Nathan Mahl - Parallel Eccentricities and The Clever Use Of Shadows
	Released: 1997, 1998 Label: NMA Cat. No.: NMA 003 / Total Time: 60:51
	Review courtesy John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, February 2000 The to me totally unknown Canadian band Nathan Mahl has found a very original way indeed to introduce themselves to the unsuspecting public. The band has been based around the figure of keyboard player Guy LeBlanc. Fifteen years ago the music you'll hear was only to be found in the man's brain, yet it was almost three years ago that around five compositions were put onto the Parallel Eccentricities CD. In order to clear the mist around this mysterious band, the members decided it would be a good idea to create a hybrid CD. That means that owners of a computer with CD-ROM drive (are there still PC's out there without CD-ROM?), will receive tons of information, pics, etc… on the same disc. However the strength of this four-piece has to be found in their original music which contains a royal amount of fusion combined with a healthy look at the progressive landscape. I hear fragments of Happy the Man, a pinch of Zappa, a teaspoon of ELP, and soapboxes full of technical know-how and fusion. On the contrary to why you might think, the band has not forgotten rock in their package! This is even more present on the band's second CD The Clever Use Of Shadows on which you'll also find the link with the first album by way of the track "Orgasmik Outburst II" and that wonderful sounding Hammond. "Machiavèlique" forms a serene resting point that could easily be part of the Minimum Vital album Sarabandes. From medieval simplicity we go towards more adventurous sounds in the vein of Tiemko all in the same song. The Nathan Mahl-sound gets defined during the funky "Something like THAT" where we note the roaring bass of Claude Prince. A band to watch out for in the future. An album by Guy LeBlanc has just been released under the title of Subversia whilst a new double CD by Nathan Mahl is scheduled for spring release, called Heretik More about Parallel Eccentricities: Track Listing: Moral Values (Part One) / Slow Burn / Orgasmik Out-Burst / Schizophrenia / No Vacancy / Nathan Mahl : Beginnings An Interactive History Of Nathan Mahl (Cd-Rom Part) Musicians: Mark Spènard - guitars, lead and backing vocals Don Prince - bass Dan Lacasse - drums, backing vocals Guy LeBlanc - piano, organ, synths, lead and backing vocals More about The Clever Use Of Shadows: Track Listing: Without Words (9:50) / Clever Use Of Shadows (10:20) / Orgasmik Out-Burst II (2:42) / Machiavélique (6:41) / Beyond The Rims Of Despair (9:16) / Something Like That (8:23) / The Rubber Cage (5:51) / Call To Arms (9:08) Musicians: Jose Bergeron - guitars, effects and French vocals Alain Bergeron - drums, percussion Claude Prince - 4 & 5 string bass Guy LeBlanc - keyboards, old percussion, vocals Contact: Website: www.nathanmahl.com Note: will open new browser window Discography Parallel Eccentricities (1997) The Clever Use Of Shadow (1998) Heretik Volume I: Body Of Accusations (2000) Heretik Volume II: The Trial (2001) Heretik Volume III: The Sentence (2002) Shadows Unbound (2003)
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