Thursday 19 October 2017

Malicorne - L' Extraordinaire Tour de France d'Adelard Rousseau ... (1978)


The sixth album from this French band.

The complete title of this album is L'extraordinaire Tour De France D'Adélard Rousseau, Dit Nivernais La Clef Des Coeurs, Compagnon Charpentier Du Devoir.

Malicorne was a quintet with a lineup of hurdy gury, clarinet, glockenspiel, timpani, crummhorn, flute, postif organ, harmonium, piano, synth, bass, percussion, viola, violin, tamporu, cello, mandolin, mandocello, melodeon, dulcimer, guitars, banjo, autoharp and vocals. Male and female French vocals.
Four guest musicians provided electric guitar solos, drums, organ and fanfare arrangements.

Malicorne was a French folk rock band who released nine albums between 1973 and 1986. You will find reviews of their other albums somewhere else in this blog and my review of the Malicorne 2 album in # 1 of this blog.

As you can imagine from the list of involved instruments and the full title of this album, the band has really pushed the boat out on this album.

I guess this is a concept album with a theme and a message. There is a lot of intros and outros on some of the songs. Songs which is basically French folk rock. Well, more like folk music at times. The music is really pastoral throughout and somber. The various instruments, mostly acoustic, gives this album a very serious sound and almost a funeral dirge like ambience.

The music is dominated by Mr and Mrs Yacoub's vocals. It is a vocals driven album as with all other Malicorne albums.

The quality could had been a lot better. It is lacking in that department, I am afraid. Some of the songs are good. Some songs are decent. Fans of weird folk music, acid folk music will like this album.

2.5 points


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