LE MYSTÈRE DU GUÉ PUCELLE

The French jazz-lite band is back with their third album release. Since their self-titled debut came out in 2015, Alco Frisbass' pseudo-Canterbury sound has received a fair amount of attention--even some acclaim among year-end top album lists. Here we have an album that sees the band's diversity in sound and complexity of sophistication in the composition department both taking nice steps forward.

1. "Le Mystère du Gué Pucelle" (10:13) glockenspiel and Mellotron open this before a organ, thick bass, and "flute" take this into the realms of retro heavy prog. Several changes in motifs and pace help to dispell any signs of monotony until 3:35 when a slow down and stop leads to a nice, gentle Fender Rhodes space section. By the end of the sixth minute, this has moved into a kind of slowed down Caravan motif. Then, in the seventh minute, we here more of an Alan Gowan sound before some Camel synth and Ray Manzarek/Doors-like Vox Contintental organ take over the soloing. Nice drumming behind the next synth soloing section. Another break takes us to the end bell. Nice despite the fact that the musical weave lost a bit of its whole-band-complexity in the second half weave. (17.25/20)

2. "Histoire diffuse" (9:55) some very nice melodies throughout this sone--from the opening to end--often giving this much more of a CAMEL sound than. Even the drumming is sounding like Andy Ward. The synth chord progression at the end of the eight minute is a blatant Camel steal! And what follows is definitely straight from Ryder /The Snow Goose. Still, it is a very pleasant song ten minutes to while away. Probably my favorite Alco Frisbass song ever. (18/20)

3. "Sélénite" (9:14) opens as a bouncy jazz number with a chunky prog bass. Synth, guitar, and Hammond take turns leading the weave until the one minute mark when saw-guitar takes the first real lead. This is then followed by a different guitar. The keys here have quite an Alan Gowan kind of feel--especially in the chord progressions. This could be quite a nice Gilgamesh or even National Health song. The melodies throughout--even in the solos--feel kind of upbeat and light--like something you might hear at a county fair--yet most of the solos feels more mathematically contrived instead of emotional. This would not be a bad thing were the song to rise to some kind of crescendo of tension and then release, but it never really does. Still, very nice, melodic song with great sounds used throughout (though, again, I hear some pretty blatant steals from Camel). Another all-time top three AF song. (17.75/20)

4. "Pulsar" (7:18) chunky bass jumping all over the fretboard is joined by a bouncy Eumir Deodato-like Fender Rhodes before a Phil Miller/Hatfield guitar joins in with the drums. Great soundscape with very engaging, excellent melody lines including sitar and vocalise from guest Jean-Luc Payssan. (13.25/15)

5. "Alchemical Corpus" (8:05) a fast-tempo, countrified song that sound as if Waterloo Lily-era Caravan were trying to create music for a computer game; it sounds like the soundtrack to Donkey Kong! I just can't get past the ridiculous sound and my associations to them in order to get into the music and their compositional and/or instrumental merits. A throw away song that, to my mind, belongs on a progressive rock album about as much as a piece of coal belongs in a salad. (9/15)

Total Time 44:45

I must say, the band has really improved its compositional level--as well as their continued imitation and emulation of the 1970s Canterbury sounds and styles.

C+/3.5 stars; were it not for that final wastrel, this would be my favorite of the three Alco Frisbass album releases. Take "Alchemical Corpus" away, and this would be a highly recommended listening experience for any and every lover of prog music.

Alco Frisbass really outdid themselves creating a truly wonderful masterpiece of retro-prog. They seem to be keeping that three year pattern of releasing new albums. Le Mystère du Gué Percelle continues the same format as their previous two but I really think they improved it further due to a beefier production. One again they keep you wondering what they'll do next, everything from Canterbury type passages (I've seen them referred to as a Canterbury band but not me although that element frequently surfaces) to analog synth solos to symphonic prog guitar passages, whatever in the world of prog that sounded good to these guys you'll find here. Plus, once again a member of Minimum Vital, Jean-Luc Paysson makes a guest appearance but most of the work is from Patrick DuFour, Fabrice Chouette, and Frédéric Chaput. These guys continue to blow me away by their brand of prog. I love their use of analog synths and keyboards. While you can't go wrong with any of their three, this is their best, as far as I'm concerned!

ALCO FRISBASS from Rennes, France is an interesting prog band that has found its niche skirting several progressive rock genres yet finding a new sound that exists somewhere in the cracks between. Originally existing as the multi-instrumentalist duo of Fabrice "Chfab" Chouette (keyboards, guitar, vocals, recorder, percussion) and Patrick "Paskinel" Dufour (Fender Rhodes, keyboards, drum programming, chimes) as well as a roster of guest musicians, beginning on the band's second release "Le Bateleur," ALCO FRISBASS has essentially become a trio with the addition of Frédéric "Tourneriff" Chaput (bass, electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards, synths & Modular, percussion).

Eclectically incorporating jazz-fusion and Canterbury Scene sounds with hard rock, symphonic prog and avant-prog, these guys have cranked out some excellent instrumental works (no vocals to be found) and in 2021 have released the third album LE MYSTÈRE DU GUÉ PUCELLE which in addition to the trio listed above features Jean-Luc Payssan on classical guitar, sitar, mandolin and wordless voices which are barely detectable. This album features five tracks with a classic vinyl playing length of just under 45 minutes. While there are interesting nuances which keep ALCO FRISBASS in its own world, for the most part LE MYSTÈRE DU GUÉ PUCELLE falls into the world of jazz-fusion and reminds me most of a long list of jazz-fusion bands of late 1970s Germany that placed emphasis on jamming and improvisation.

While comparisons to National Health and the Canterbury legends have been made, it seems that the Canterbury connection is closest to that of Gilgamesh which featured a light breezy sorta jazz-fusion style in classic Canterbury form whereas some of the symphonic prog attributes seem to have come from the Anglagard world although pastoral folky parts a la classic Genesis and even Caravan can be heard from time to time. Exclusively instrumental with a few wordless vocal parts mostly on "Pulsar," this album navigates the world of jazz-fusion with extra flavorings sprinkled in to keep things humming along. Only the opening title track exceeds ten minutes with the others hovering between 7 and 10 which means there is plenty of time to jam and improvise!

Overall LE MYSTÈRE DU GUÉ PUCELLE is a very retro sounding album reminding me of many of the Kraut fusion bands of the 1970s including Et Cetera, From, Passport, Sunbirds, Catch Up, Munju and even at times the more rock oriented side of Kraan. This is indeed a pleasant album to chill out to but in the end it doesn't have enough original content to distinguish itself from countless other similar acts that have come and gone over the decades. Pleasant and pleasing but ultimately there's not really a lot here that would make me want to come back for repeat visits. Let's face it. The bar has been raised substantially in the 2020s for all kinds of prog and to simply go through the motions without radically forging new paths will get you lost in the crowded house of newcomers. Definitely a band worth checking out of fusion lovers.

3.5 rounded down

The mystery goes on. What ford are ALCO FRISBASS crossing on this occasion? Mind you, they are getting better and better with every new album. Five new tricky songs delivered by this French trio in 2021, intensively Canterbury flavoured again. I would dare to say that Patrick Dufour, Fabrice Chouette and Frédéric Chaput are representing the non plus ultra concerning compositional skills. The tracks are instrumental all the way through, albeit Jean-Luc Payssan is guesting with a little chant contribution plus special guitar stuff. Though overall the music is very keyboard laden, okay, as it is quite usual for such a stylistical weight. Since the very start in 2015 with their eponymously named debut album they are relying on the drum programming. For one or two a deduction at source. But honestly, if you would not know that ... well, it's perfectly arranged, for me there's nothing to complain.

This is provided with some hints reminding me of Partner, Instant Curtain, Argos, and the proggy incarnation of Caravan. The title track Le Mystère Du Gué Pucelle opens the album, that unpredictable flow is immediately impressing. Especially due to the unbelievable keyboard presence. Melancholic Rhodes piano and organ are dueting for some time, swirling synths and symphonic orchestral strings are interfering later, aso aso. Variety and richness at the maximum. They don't repeat themselves here, just take the following Histoire Diffuse. My personal highlight for now, maybe because the flow is a bit space rock infected, tending towards the band Gong or so. Sélénite comes in jazz tinged, where Pulsar initiates with a vivid bass line. This trio is convincing all the way through. Following their 2018 masterpiece 'Le Bataleur' they actually did it again.

3.5 stars. This is album number three from this trio out of France. Beginning as a duo they have used programmed drums right from the start and continue to do so. They might be the best at it though as it took me a long time to realize it on their debut. I am such a fan of this band with three guys all playing synths and keyboards then add guitar, bass and some real percussion from these multi-instrumentalists. This is the first album of theirs that didn't click with me right away, I feel it doesn't end well with those last two tracks but I also feel the first three tunes are a very solid 4 stars worth of material.

So they are inconsistent for the first time in my musical world and they have Jean-Luc Payssan from MINIMUM VITAL adding guitar, vocals, sitar and mandolin on the second last track "Pulsar" and he changes their sound and not always for the best but I do like the vocal melodies he offers up. His brother Thierry also from MINIMUM VITAL guested on ALCO FRISBASS' first two records so I guess they thought they'd give brother some love. I'm really not into the country-ish guitar on that closer or the fake drums which I feel get exposed on energetic songs. Having brought up the negative stuff I need to mention what I have always loved about this band and that's the mellotron and distorted canterbury organ, and both are featured very well on the opening three tunes.

So this was a tough one to rate for me but in the end I'm happy to focus my listening of this band to their first two records which are both very good to say the least. The first two were released on Fading Records while this one was self-released and I really like the packaging with the pictures of the instruments and so on.