L'Engoulevent - L'ile Ou Vivent Les Loups

Year of Release: 2006
Label: ProgresSon Music
Catalog Number: MPM17
Format: CD
Total Time: 60:16:00

A combination of classical and folk influences flavor L'ile Ou Vivent Les Loups. Originally released in 1977, it would prove to be the only official release by L'Engoulevent. The main instrumentation of this four piece band consists of guitar, piano, violin and cello, providing flowing melodies from each instrument. The piano is the foundation for most of the songs, the music tends to be mellow, but is interesting and very well arranged.

The vocals are where the problems begin. This is not a criticism of the voices themselves (they are sung well), but the arrangements seem to be too nice or too proper, if that makes sense? They overwhelm the music, and the further along into the CD you get, the more prominent they become. In songs like "Legende De La Chasse-Galerie" the music sounds fantastic, and does not need vocals, yet they end up dominating the song and detracting from the instrumentation to my ears. "La Nouvelle" offers a wonderful example of all the instruments working within each other to create a haunting piece that the vocals compliment at times, yet come dangerously close to overpowering. L'Engoulevent as an instrumental group would be music to my ears, unfortunately the vocals just take the music to a place I am not interested in revisiting.

As a bonus, the disc includes a second album from two of the members (Michel McClean & Pierre Moreau) entitled E'toifilan. This collection of eight tracks was released in 1979 as an album of music for a children's book. The music retains that nice folk/classical bent but stays heavy on the vocals.

Originally released on the Le Tamanoir label in 1977

Tracklisting:
La Gigue Du Truck Rouge (2:42) / Les Vieux Trains (5:18) / Depart (2:35) / L'ile Ou Vivent Les Loups (5:46) / Ti Boutte (0:19) / Voix Et Violon (5:37) / Legende De La Chasse-Galerie (3:11) / La Nouvelle (4:41) / Je Me Demande (3:41) / Ti-Boutte (pt 2) (0:18)

Bonus: Etoifilan: Ouverture (2:16) / J'Ai Des Etoiles Dans Le Nez (3:43) / La Chanson Triste (0:31) / Le Concert Oceanique (4:20) / La Chanson Des Planetes (2:33) / Je Suis Etoifilan (3:36) / La Fete De La Musique (6:03) / Fermeture (2:12)

Musicians:
Pierre Moreau - piano, Mini Moog, Arp synth
Michel McLean - guitars, vocals
Francoise Turcotte - violin
Russel Gagnon - cello

Guests:

Andre Parenteau - bass
Mathieu Leger - drums, percussion
Bernard Cormier - violin, guitar
Patrice Dufour - trombone
Serge Choiniere - trumpet, flugelhorn
Aline Chalifoux, Sylvie Choquette, Danielle Savage - choir

Discography:
L'ile Ou Vivent Les Loups (1977/2006)

Genre: Other

Origin CA

Added: December 7th 2006
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Hits: 4321
Language: english