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CD/DVD Releases: New November and December Titles From Musea Records

Posted on Sunday, December 29 @ 15:27:54 UTC by nightowl

In the past couple of months, Musea Records have released or are distributors of a ton of titles. So here's a round up:

Ange - La Gare De Troyes (Musea digisleeve edition) - Ange is undoubtedly the most popular French Progressive Rock band. Their music is based on the typical melodramatic voice of Christian DeCamps , powerful organ sounds of his brother Francis, as well as on the development of themes medieval, energetic and intense. The formation invented their own style, both epic and delirious, mixing madness, emotions and exacerbated feelings. This poetic French rock has taken shape since the formation of the group in 1969 (En Concert 1970-1971 contains unreleased tracks from the first period , especially the rock opera "L'Epopée Du Général Machin," with the first bassists and guitarists in the group) and was formalized on Caricatures , their first album released three years later. Le Cimetière Des Arlequins, released twelve months later, is the most popular triptych of Progressive rock from DeCamps brothers: Au-Delà Du Délire , published in 1974 , Emile Jacotey in 1975 and Par Les Fils De Mandrin in 1976.

Undisputed leaders of the French rock scene in the mid-seventies, Ange could not be satisfied with only the success in its own heaven. Of course, foreign audiences appreciated the group, but more for their "exotic" use of the French language than for its real talent in composition. Here is the context that led the band to By The Sons Of Mandrin literal translation of Par Les Fils De Mandrin (1976), one of their major opuses in their discography . We are therefore in the presence of a real feature in the career of Ange. For reasons that are lost in history and one which only the charismatic Christian DeCamps could lift the veil, this album has never emerged. It stayed well back in the drawers of Universal, until Musea had the good idea to invest its time and energy to finally get this gem released. Theatricality and excess, the group expressed this fully, the favorite playground of the charismatic singer Christian DeCamps.

Find three unique documents on DVD Seventies-Eighties : a live performance on location for Swiss television in 1976 (with interview), a concert in Lorraine and the following year the famous show at the Zenith in Paris in 1985.

Ange was undoubtedly the most famous French group in the seventies, and Tome VI (1977), a live album documents this period . Nearly twenty -six years after finally released, the highly anticipated En Concert - Par les Fils De Mandrin Millésimé 1977 : it contains a live performance dedicated to the album Par Les Fils De Mandrin (1976). We are at the pinnacle of the group, both artistically and commercially . Coincidentally, Ange begins a new tour that was also dedicated to this album, the fifth line. To the delight of many fans, the legendary concert of October 25, 1987 at the Zenith in Paris (Under L'Evénement, produced by Lionel Baillemont, Martin Circus being the headliner) Is now available under the title Tome 87, with the official blessing of Christian DeCamps and fanclub Un Pied Dans La Marge! This is also an opportunity to discover a live rendition of the famous "Le Nain De Stanislas" for the first time on record, a great moment of happiness! At their best, the brothers Christian & Francis DeCamps (respectively singer and keyboardist) are happy to get their old friends Jean-Michel Brezovar (guitar ), Daniel Haas (bass) and Jean-Pierre Guichard (drums) to help out. This enthusiasm translates into an almost spiritual communion with the public, most happy to hear again the theatrical Progressive rock. Adding that "Tome 87" exclusive video bonus track (viewable on your computer) , an interview with the charismatic Christian DeCamps carried out in December 2001! Here is a work to be savored like a feast, a feast which is not for sale...

Time has not prevented Ange to remain an incredible live band, capable of mobilizing a large and enthusiastic audience. The DVD Anthologie - Segrave;ve Qui Peut demonstrates this vividly! Both sides of the mythical concert Mulhouse in April 1990 finally restored: the album Sève Qui Peut in its entirety, followed by some of the best songs written by Ange. Everything is completed by ten minutes of photo archives, narrated by Christian DeCamps himself.

The excellent live album Tome VI (1977 ) allows us to rediscover the best songs of the era with great exuberance and energy of our buddies on stage. Recorded the same year, Guet-Apens (1977) includes the epic sequel Cap'tain Coeur De Miel, which reached nearly 14 minutes. Like the first album and the last two, Vu D'Un Chien (1980), Moteur! (1981), A Propos De... (1982) & La Gare de Troyes (1983) are available again after too long years of absence . Thereafter, Ange inexorably slipping into a music of course quality, approaching more of a certain variety of rock in vogue during the eighties. The group, however, will be reborn in the next decade, which will give them the opportunity to provide Séve Qui Peut & Les Larmes Du Dalaï-Lama in good order in 1990 & 1992, and perform a farewell tour in 1995. The latter was documented on the excellent double album Un Petit Tour Et Puis S'En Vont captured on 17 and 24 May 1995 in Lille and Mulhouse, now reissued by the Musea label.

Today , Christian DeCamps & Son reignited the torch successfully ... In the year 2009, the Musea label launches a new remastered albums in a Digisleeve collection, reproducing the CD format wallets of the original vinyl. The last to undergo this treatment of choice is none other than Gare de Troyes.

Big Big Train - English Electric: Full Power - Big Big Train is a British band whose music is part of the line from Genesis and Pink Floyd. This band mixes the effectiveness of a powerful dynamic rock style, incisive guitar riffs with some talent to make endearing melodies like Galahad and Pendragon. Airy vocals and varied blend perfectly with the layers keyboards and delicate piano chords. Gathering Speed (2004) is a conceptual album to a pilot of the Second World War , which invites the audience to an artistic flight to through atmospheric sounds. It combines a classic rock and contemporary artistic influences. Big Big Train took an important milestone in his career with The Difference Machine (2007), climbing up a few notches in a particular hierarchy. It must be said that the British band knows how to choose his guests carefully. The presence of Nick D'Virgilio behind the drums is definitely not for anything in this qualitative leap, besides he also invited his friend Dave Meros to share the post invited, along with another big name of the instrument, bassist Pete Trewavas (Marillion). In short, it is not a coincidence that the sound and inspiration are reconciled to Spock's Beard standards. This trend continues with The Underfall Yard (2009), a magnificent opus, concluding with a track more than 22 minutes long. Besides the introduction of a new singer, one finds happiness with Nick D' Virgilio back in the game, alongside Francis Dunnery (It Bites) and Jem Godfrey (Frost*) . But this is almost a detail faced with such a musical success . Essential! Rightly acclaimed as one of the most beautiful successes of 2009, The Underfall Yard shows Big Big Train definitively settled as a force to be reckoned with on the board of Progressive rock. Presented as a break before the next studio album, Far Skies Deep Time will probably do nothing to dispute this fact! Published the following year, this release of forty minutes reached its peak with a title more than 17 minutes long, "The Wide Open Sea." Note the presence of Nick D' Virgilio, now faithful behind the drums and the guitar guest appearance a certain Dave Gregory guitarist XTC. Essential again!

In 2012, the band released English Electric, Part One and followed that in 2013 with English Electric, Part Two. English Electric: Full Power is a 2CD edition, combining both albums plus four new tracks. The package - a deluxe casebound digibook - features also a 96-page booklet.

Johannes Bauer, Isabelle Dutholt, Luc Ex - Bouge - The lyrical flights of telluric clarinetist and singer Isabelle Duthoit, furious growls from dandy of the trombone Johannes Bauer trombone and electrified zebra of Luc Ex - mythical founder of the Dutch band The Ex: an exciting musical alchemy, wild by the melodies, furious in dynamic, steep in impacts and disruptions, lively and joyful engagement in the moment - recorded at the studio of national CCAM Vandoeuvre-scene and during the 28th edition of the Festival Musique Action. [and yes, from Musea's original French, it did translate as zebra; not sure what it means though - ed.]

Pierre Clavreux - This Something - This Something is an invitation to travel offered to you by Pierre Clavreux and designed by Pierre and Stéphane Bonacci. Mixed with language, Stéphane's haunting sounds draw you into this world where everyone finds the dreams they carry in themselves. For fans of conceptual albums, one can find references such as Tricky, Radiohead, Pink Floyd or Magma. With this album's kinematics, it lets you transport into the dimension of "That Something" and you do turn This Something into your own story.

Sylvain Del Campo - Fukushima - In 2011, saxophonist Sylvain Del Campo formed a new group alongside organist Laurent Coulondre and drummer Pierre-Alain Tocanier. With this project and after forty concerts in France, they recorded a new album in April 2012. On this disc and the ten original songs written by Sylvain Del Campo will be found as a guest guitarist Manu Codjia. From album to album, Sylvain Del Campo continues quietly and digs his groove, true to his aesthetic choices. It is close to Vincent Herring and Kenny Garrett, which he fully assumes the stylistic heritage. In this quartet and around his own compositions is a high-class alto whose supple and elegant game is a rare refinement. Themes marked bearings, climb the son [? -ed.] of an imaginary conductor who operates in a crescendo sequenced by strata. This group is truly rooted in the great tradition of guitar-sax quartets and turns out to be the bearer of hard work by its creator, and an immeasurable love for his choice of actors. With the aesthetics and precision of improvised phrasing Sylvain Del Campo reminds us of a Kenny Garrett at high times, that is to say outside a real mature game.

Em Remes Sini Band - Rock Uff Elsässisch - Inventors of rock sung in Alsace, this group of four friends (originally Raymond in the Remes dialect) are Raymond Schlegel on drums, Raymond Koefer on guitar, Claude Haas on vocals and Pierre Friederich on bass. Discovered by the record label Musi-Al founded by Roger Siffer and Francis Adam, Em Remes Sini Band recorded 2 albums in 1979 and 1981. After a change within the group (Raymond Schlegel always on drums, Raymond Koefer on the bass, Jean-Marie Schmitt on guitar and vocals by Claude Haas) Omega Studio signed them for their 3rd LP: the culmination of their art: 100% original compositions Remes (music and text). The public and the media love this vinyl which has been edited for first time as a CD that fully respects this incredible sound of the time.

Kerrs Pink - Mystic Spirit - Kerrs Pink is one of the few Norwegian bands that chose to play Progressive rock music. But what a great choice it was! Since the second part of the Seventies and their first eponymous album (1980), the group led by Harald Lytomt and Jostein Hansen mixes Scandinavian folklore and refined English art-rock music in the manner of Camel (Mirage-era). The following year, Mellom Oss pursued and bettered this subtle blend, with even more symphonic sounds. All titles were re-recorded by the group (for better sound quality) to be included on the Musea reissue, along with six bonus-tracks. Reformed in 1989, Kerrs Pink worked on A Journey On The Inside (1993), a concept-album full of strength and experience. Art Of Complex Simplicity (1997) offers themes stamped by great melodic and instrumental beauty, with superb guitar and keyboards parts. This fresh and pastoral music reminds of Kebnekaise, Ragnarök or today's Camel. Tidings (2002) is their fifth album, with a new lead singer (and splendid female backing vocals), and a second keyboardist. The band's music has always been a clever and subtle mix of Scandinavian folk music (some melodies and rhythms), and Progressive rock music. Here is one of the musicians' best work, sophisticated and dynamic. Their music has lost nothing of its freshness and sincerity, but also now reveals a very professional talent for arrangements and playing. Beautiful melodies, nice guitar soli, ambitious musical structures: mixing influences like Camel or Pink Floyd amongst others, Kerrs Pink offers us an exceptional album, with a beautiful booklet and an excellent production. Not to be missed!

Mystic Spirit is the band's latest, released in Fall 2013. Kerrs Pink are currently Eirikur Hauksson on vocals (also of Magic Pie), Harald Lytomt on guitar, Per Langsholt on bass, Glenn Fosser on keyboards and Magne Johansen on drums.

Cyril Lefebvre et son Ensemble Moderne - Vibrato - Almost one year ago, Musea/Gazul reissued in its "Les Zut-O-Pistes" series, Cocaine Blues by Cyril Lefebvre. During this autumn, his third album, Vibrato is also reissued. It was recorded in 1979 with three remarkable veterans of the French underground: Guigou Chenevier (Etron Fou Leloublan, Les Batteries, Volapük...), Jean-Pierre Grasset (Verto), Jean-Pierre Arnoux (Mahjun) and the Hawai'ian guitar virtuoso Harry Hougassian. We were lucky enough to be able to add six bonus tracks to this reissue, recorded with some best names from the Free Music scene, Mike Cooper, Lol Coxhill, Steve Beresford; and from the Rock scene: Elliott Murphy, Ernie Brooks, Joseph Racaille.

Mahya - Their Sanitaric Maternities Request - Mahya is the name of a current Japanese outfit, led by Dave 'Dogface' Kawamura. Along with Ohtani Masanori and Aketagawa Mitsuru, the leader of folk-rock band Homunculus performs a different kind of music here. Firmly rooted in the experimental genre, Mahya uses Mellotron, Ondes Martenot, 43microtone-organ, flute and many percussion instruments, in a very artisanal way. The band also shows a certain sense of humour, with a title Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. would have been proud of: Their Sanitaric Maternities Request. Published in the year 2013 on the Musea Parallèle label, this album features seen titles worth listening to. To be discovered!

Orion - Mémoires Du Temps - Orion performs Progressive rock music, with some folk influences, close to French groups such as Mona Lisa or Atoll, but also Gryphon. Reissued by Musea, La Nature Vit, L'Homme Lui Critique... (1979) is a very sought-after collector reissued with a new cover by Jean-Jacques Killian (Grime) and, as bonus, two titles from the band's single-LP. 33 years after the release of its first album La Nature Vit, L’Homme Lui Critique ..., which has become a highly sought collector (reissued in 1993 by the label Musea), Orion is back with a second album entitled Mémoires Du Temps. Their main influences have remained unchanged : Gentle Giant, Camel, King Crimson, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Yes... Orion lies somewhere between these groups, with its own style. It's a very accomplished album you will listen to, over and over again ...

Ouija - Addiction - As Ouija boards conjure spirits – Ouija the group conjures the demons of prog rock! In this their first album the trio transport us into their musical universe with sophisticated but accessible arrangements. Addiction is an explosion of musical influences. The work of Robert Fripp (working with David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Andy Summers and The Police...) has had a huge impact on the music of the trio. In this album Ouija evoke the haunting spirit of King Crimson, Yes, Genesis and the power of a band like Tool ... A MUST for all prog rock fans!!!!!

Bernard Ros - Carnet De Voyage - French guitarist Bernard Ros made a strong impression in Philharmonie, the band created by Frédéric L'Epee after Shylock, especially by the use of Warr Guitar. Now established as a solo musician, in the true sense of the term, our man reveals himself as a disciple of a soft and etheral music, based on improvisation and loops. The works by Robert Fripp (With Brian Eno), or the piling up by Guillermo Cides, may come to mind. Published on the Dreaming label in the year 2013, the first opus by Bernard Ros is named Carnet De Voyage, here are five long compositions, never boring, always thrilling, that should enchant the listener. To be discovered!

Silvertrain - Which Platform, Please? - Hard-Rock group that formed in Alsace in 1978 with a song by Philippe Yborra (Phil York), guitar by Christian Fischbach (Chris Lane, who appears to have passed away this year according to the Encyclopaedia Metallum), bass by Martin Schwentzel (Martin Fox), and Christian Kintz (Christian Badger). Discovered by label Music-Al (music Alsace-Lorraine), founded in 1978 by Roger and Francis Siffer Adam, the group signed their first album, at 30 minutes, Which Platform, Please? in 1979: Rock with texts in English, followed by a single at 17 minutes and 2 titles in 1981. This CD includes two vinyl + bonus a concert in Nancy (3 unreleased tracks). Well received by the public and the media was the first Silvertrain and they played a premeire parties by bands like Motorhead, Rose Tatoo and others and their own concerts throughout France. They legally separated 1983.

Skeem - ...Just Suggesting - Neo Progressive rock is a musical style dominated by Great-Britain since the Eighties. While its historic bands IQ and Pendragon keep on with their careers with a true success, numerous modern line-ups try to perpetuate this now tradition. If the Dutch and Italians were able to significantly erode this monopoly, the French are still waiting... Arrakeen was the sole exception to this rule and got a relative success in the early Nineties. Nowadays, Skeem goes for it again, and with great style ! Not only does it have excellent vocal lines in English (comparable to Jadis's Gary Chandler), but also Serge Barbaro himself performs excellent keyboards and guitar parts that can remind both of Sylvain Gouvernaire and Nick Barrett. The line-up also includes a perfect rhythm section for it, given that it's no less than that of... Priam!!! Do we still have to add something else?...

Soixante Etages - Lumpen Orchestra - Eighth record production of Soixante Etages, a group established in 1982 by Ana Ban, Lumpen Orchestra demonstrates a unique position in the landscape of contemporary alternative rock, confirming the desire to play with words and sounds. Unpretentious but beautiful insights! A multitude of references and direct or indirect homage through this new proposal, where large feathers conjure a musical universe that could surprise, but perhaps not. The debate is open. This production was made with the participation exceptional Hugo Roussel (guitar) and Henri "Jules" Julien (with original text and sounds) and quotes more or less supported but rarely involuntary of Louise Labe and Colette Magny, Else Lasker -Schüler, Paul Celan, Heiner Müller, William Shakespeare ... but as John Cage, John Cale, Pascal Comelade, Soixante Etages, Gun Club, Richard Huelsenbeck , Christian Marclay, Nico, Walter Ruttmann, The Stooges, David Thomas, Ut, Alan Vega, Tom Verlaine, Muddy Waters, Neil Young ... and all this in 34'45, of course.

TAPROBAN - Strigma - Taproban is an Italian Progressive Rock Trio formed by Gianluca De Rossi on keyboards, Roberto Vitelli on bass, guitars, bass pedals, and synthesizer, and Francesco Pandico on drums and percussion. The new line-up's aim from 2012 was to close up the four elements tetralogy. Started in 2002 with the album Ogni Pensiero Vola, inspired to the Bosco di Bomarzo carved-in-stone statues (Earth), and continued with Outside Nowhere in 2004, this time dedicated to space explorations (Air), and Posidonian Fields in 2006, inspired to the ocean abyss as a metaphor of human subconscious (Water), the elements tetralogy had to close up with the fourth element of Fire, this time associated to the female figure. The new album, in fact, will be titled Strigma, from the two Latin words strix (witch) and stigma (brand) The Brand Of The Witch. It will start with the track "Nesia Al Notturno Congresso Delle Streghe" about a 12 year old girl processed and condemned to death by the Saint Inquisition as a Demon slave, after having occasionally taken part in a Sabbath. Beautiful and terrible, she will rise again from her own ashes, like a Phoenix, to revenge herself against her dull and bigoted persecutors. In "Lo Sguardo Di Emily" the Fire turns on as Love and Passion. A girl and a boy are railing on parallels railways, but in opposite directions. Watching out the train windows, they look at each other in just one moment and they fall in love… The track is the story of that moment… The third track is a suite titled "La Porta Nel Buio," and it's about loneliness, considered as a place to find ourselves and an opportunity to mature and fortify our own convictions and intentions.

Although King Crimson are not mere footnotes, readers of this site - well, older readers of this site - should know who the band are. Many of their titles have seen re-release of late - remastered by Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson. One of many outlets to get your hands on the remastered versions is Musea, who highlighted in November Red [one of my favorites, by the way -ed.] and Larks' Tongue In Aspic. No less unnoteworthy is mention of Mostly Autumn's 2CD / DVD release of Live At The Boerderij, recorded September 15, 2012 and released earlier this year, now available via Musea.

Plus: From Bam Balam - Acid Mothers, Guru Guru, Gong - Pink Lady Lemonade (Sticky Tongue Dada Licks) Part 1 & 2, Shane Faubert - Line In The Sand (CD and LP), Shober's Cabinet - Term I, Kawabata Makato - We're One-Sided Lovers Each Other, Kawabata Makoto Et À Qui Avec Gabriel - Ame No Tsurugi

From Gentle Art Of Music: Crystal Palace - The System Of Events, Panzerballet - Live At Theatron Munich, and Schizofrantik - The Knight On The Shark'; From Planetworks: Fairport Convention with Sandy Denny - Ebbets Field 1974, Steve Hogarth - H - Naked In The Chapel, The Residents - Play Wormwood - Curious Stories From The Bible; and from ProgRock Records: Nine Stones Close - Falling To Pieces, and a pair from Odin's Court, Appalachian Court and The Warmth Of Mediocrity.

[Source: Musea Records]

Posted in Album Release News

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