1:58). There is a song of 9 minutes too; it's a hybrid of two ballads. If you like the two bands I mentioned in the first line and preferably know (or enjoy) French language, Malicorne is worth hearing. ...Damn, forgot to check what is 'biche', to figure out the Celtic mythological creature that is half woman, half 'biche'...