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Ange - Caricatures CD (album) cover

CARICATURES

Ange

 

Symphonic Prog

3.78 | 160 ratings

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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator
Prog Folk
4 stars Just line Catherine Ribeiro + Alpes, Ange was one of those French groups where the labels disclaimed reasonability for the things said in the lyrics. Although Ange was formed two years before the release of their debut album, they were the result of melting Les Anges and Evolution into a special concert-spectacle in front of 1000 people for La Fantastique Epopée Du Général Machin ? knowing the Descamps bros, De Gaulle was probably aimed at ? but I have no idea if this was ever committed to tapes and released. If Jelsch and Brézovar were part of that adventure, as were the two Descamps brothers, the group changed bassist and Daniel Haas came in before the debut. When Caricatures did come out, the band had gained much confidence and was playing some bizarre French-sung symphonic prog with major dramatics and a certain medieval slant.

After the bizarre Crimsonian Biafra 80 (Biafra was the first televised/broadcasted African famine), the album plunges in deep with the schizophrenic Tels Quels, a repetititve slow-fast track that plays on words, but also overstays its welcome. The almost 10-mins Dignité is a very much symphonic with the two brothers on organs/piano and Brezo on flute and Brezo's guitar all working together on a medieval tone.

Opening the flipside opens with the superb le Soir Du Diable, where Jelsch's unrelenting drumming, is underlining a guitar melody and a superb organ answers the different verses. It is followed by the album's cornerstone, the almost 14 mins title track, starting on an a capella recitation of four very weird verses, before the music starts super-slow, building up gradually sometimes sounding like Yes or Genesis or even ELP in its huge central instrumental part before returning to the opening monologue but sung this time. The closing Biafra section (thus book-ending the album) is filled with electronic effects, courtesy of Francis and this has an almost Krautrock feel. Wild ending for an excellent debut album.

Certainly one of Ange's best album, Caricatures sounded fresh and groundbreaking, and I darte say that it is more enjoyable thann some of the group'slater classics, which might be a little too wordy. Recommended.

Sean Trane | 4/5 |

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