LE DERNIER MOT

Inside the CD-booklet you can read that "This record is the final release by PHILHARMONIE. What a shame, especially as this is a really exciting album with great all-instrumental compositions, performed by three technically good musicians. The music that is based on guitars is a mixture of Progressive rock and RIO. There are reminiscences to KING CRIMSON and SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA / VON ZAMLA.

The album has very high-class compositions, and there's not a weak track. The production and the sound quality are also top notch.

The band disbanded in October 1997, and this fifth and final album was recorded between March and August, 1998 at Studio 26, Antibes, France, and it is a great way of saying good-bye to their audience. Recommended!

A truly marvelous album that deserves the attention of anyone interested in rock fusion played with aplomb. Unclassifiable and deeply ensconced in stellar musicianship, these fellas don't mess around, demonstrating the wonderful possibilities of the fusion format seasoned with modern minimalism and slight Fripperrifics. One of the finest bands to emerge from France in the 90s, perhaps ever, Philharmonie's swan song comes with my highest recommendation and it is truly a shame they've parted.

PHILHARMONIE was the project of guitarist Frederic L'Epee fresh off his two album stint with the great band SHYLOCK in the late seventies. When that band folded Frederic went to a Conservatory to study harmony, counterpoint and compositions and upon completion of that he formed this band who had a five album run in the 90's. After this album (translated "The Final Word") Frederic formed YANG with his drummer here from PHILHARMONIE. YANG has released three studio albums so far. Of the ten albums that L'Epee was on that these three bands released the second SHYLOCK album(Fever Island") is my favourite of all followed by "A Complex Nature" by YANG both are fairly dark and heavy albums at times. This particular PHILHARMONIE album is the best that they did in my opinion and it's more let's just say discreet sounding where they all hold back from being showy. Not a lot of breakouts but mostly that KING CRIMSON style with L'Epee doing his best Fripp interpretation which is the common denominator of these three bands.

I really like the "sound" of this album as this three piece play drums, Warr guitar and Frederic playing bowed and plucked strings as it says in the liner notes. There's a lot of discipline(pardon the pun) on this album where they keep things in line. And while I prefer the darker and heavier sounds of "Fever Island" and "A Complex Nature" this is an album that brings a lot of satisfaction to me musically. Again it's that "sound". And in light of this we get an album where there really isn't even some standout tracks for me, this is all good and it clocks in at under 48 minutes over seven songs. It was that opener though that moved me to put this on my play list last week. Sounds build as drums join the guitars and the contrasts will continue throughout this track. As I mentioned earlier KC's "Discipline" is a marker for what we have here with the intricate, complex guitars and really good drum work. Clearly Frederic's schooling helped so much here when it comes to composition and counterpoint especially.

Of SHYLOCK, PHILHARMONIE and YANG I would have to say I lean towards SHYLOCK followed by YANG then PHILHARMONIE. Headphone music right here.