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Nemo - Le Ver Dans Le Fruit CD (album) cover

LE VER DANS LE FRUIT

Nemo

Eclectic Prog


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5 stars Revolu$ion was quiet amazing, but Le ver dans le fruit is sublime!

I was bit affraid at the beginning but after a few listens this double prog journey started making a lot of sense, until i finally got completely hooked and loved it.

Whats interesting about prog music its that there is some processing in listening the same album several times, until something inside of you clicks and understands the meaning of it. Thats exactly what happened to me while listening to this 90 minutes of pure and solid prog rock.

The band has evolved a lot since their last release back in 2011. This album has more mature sound, composition, and getting to establish themselves as a warning for all other prog lovers who still havent encountered with this french gem.

Talking a bit of the music itself, its quiet varied. From the canon of voices in the first track up to the epic folk and even metal Arma Diania. Really liked the soloing in Verset XV, shows a bit of what JP Louveton its capable of. But what I liked most, is how each song stands on its own and at the same time builds something bigger and complex. I would like to mention the instrumental Allah Deus, as it feels very different in structure of what they have ever done.

I consider nemo as a band who pushes the boundaries of conventional tracks while fitting french vocals in the middle and mixing everything so as it sounds pleasant and even original. Thats why it is difficult to place them in one genre. But all I know its that Le ver dans le fruit is one of the finest prog music cds to come out this year.

Report this review (#1025371)
Posted Thursday, August 29, 2013 | Review Permalink
5 stars Shall we be soon obliged to classify Nemo in the heavy prog category ? The tendancy we noticed in the enormous "Barbares" and which was confirmed in "Revolution" is now strongly established. Heavy guitar riffs have become prominent. May be too much.

It seems anavoidable nowadays for many groups (even Porcupine Tree !) to have a load sound, surely for commercial reasons. It's sure this new Nemo can please symphonic prog and heavy prog amateurs as well.

The virtuosity is impressive again, the themes are still elaborated and subtile, guitar and keyboards chorus are complicated and exciting, the rythm section is as solid as always ; and we have our necessary epic, like an apogee !

But, after a short and tight introduction, the sound is bigger than ever, it does not let you breathe more than a short while. In any case, that is the feeling I get after having listened two times to these CDs. I miss serene musical moments of "Présages" and "Prélude à la ruine".

Nowadays, the music of Nemo has become more mature, more mastered. But, in my opinion, the originality of their beginnings and their undoubtable creativity is a little bit diluted in this powerful sound.

But Nemo is one of the 10 most inventive groups amongst contemporary Prog leaders, to my mind. And, like thier preceding ones, this record is a must have. According to my criters, it disserves 4,5 stars.

Report this review (#1030605)
Posted Sunday, September 8, 2013 | Review Permalink
4 stars One more nice experience with new prog! Nemo is a French band which made its first record 2002 and now 2013 released their eighth one now called "Le ver dans le fruit". It took a couple of listenings to be used to their quite special sound. They are called eclectic here, a genre very hard to define. I think I would say it's progressive rock which is not symphonic and not pop oriented. That definition matches Nemo's newest record well.

The cover picture is amazing with a man who paints a picture of a tree. He wears a high hat and has along white beard. I get a feeling of harmony when I see it carefully and I think I would be wonderful as a LP cover. Jean Pierre Louveton plays guitar and sings, Guillaume Fontains plays keyboard and sings, Lionel-B Guichard plays bass and Jean Baptiste Itier hits the drums on this record.

Nemo sings its songs in French, a fantastic decision others should follow, that would make prog more progressive; Nemo has always did. The voice on these songs isn't though my best friend. There's something ingratiating in it, even if they're not exactly populistic. My feelings for it go up and down through the record. The best track is "Arma Diania", the long "epic" where you'll get something of the best. A celtic folk structure is used here and it returns some times. They really rock and I like the vocals and all the acoustic stuff in here. The music is dynamic and nicely mixed. Another favourite is the first and shortest track "Stipant Luporum" with marvelous vocal harmonies which reminds me of happiness and a song by the Swedish Children Song band Electric Banana Band. We have a couple of other amazing songs here: "Milgram, 1960", a handsome tune with great instruments, "Le fruit de la Peur", a very sophisticated song and "Allah Deus" where the melody does small jumps in my heart. Most of the other songs are also very worth listening. Two songs didn't really caught me: "Neuro-MArket" and "A la une" but hery were'nt bad at all.

As I wrote before it could be hard to get into Nemo's music. It's quite heavy music, and not very easy. The vocal style is also something I perhaps have to learn to understand. As a whole I am impressed by this record which has so much splendor and wise music. I really think you should try it if you want to try and hear what prog can be today. Four stars!

Report this review (#1061751)
Posted Friday, October 18, 2013 | Review Permalink
kev rowland
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Reviewer
5 stars It's is always a pleasure to be sent an album by one of my favourite bands, so when I heard that Nemo were releasing a double CD I knew that I was going to be in for a treat, and I wasn't wrong. These guys always put a lot of effort into how their release looks, and here we have a double digi-pak with a booklet, and great artwork. Interestingly, the painter is depicting a tree in full leaf in a field, but if one looks at the rear of the pack one can see that in fact the tree is dying, surrounded by empty oil drums and rubbish, while the ghost of a wolf and a person can be seen, as well as a goat and ravens. What does it all mean? One of the joys of Nemo for me is that I don't speak French, so the lyrics and melodies thereof become just another instrument and I listen to the album as a whole, instead of concentrating on the words.

Yet again, the guys have produced what I have now come to expect of them, namely a structured, layered, complex progressive rock which contains numerous elements and influences yet somehow is constructed in such a manner that is immediate and inviting. There are times when the mellotrons almost overpower the sound, then others when they are much more into a heavy prog area, with wonderfully emotive vocals throughout. There is power, there is passion, and if you ever want to hear a prog band put the hammer down then listen to "Un Pied Dans la Tombe" where they somehow keep the guitars in check just enough.

The music ebbs and flows, taking the listener on a musical journey, always with a clear direction and intent. Is that a hint of Muse I hear there, or Porcupine Tree here? Nemo have brought together many influences, as always, and created something that is all-encompassing and while highly structured always manages to contain a sense of freedom. I have heard that long-time bassist Lionel B. Guichard has just left the band, so it will be interesting to see how Nemo replace him as this quartet have yet again combined to bring some wonderful music to the world.

Report this review (#1074227)
Posted Friday, November 8, 2013 | Review Permalink
AtomicCrimsonRush
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Nemo's 'Le Ver Dans Le Fruit' is a lengthy prog album with very accomplished musicianship and French language. It has an a cappela opening, then cool metal riff locks in and some odd time sigs as a keyboard plays along. I am instantly hooked on the guitar riff, which had me coming back for more on Stipant Luporum and Trojan (Le ver dans le fruit). The French lyrics are of course unknown to me, but the music is a terrific soundscape. By the time Milgram, 1960 begins I found myself really getting into the music, that is so uplifting bright and melodic, like a French Flower Kings or Echolyn. The lead break is fabulous with incredibly dextrous keyboards and synth lines too. I wish I could understand the lyrics though as I kind of felt shut out but the music really drew me in.

On Verset XV we have a really spacey synth solo like lost in space meets prog. Neuro Market has some weird effects on the drums and an ELP sound on the keys, Emerson influences abound. The guitars kept a constant melody that flickered on an odd time sig. That guitar distortion is aggressive and I love that Hammond shimmer. The vocals are again unintelligible but sound pleasant. Le Fruit de la Peur has a great synth line intro and moves into piano and guitar finesse, so well executed. The vocals add a majestic almost romantic quality and there are some great melodies to hook into.

CD 2 opens with bright guitar phrases and striking keyboard soloing on A la une. The lead break screams and howls beautifully and the synth solos are brilliant. Terrific vocals cap off a stellar track. Triste fable opens with tranquil violin sounds, with a portentous atmosphere, helped by plucking guitar chords. It is a great sound that is generated and it builds to a guitar progression that flows along till we get to the odd timed rhythm. The instrumental section reminds me of the sound of King Crimson's Red in some ways. The song changes with a strong beat and buzzing synth lines. The vocals come in eventually and have a good sound. The bass is notable on this track and there is even a spoken word component.

Allah Deus is an uptempo high energy track with quirky rhythms and bright guitar phrases. The synth solo is frenetic and a very cool guitar riff dominates with a range of time sig changes. This is an outstanding instrumental with a refreshing original edge and some powerhouse keyboard playing. Opium clocks in at just over 9 minutes and opens with twanging folk acoustics, and builds into melodic pop style.

Arma Diania is the massive epic at 17.19 in length. The extended intro is a rhythmic guitar distortion and some punctuated off beats on drums and bass. The keyboard solo has a Gypsy vibe, and it settles into soft raspy vocals and minimalist music. A heavy riff cranks up and then some fast keyboard motifs and lead guitar with psychedelic reverberation. The time sig switches gears and a keyboard solo powers out. The long instrumental passage moves into quieter soundscapes, until distorted guitar riffs intervene and the main melody returns. A peaceful acoustic segment is joined by reflective vocals and some fine harmonies. More distorted guitar chops round off the epic and a final acoustic flourish bring it to an end.

Overall Nemo have a great album here with some wonderful songs and accomplished musical moments. The French lyrics may put some off but this album nevertheless deserves recommendation as one to listen to in an exceptional year for prog.

Report this review (#1082163)
Posted Wednesday, November 27, 2013 | Review Permalink
Warthur
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Nemo have had a great run of albums from at least Si Partie Part I, and Le Ver Dans le Fruit finds them taking their sound to the next level. Blessed with a lineup which has remained remarkably consistent (aside from their first album), here the band benefit from their lushest production yet, which in particular teases out the subtleties of Guillaume Fontaine's performance on keyboards.

Though this is a double album, each of the two discs have just over 40 minutes of music on, so it's more comparable to a double album of the vinyl era and avoids being one of those prog double CDs where the band crams both discs with as much material as possible simply for the sake of producing a very long album. Taste and care is shown within each composition too, with none of the pieces here - even epics like the 17 minute closing number Arma Diania - outstaying its welcome. Crammed with enchanting moments which seize the listener's attention, this album is perhaps Nemo's greatest achievement.

Report this review (#1110858)
Posted Thursday, January 9, 2014 | Review Permalink
Windhawk
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars French band NEMO was formed back in 1999. From 2002 and onwards this quartet has been among the more productive practitioners in the European progressive rock scene. As of 2014 they have one live album and eight studio productions to their name. "Le Ver Dans Le Fruit" is the most recent of these, and this double album was released through the German label Progressive Promotion Records in the fall of 2013.

"Le Ver Dans Le Fruit" is a solid double album by the French band Nemo, and one where they document their abilities to produce high-quality compositions where variety is the order of the day. Pace, intensity and expression are all elements that transform, develop or shift multiple times throughout, and even the recurring themes and motifs are subjects to alterations more often than not. The band does appear to have something of an affection for harder edged themes and arrangements, as well as a tendency to pair these off with sequences of a more delicate nature. A production well worth your time if you enjoy bands that will occasionally include everything and the kitchen sink, yet maintain accessible arrangements, incorporating elements familiar to fans of both hard rock and symphonic progressive rock.

Report this review (#1136554)
Posted Monday, February 24, 2014 | Review Permalink
Aussie-Byrd-Brother
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars This might be a tall claim, but I consider French band Nemo to be one of the hardest-working groups in modern prog! Their albums take weeks of replaying just to crack the surface, and you can spend months allowing all the little details to take hold. Their music is full of not only exceptional instrumental playing and charismatic vocals, but the compositions contain intricate arrangements, great variety and a welcome unpredictability. Certainly their albums represent the best value for money in my opinion because of how many listens you need to give each album to truly appreciate them. So imagine how daunting the prospect of a new double disc from them in the form of `Le Ver dans le Fruit' sounded!

With a title that translates to `the worm is in the fruit', it gives Nemo the perfect chance to display their typical perfect balance of light with dark. The band asks on their website "Are we being manipulated? Who would benefit from us, to follow pre-established rules? Careless. As sheep. Political parties? Religious organizations? Commercial companies? TV networks? Beware of everything, even NEMO...". Well, ignore that last bit, you can at least trust Nemo to deliver the prog goods! `Le Ver...' is their heaviest disc to date, yet still never quite hard enough to ever be considered metal, and over twelve lengthy tracks, the gloomy subject matter mentioned above gives the band plenty of opportunity to craft their moody, somber yet colourful and eclectic take on progressive rock for 92 glorious faultless minutes.

Nemo displays extreme confidence by opening the first disc on a group harmony a-capella, their lone voices weaving together before segueing into the darkly grooving `Trojan', a variety of menacing heavy riffs, wig-out synth runs, drums that hit like hammer blows and wailing electric guitar soling. Right from this start, there's already traces of those slightly sinister moods that bubble under most of their works, so wicked and addictive. Jean Pierre Louveton's voice contrasts seductive purrs with a gleeful licking of lips. The slinky groover `Milgrams 1960' jumps around, slows up and speeds down over and over around an extended searing electric guitar showcase also from Jean Pierre. `Verset XV' keeps up the Nemo tradition of the more sedate and thoughtful near-ballads found on their previous discs, and it's the first truly gut-wrenching moment on the album to connect with, while still maintaining some eerie grit to ensure you don't relax too much. Lovely pulsing heart-racing bass from Lionel B Guichard throughout this one too, and a perfectly executed build towards a brooding finale. `Un Peid Dans...' brings back some spiky guitar heaviness over icy synths and ghostly piano, with Jean Pierre alternating between hushed smooth croons and nice spitting snarls. `Neuro Market' is a pleasing standout for Guillaume Fontaine, his sneaking Hammond runs and intimidating piano glistens over some grinding heavy intensity. The almost 10 minute title track closes the first disc, a slow-burning and emotional piece with some surprisingly wistful moments, a scorching electric guitar solo and rising piano builds in the final minutes to end on a grand statement.

`A La Une' kicks the second disk off with a mix of heavy Rush-like grunt and jangling acoustic guitars with warm group harmonies that recall fellow modern band Porcupine Tree. There's a bluesy guitar and symphonic synth opening for `Triste Fable', with a lovely floating dreamy middle that again recalls Steven Wilson's above mentioned band. Instrumental `Allah Deus' is an absolute highlight of the disc, a playful run through day-glo Prince funk (Yes, Prince HAS been prog, check out `The Rainbow Children' and `N.E.W.S'!) with psychedelic Flower Kings nimble epic guitar runs while drummer Jean Baptiste Itier stomps up a storm. The band then eases up on the heaviness for one of the greatest moments to ever appear on a Nemo disc, the surprisingly victorious `Opium'. Beautiful murmuring bass, a soulful heartfelt vocal and some beautifully executed bristling extended guitar and synth soloing is truly joyous to experience, and there's an infectious positive vibe throughout the entire piece. The band then wrap on one of those long epics they do so well, the 17 minute `Arma Diania', a sublime mix of triumphant vocals, acoustic flavours, delicate piano, wild disorientating swirling synths, punchy drumming and spiky distorted electric energy that tear through a dizzying range of tempo and mood changes.

There's something wonderful about a band that is so reliable in delivering top quality progressive music that you can safely buy their new music without hearing a single second of it, and over the span of eight albums, Nemo have not only kept up a high standard, but just kept getting better and better. `Le Ver dans le Fruit' is their most impressive and defining work yet, and intelligent, varied modern progressive rock simply doesn't come any better than this.

Five stars.

Report this review (#1186166)
Posted Thursday, June 5, 2014 | Review Permalink
Progulator
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars If your looking for French prog with a hard rock/bluesy edge, Nemo's latest release, Le Ver Dans Le Fruit, should be your cup of tea. Songs like "Trojan" and "Milgram, 1960″ effectively incorporate hard edged bluesy rock, as well as Dream Theater-esque musings, while tracks like "un Pie Dans La Tumbe" deliver passionate solo work, constantly moving rhythm guitars, and effective melodic piano. I hope you're in for a long ride, since this is two discs, but it's well worth it to make it to the second one where I consider the highlights of the album to be. "A La Une" las down some solid, fresh riffing with fantastic groove, and the 80′s vibe and catchy vocals make the perfect combination. "Triste Fable" goes it bit more old school with a tron intro, and "Arma Diama" pounds out the epic length piece that every solid prog album should have: a full-on 17 minutes of prog, including loads of riffs, celtic inspired melodies, pizzacato strings, melodic lead guitars, and odd grooves. Although Le Vers Dans Le Fruit didn't leave a huge and lasting impression on me, there are certainly some great moments, particularly for those that love guitar rifs.
Report this review (#1287588)
Posted Saturday, October 4, 2014 | Review Permalink

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