SI ON AVAIT BESOIN D'UNE CINQUIÈME SAISON

Yesterday I have listened to this album after some time and I realized that I have never written a review of it. Of course there's not much that I can add about an album that's close to the PA top 10 and has already 450 reviews.

First of all one thing that hits the listener is the absence of drums and percussions. The rhythmic parts are left to bass and acoustic guitars, and this is amazing. Secondly, the excellent mix of flute and keyboards replaces what is usually the role of electric guitars.

The vocals are sometimes jazzy and what is most important, Harmonium are great arrangers.

Just to make an example, the same four chords of the stanza in the first song "Vert" (Green) were used by an Italian non-prog singer-songwriter that was very influenced by French "chansonniers". I think Harmonium had a similar influence having started as folk band, but the way those four chords are used and arranged is totally different. The Italian guy made a quite boring sad and dark song while Vert is amazingly arranged.

I have to say that personally I like the side A a bit more than side B, but the whole album fully deserves its position in the top 100. This symphonic prog with jazz and folk elements is fantastic and the instrumentation is unique.

The dreaming cover picture fits well with the music inside. If you like that picture you'll surely like the album, too.

A masterpiece from the 70s, less known than other masterpieces probably because they are Canadian and sing in French, and it may have limited its distribution.

A must have for all the fans of symphonic prog, and of prog in general.