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1 May 2000
By Gary Flanagan in Nightwaves #6 (Canada), May 1, 2000

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Here is the debut CD by Québécois conceptual outfit Klaxon Gueule. This is highly improvisational music that is very kinetic and freeform. There is no hint of melody or traditional song structures. It is very spikey, almost a sort of "warped jazz". Included are two discs of Klaxon Gueule’s improvisational virtuosity. The first one is typically freeform anti-music, a hyperactive concoction of bass, guitar and drums. The second disc adds saxophonist Christopher Cauley and proves to be pretty much more of the same, with perhaps a little more bite to the guitars. Some of the tracks border on noise. Bavards is strictly for fans of all things improvised. If you like jazzy music with little or no structure, then this is for you.

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1 May 2000
By François Couture in CFLX: Délire actuel (Québec), May 1, 2000

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Tête à queue sera-t-il l’un des grands disques de l’année 1999? Il en a certainement l’étoffe! Premier disque du quatuor Papa Boa, formé de Bernard Falaise à la guitare, Pierre Labbé au saxo et aux flûtes, Rémi Leclerc à la batterie et Frédéric Roverselli à la basse, Tête à queue est un feu roulant d’énergie. On trouve douze chansons sur ce disque, douze petits bijoux de rock tordu, dénaturé, revisité, douze hymnes dominés par la guitare déchirante de Falaise et les rythmiques imprévisibles de Leclerc.

Et que dire des invités! Marie-Jo Thério prête sa voix et gonfle son accent acadien sur Un lutin, le conteur Michel Faubert nous hurle l’histoire de Jean Baribeau, Normand Lalonde pousse La mer à boire en s’accompagnant à l’harmonica. Les structures rythmiques et le lyrisme évoque Miriodor et la branche plus accessible du RIO (comme Etron Fou Leloublan et plus récemment le trio Volapuk), mais en allant au-delà des clichés. Et que dire de Mono ferraille au climat angoissant et de la très belle instrumentale Didgi boa. Tête à queue arrive à point nommé pour les fans de Miriodor (dont Falaise et Leclerc font partie) en manque de nouveauté, ainsi que pour Ambiances magnétiques dont le catalogue s’essouflait dernièrement. Tête à queue est un disque qui frappe fort et qui nous rappelle que la chanson est également un domaine susceptible d’avant-gardisme. Bravo!

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1 May 2000
By Jeff Melton in Exposé (USA), May 1, 2000

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French Canadian label, Ambiances Magnétiques released a second sampler of their diverse artist’s work in 1997. The disc focuses on various combinations of personnel ranging from solo and duet performances to percussion ensembles, and larger groups. Compiled in part by René Lussier, the wide array of compositions vary from outright clarinet pieces to full band accompaniment and what I’d call: pure pandemonium pieces. Robert M. Lepage is featured across four pieces, which features a jazzy lounge suarez to an intense orchestral fugue reminiscent of Present. Lussier himself duets with Lepage on Chants et danses du monde inanimé which I believe has something to do with chants and dances for inanimate objects. Trois Histoires is an uncomfortable song with two guitars in somber competition, which also includes some odd random samples. Jean Derome is represented by four pieces ranging from RIO based free jazz, Navré, an odd recorder piece, to a well-structured jazz piece: all with a certain amount of cabaret and whimsy. Pierre Cartier gets the distinction of the longest piece out of the seventeen the collection. Although the track, Les Fleurs du tapis is a slow jazz ballad, it’s the most memorable and Canterbury-ish in composition. Not one piece conforms to a droning synthesizer style that is more closely associated with the work of Brian Eno or Robert Rich. I guess if the intent was to display varying styles with nerve and joie de vivre, then these tracks meet that requirement. I have to admit that this is a very experimental label and catalogue which is targeted solely for challenging minds and ears.

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