LE FANTASTIQUE ENVOL DE DIETER BÖHM

1. "Prologue: Sol" (4:29) sounds like an anthemic cross between COLDPLAY and THE BEATLES. (8.75/10)

2. "Acte I: Les chansons sont des bouteilles à la mer" (6:12) quite solid, if simple, song construction with instrumental performances all focused on the whole--on supporting Dominque Leonetti's lead vocal--until 3:50 when a wild 1970s- style slide electric guitar solo starts--and plays out ? until the end! I like the melodies and love the choral vocal sections, but that guitar solo! (Perhaps it's probably Claude Leonetti on the Léode.) Wow! (9/10)

3. "Acte I: Mers lacrymales" (5:04) another bombastic, almost anthemic song that peaks with another extraordinary, if shorter, electric slide guitar solo at the beginning of the instrumental passage at the song's end. (8.875/10)

4. "Acte II: Dieter Böhm" (5:32) more anthemic music (this kind of bombast reminds me of peak TEARS FOR FEARS as well as THE BEATLES). Great work from the rhythm section on this one. The instrumental end section sounds very much like the jam at the end of Peter Gabriel's iconic concert ending song, "In Your Eyes." (9/10)

5. "Acte II: Baume" (3:32) a very different change in direction: delicate upper register vocal with only spacey piano accompaniment--at least until the breakout chorus: there Dominique lets loose with some screaming "Ahh"s while more Peter Gabriel-like pseudo-orchestral instruments gently support. Quite lovely. (9/10)

6. "Acte III: Un visage lunaire" (4:15) yet another somewhat anthemic song that sounds very much as if it came from the Sgt. Pepper's/Magical Mystery Tour period of the The Beatles music production. More electric slide guitar in the end passage's instrumental section--not quite as good as those first two solos. (8.875/10)

7. "Acte IV: L'envol" (2:25) a little modern synth work in this poppy little instrumental interlude ditty. (Filler). (4.25/5)

8. "Acte IV: L'homme volant" (5:36) more modern synth use in the drum programming and treatments of the principle string instruments (not the bass). When Dominique enters his voice gives the song a SIMPLE MINDS or even SYLVAN feel. I love the music here. (8.875/10)

9. "Epilogue: Dans les mains de Dieter" (5:38) opens with some distant radio playing the previous song's melodious vocal. Then organ and Theremin-like sound enter. It's not until 1:10 that anything "solid" enters: Dominique's voice. Spacious piano chords support Dominique's plaintive voice before backing off for weird psychedelia section. At 2:30 the full band finally begins to kick into the song, delivering support for the recapitulation of the dominant melody theme (from the last song) with some synths and fiery background lead guitar play. Bombastic and theatric but something feels to me as if the story--the "play"--is only just getting off the ground--as if it is unfinished--should keep going another half hour or so. (8.875/10)

Total Time 42:44

I've liked several of Lazuli's previous releases with 2006's En avant doute ? being my favorite , one thing I really like about this album is that the clarity of the track renderings (along with Dominique Leonetti's distinct pronunciation of his native French) allow me to hear and comprehend the words to the songs--something that is usually difficult for me.

B+/4.5 stars; an outstanding album with a great flow of very theatric themes with many surprising elements (including continuity and flow) making for a wonderful listening experience for any prog lover. Definitely a near-masterpiece. (I'm actually not sure what they could have done to make it better--perhaps a little more flair from multiple instruments or more twists and turns within the individual songs.)

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