GEORGES GRÜNBLATT

This was Georges Grunblatt's only solo album released back in 1980. Georges was with Richard Pinhas right from the start of the band HELDON adding mellotron, synths and a second guitar to the sound of that great band. In fact if you look at the album cover of HELDON's debut you'll see Georges and Richard. He's a multi-instrumentalist who plays sax, piano, synths, moog bass taurus and organ on this release. He's enlisted the help of pretty much the whole HELDON band as we get Richard Pinhas playing guitar, synths and moog, Francois Auger on drums and sequencers, Didier Batard on bass and Patrick Gauthier on minimoog. Michel Ettori who was Gauthier's band mate from WEIDORJE adds guitar. I was surprised to see that Harald Konietzko from THIRSTY MOON plays bass on the final track, that's pretty cool.

"Variana" is the only track not composed by Georges as Pinhas created this one. It's just the two of them like on HELDON's debut. Piano to start as the synths create atmosphere. Pinhas comes in at 2 minutes on the guitar as the piano and synths continue. That guitar melody will come and go throughout this song. Piano only before 4 1/2 minutes but then guitar then a full sound returns quickly. A good start.

"Vent D'Ether" is a top three for me and it opens with Gauthier's minimoog as Georges comes in with background synths. A beat with bass before 2 minutes then guitar from Ettori as it builds. The guitar gets a little nasty before 5 minutes. Nice. The guitar is prominent the rest of the way. "Wobberlee Walk" is another top three. The wind is blowing hard to start as a beat with synths and more join in. This is darker with a lot of depth including organ, synths and effects. Some sax in this one as well as this is the only track without guitar. It's windy with synths to end it.

"Loople De Loop" is an electronic sounding tune to start until it kicks into gear and the drums, bass and synths stand out here. Love the fuzzed out bass from Batard. Guitar before 1 1/2 minutes. It's almost funky here as the guitar returns lighting it up. So much going on the rest of the way. I swear I hear cello here even though it's not credited, and Georges has played that instrument with HELDON. "Far Out" is the final track and my last top three. I love when the sound brightens just before 1 1/2 minutes. Amazing section with the synths and drums leading the way. The melancholic guitar from Pinhas is incredible starting before 3 minutes. Love that tone.

There's nothing here I haven't heard before yet I'm strangely drawn to this release. It doesn't hurt that some of my favourite musicians are involved with this album.