Forgas Band Phenomena - L'Oreille électrique. 2018 France

The first thing one notices about L'Oreille électrique, Forgas Band Phenomena's 6th album, is just how direct it is. This is in-yer-face hard rocking progressive rock... ... via the Patrick Forgas filter. So do not fear FBP fans, the intricacies of prior albums remain, and while Forgas and new member Gerard Prevost (one with an impressive resume himself I might add) are pile driving the rhythms forward, there's still the delicate violin, trumpet, and saxophone adding what sounds like charted stage band music on top. Meanwhile guitarist Pierre Schmidt is rockin' like it's 1982, with shredding hard rock (not metal) riffs and solos everywhere. Such a juxtaposition of styles, which is what makes it work. Forgas has never been one to sit on a formula, and here he takes his jazz rock orchestra motif - and bashes it over your head. Great stuff. Forgas is now in his late 60s, and if anything, is projecting he has more energy now than ever. Bravo!

Ownership: CD: 2018 Cuneiform

12/21/18 (new entry)