SI ON AVAIT BESOIN D'UNE CINQUIÈME SAISON

I return to this website after - another - long hiatus and it is to post a review that I felt was important, seeing as I am in the minority that is lukewarm to this album. Is this the most overrated album on this website or what? It's beautiful in a manner of speaking, inoffensive and warm but do you have to listen to a progressive rock album for THAT? It's too 'happy' to move me, nor is it so bouncy and ecstatic that it gives me a pick-up after a hard day's work. The music is technically beyond reproach but it is also lacking in any chutzpah or imagination or well the sort of imagination that would make me sit up and notice in a progressive rock album. Not one movement grabbed me or surprised me, it is so comfortingly familiar that it puts me to sleep and I don't consider that a positive attribute in my music. I don't understand French but that's not really a factor in forming my opinion because firstly I don't attach too much importance to lyrics in progressive music and am more interested in the compositional effort. Secondly, there's nothing in the singing that affects me in a bad way. Unfortunately, like the rest of the album, it doesn't affect me in a positive way, it sounds nice and sweet that's all. I have noticed bands that make glorified (extreme should we say??) elevator music like Opeth or Agalloch get a lot of praise these days for their work and used to think it was a modern phenomenon. Now I know I was wrong, it is a phenomenon that pervades the 70s too. Too good to put down, but not good enough to get my thumbs-up either. 3 stars is all I give.