Minimum Vital - Capitaines (France 2009) [ProgRock] @320

French outfit Minimum Vital is yet another example of a band that have produced a strong album in 2009. There has been quite a few of those so far. In this case we're served a delightful, beautiful blend of folk music and symphonic progressive rock. Wandering, acoustic guitar motifs and hand drums makes up most of the folk aspects of this production, with some flute soloing as an additional trait. Fluent guitar soloing and lush keyboard textures makes up most of the symphonic aspect of this excursion, with a few examples of dramatic, staccato tangent explorations and rich, multiple layered and epic soundscapes presented on occasion too.

The compositions are mostly freely flowing affairs, light and positive in mood. 
Mellow, subdued passages are blended with pacier energetic ones, and the band comes cross as experts in the art of taking a song from a low key, sparse beginning to a rich, orchestrated ending. And while most of the tracks blends the two stylistic expressions they explore, we're alos served some compositions with an emphasis on either one or the other genre.

These light, fluid ventures might not be to everybody's taste; but personally I found them to be a pleasing and intriguing experience - to be filed under positive progressive rock.


1. She Moves Through The Fair (4:12)
2. Avec Uppsala (6:43)
3. Mauresque (5:48)
4. En Terre Etrangère (4:28)
5. La Croix De Bourghi Bandô (3:30)
6. Le Chant De Gauthier (7:21)
7. En Superbô (5:24)
8. Capitaines (6:53)
9. La Route (7:08)

Jean-Baptiste Ferracci / vocals
Sonia Nedelec / vocals
Didier Ottaviani / drums, percussion
Jean-Luc Payssan / guitars, mandolin, vocals, percussion
Thierry Payssan / organ & synthesizers, vocal, percussions
Eric Rebeyrol / bass

Jean-Luc Payssan - Pierrots & Arlequins (France 2005) [ProgRock] @320

Together with his twin brother Thierry, Jean-Luc PAYSSAN was a co-founder of MINIMUM VITAL, more than twenty years ago. This band from the Bordeaux area has become popular among Progressive rock connoisseurs especially, as it took part in the movement's revival by the end of the Eighties. It also initiated a new musical language, somewhere between jazz-rock, Progressive rock and medieval music. The first solo album of Jean-Luc PAYSSAN is not that of a solitary man: Thierry's keyboards and Sonia NEDELEC's voice are here, as well as Bernard MILON's violin. The Master of Ceremonies offers in turn beautiful acoustic or nylon guitar parts. But not only: he also plays unusual instruments such as theorbo, ciste, mandolin, mandole and some percussions... These fourteen short and intimist pieces unveil melodies with an absolute splendour, music of total purity, both timeless and personal. Unlike most guitarists' albums, too frequently complacent and demonstrative, the artist here shows a perfect humility, while proving to be an outstanding instrumentist and composer, with an astonishing culture. No song sounds like another one here, both in its arrangements and inspiration. An absolute eclecticism serving a simply marvellous music: a fountain of purity !
-Musea-


01 - La Fontaine (2'53)
02 - Arlequins (2'28)
03 - Pierrots (1'17)
04 - Etats De Joie (5'25)
05 - Danse Vivace Pour Six Cordes (3'02)
06 - Au Bois Variations (4'40)
07 - Le Manège Aux Songes (2'21)
08 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (I. Prélude) (1'43)
09 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (II. L'Enjôleuse) (1'57)
10 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (III. La Rêveuse) (4'35)
11 - Les Trois Dames De Mantoue (IV. La Fougueuse) (1'15)
12 - Gaillarde Napolitaine (3'00)
13 - Larmes Bleues (4'04)
14 - Complainte Ancienne (1'37)

Jean-Luc Payssan - classical & acoustic guitar, mandolas, theorbe, zither, percussion, vocals
With:
Bernard Millon - violin
Sonia Nedelec - vocals
Thierry Payssan - synthesizer, organ