Lasting Weep - 1969-1971. Canada-Quebec (archival)

A fantastic archival release from ProgQuebec. Lasting Weep, like Franck Dervieux's group, was the breeding ground for Quebec's underground scene for the next 10 years or so afterward. Lasting Weep were the precursor to most notably Maneige, but also featured members that went one to play in Conventum, Michel Madore, and L'Orchestre Sympathique.

The lion's share of the salient material is from 1969 and for the era this is an extraordinary recording, as it mirrors not only what was going on in England at the time, but it predates a lot of the early 70s Krautrock movement. Flute and guitar driven hard jazz rock and blues is the preferred style here, and a fantastic example of such.

The 1971 recordings make for excellent bonus tracks but are of lesser aural quality. Had Lasting Weep continued, would have Maneige ultimately been the same type of music? We'll never know of course, but it's certainly one path this troupe could have taken.

CD: 2007 ProgQuebec. Excellent liner notes, unique photos, and poster reprints round out this excellent document.

1/21/12 (first listen / new entry); 1/14/24