Freedom to Music
Posts tagged Sloche
Sloche – Stadacone (1976) (@256)
20 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
With a slightly changed line-up (drummer being replaced and an extre percussionist also), Sloche was still headed by the double keyboard attack and having plenty of back-up by their guitarist and the rest of the band. “Stadacone” is relatively close to their debut although more towards Mahavishnu and Gentle Giant, than the debut.
Opening 10-min+ title track is already warning us that this album will be slightly more disjointed, but nothing to be alarmed: the spirit of “J’un Oeuil” is still there — just definitely funkier. “Le Cosmosphile” is the only sung track (another slight change from the debut) which brings us right back into their debut album, while one of the keyboard players plays a rare sax solo, too bad the song ends in a fade-out. “Sauver Barbara” is an organ-drenched syncopated funky jazz-rock.
The second side opens on the “Ad Hoc” highlight and takes you towards a heavenly trip. Yet another short track “La Baloune” is full of great ambiances with Murray again on woodwinds. “Isacaaron” is the splendid closing Gentle Giant-esque track that is giving its all-out effort for the album’s personality.
Most classical proghead fans will prefer their debut album, while the fusionhead will enjoy this album. Both albums are immensely successful and it is a complete shame Sloche will never be able to record a third album.
Line-up:
- Rejean Yacola / keyboards
- Martin Murray / keyboards
- Caroll Bedard / guitars
- Pierre Hebert / bass
- Andre Roberge / drums & percussions
- Gilles Ouellet / celesta, percussions
Track List:
01. Stadacon3 – 10:19
02. Le Cosmophile – 5:42
03. Il Faut Sauver Barbara – 4:18
04. Ad Hoc – 4:30
05. La ‘Baloune’ De Varenkurtel Au Zythogala – 4:57
06. Iscaaron (Ou Le Demon Des Choses Sexuelles) – 11:21
Link in comments.
Sloche – J’un Oeil (1975) (@256)
19 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com, progquebec.com)
This stunning group from mid-Northern Quebec is yet another one of relatively unknown groups that help Quebec’s progressive rock revolution in the 70s. Originally founded in 1971, the founding members changed one by one and soon after none of them were left. The keyboardist Rejean Yacola was the first to arrive of the latest incarnation. The band already incorporated twin-keyboardist arrangements, with compositions such as “Stadacone” in the group’s early repertoire.
Sloche is mainly an instrumental jazz-rock group and classical influence is relatively unique. When actually using their vocal powers (both in scatting and in actual singing), they reached peaks of beauty that makes you regret this quintet did not sing more.
From the first spacey ringings of the 9-min “Pas Fin Du Monde” to the last drop of “Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses”, every single second is pure heaven with opening track setting an incredible standard with its great scat-vocals (reminding a bit Wishbone Ash during the Argus album) and its middle section almost stopping as if the End Of The World had reached us without a proper warning, but it is a false alert and the tracks picks up in a funkier manner. Closing up the first side is the 11-min “Kareme D’Eros” and its lengthy piano intro, where the group shows us that they can be quite impressive in singing (not just scatting) with its text and harmonies. If you can imagine a cross-over of jazz-rock with Yes, you might just be able to have an idea of how the track is closing.
The second side starts on the superb (but much shorter) title track, which is also sung, while the much funkier “Algebrique” (Gentle Giant meeting Mahavishnu Orchestra-sounding) is almost reaching discordance, but this track is almost too technical for its own good. Closing track “Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses” renews with the scatting harmonies as if to bring you back in full circle to the lead-off track. Another strong pleaser, one wishes this second side of the vinyl to be slightly longer to have developed some ideas a bit further.
Line-up:
- Rejean Yacola / piano, vocals
- Martin Murray / organ, synthesizer, saxophone, vocals
- Caroll Berard / guitar, vocals
- Pierre Hebert / bass, vocals
- Gilles Chiasson / drums, vocals
Track List:
01. C’Pas Fin Du Monde – 8:57
02. Le Kareme D’Eros – 10:56
03. J’un Oeil – 4:47
04. Algebrique – 6:34
05. Potage Aux Herbes Douteuses – 7:11
Link in comments.
