L' EXTRAORDINAIRE TOUR DE FRANCE D'ADELARD ROUSSEAU ...

L´extraordinaire tour de France d´Adelard Rousseau is another critically acclaimed album from Malicorne. It's regarded as their best album next to Almanach and with the more extensive use of drums, synths and folksy time signatures; it might be an attractive album for folk prog heads (if there exists such a being).

It's a very consistent concept album about someone doing a tour through France (And no, sorry to disappoint you again, it's indeed not about cycling as Sean Trane already pointed out). There are no weaker tracks but generally I lack some of the fire and emotionality of their best albums. Une Fille Dans Le Désespoir is the first moment that really grips me. With just vocal harmonies and piano it's also the most folksy track on the album so far. And I've always found Malicorne's folksy side to be their most appealing. The album's highpoint is the plaintive epic L'Auberge Sanglante.

As I've pointed out in previous review, Malicorne changed from pure folk into French chanson. This albums sits on the dividing lines between both styles. If you don't know Malicorne yet but enjoy Ange and/or Harmonium you should give this album a spin.