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Radio ›› Clic
Clic
Tricheur, 3m25s [excerpt]
Track 2 from Clic
CD: Ambiances Magnétiques (2007) AM 174
1 January 2009
By Stefano Isidoro Bianchi in Blow Up #128 (Italy), January 1, 2009

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“Uno dei migliori Frith ascoltati negli ultimi anni.”

Quintetto di nuove uscite per la Ambiances Magnétiques. Nel secondo CD a nome personale il chitarrista dei Klaxon Gueule e dei Foodsoon Bernard Falaise chiama a raccolta una band voluminosa e di tutto rispetto (Gordon Allen alla tromba, Jean Derome al sax e al flauto, Lori Freedman al clarinetto e al clarone, Julien Grégoire alla marimba, Jean Martin alla batteria e Tom Walsh al trombone), dichiarandosi polistrumentista duttile ed accorto (chitarra, basso, banjo, mandolino, giradischi ecc.) per dar vita a una serie di quadri in cui rielabora i propri amori legati al passato: rock d’impianto ‘prog’, jazzetto informale, folk barocco, art-rock post canterburiano e persino fumi di centramerica come li amerebbe Tom Waits.

Da parte loro Joane Hétu (sax e voce), Diane Labrosse (sampler) e Danielle Palardy Roger (percussioni) riportano in vita il vecchio progetto Les Poules, con cui elaborano una serie di stralunati schizzi in cui un’improvvisazione liberissima incontra la surrealtà del caso, la costruzione dada e le sfasature del jazz con molto, forse troppo, senso del gioco (la Hétu come Phil Minton, ecc.): gioverebbe parecchio la visione delle tre all’opera piuttosto che il solo ascolto.

La stessa Palardy Roger rende molto meglio duettando con la chitarra di Fred Frith in Pas de deux, disco d’improvvisata che coagula elementi avant rock, jazz ed elettronici in un mix esuberante e una volta tanto veramente indefinibile, alieno da facili catalogazioni quanto prodigo di idee e input sorprendentemente freschi: dietro l’angolo sbucano un assolo di chitarra slide-hawaiiana, minacciose escrescenze elettroniche (i ‘treatments’ di Frith) o voci in format-strumento. Uno dei migliori Frith ascoltati negli ultimi anni.

Profondamente diverse ma di tutto rispetto anche le chitarre di Antoine Berthiaume ed Elliott Sharp, che in Base celebrano un onirico viaggio impro-noise a base di feedback e drones trattati in modo tale da costitire un corpo compatto ma non monocromatico, anzi decisamente eccentrico nella scelta dei timbri, secchi e risonanti, metallici, a tratti quasi plastici: c’è qualcosa di spaziale e cosmico in questi suoni che sapere esclusivamente chitarristici stupisce non poco; anche in questo caso si tratta di uno dei migliori Sharp degli ultimi anni.

Infine il CD accreditato al contrabbassista John Geggie, le cui composizioni, qui suonate assieme a Marilyn Crispell (piano) e Nick Fraser (batteria), ispirano uno struggente sentimento jazz old fashioned senza però mai restare impantanate nella semplice nostalgia ma viceversa ammiccando spesso verso l’avant; alla consumata abilità strumentale dei musicisti fare il resto.

blogue@press-3706 press@3706
25 November 2008
in Solénoïde #127 (France), November 25, 2008

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“… un de ces artistes atypiques que seul le Québec semble capable d’engendrer.”

Voilà encore un de ces artistes atypiques que seul le Québec semble capable díengendrer. Attiré par les expérimentations les plus biscornues, pouvant amalgamer notamment rock progressif et musique contemporaine, ce guitariste synthétise habilement ses divers penchants esthétiques. Et pour donner corps à ses douces lubies transverses, un orchestre particulier (incluant trompette, sax, marimba) prend part aux hostilités, dérivant généreusement l’auditeur sur des chemins inattendus. Aussi baroque qu’intemporel, le résultat comblera les adeptes de productions exigeantes et ludiques!

blogue@press-3654 press@3654
13 November 2008
By Nicolas Pelletier in emoRAGEi (Québec), November 13, 2008

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“La base est plutôt jazz […] mais il y a aussi des ambiances plus liées au cirque, et d’autres presque funky.”

Falaise est un guitariste expérimenté sur la scène de la musique actuelle au Québec. Il a collaboré avec une large partie du bottin d’Ambiances Magnétiques (la référence en la matière), mais en est seulement à son deuxième album «solo». Difficile d’appeler Clic solo puisque beaucoup de musiciens y participent: Jean Derome, Gordon Allen, Lori Freedman, Julien Grégoire, Jean Martin… et même Tom Waits, au trombone!

Contrairement à son premier opus Do, paru en 2000 où il y jouait toutes les guitares de pièces composées pour des ensembles, Falaise n’y est donc pas seul: il s’est bien entouré. Mais il est bien le seul compositeur des 13 titres qui sont ici publiés. La musique de Falaise est très accessible. Peu de délires à la Naked City. Ce sont vraiment des pièces harmoniquement faciles à suivre (quand même pas pop, on s’entend, on parle de musique actuelle…), où la rythmique est souvent originale, mais aussi souvent rock et les motifs musicaux ont été bien pondus.

La base est plutôt jazz (Tour), parfois même un peu prog, touchant également à l’impro et à l’expérimental. Ceux et celles qui apprécient les élans originaux et complexes des grands groupes prog des années 70 ne devraient pas être trop déboussolés, d’ailleurs. Certaines sonorités ne sont pas si éloignées de ce que faisaient Yes ou Floyd, à leurs sommets créatifs — strictement au niveau instrumental. Il y a aussi des ambiances plus liées au cirque (Fête), et d’autres presque funky (Neuf).

Derome, une sommité, faut-il le souligner, est particulièrement efficace aux flûtes (notamment sur l’excellent groove de Mule) et le marimba de Julien Grégoire vient amener une belle couleur qu’on n’entend pas assez souvent. Ouvert à tous les styles, Falaise a récemment collaboré avec le loufoque chansonnier country Franck Martel, la poète spoken word D Kimm, le manipulateur de tables-tournantes Martin Tétreault

blogue@press-3676 press@3676
1 September 2008
By James Hale in Signal to Noise #51 (USA), September 1, 2008

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“The most exciting guitarist to emerge from Quebec since René Lussier

The most exciting guitarist to emerge from Quebec since René Lussier, Montréal’s Bernard Falaise moves easily between rock-influenced wailing with such bands as Les Projectionnistes, writing for film and dance, and impressionistic electro-acoustic ensemble work. Clic finds him squarely in the latter category, in the company of some of Canada’s best improvisers, including multi-reedist Jean Derome, clarinetist Lori Freedman, trombonist Tom Walsh, marimba-player Julien Grégoire and drummer Jean Martin. Like Martin, whom Falaise has joined recently in the Barnyard Drama quartet, the guitarist has a love of sound montages and headlong rhythms and a knack for moving adroitly between disparate source materials. Following hard on the digital cut-and-paste of Allô, the hard-driving Tricheur throws the listener into a spiral of fuzzed-out guitar, thorny trombone, irrepressible percussion and electronic effects. While there is no shortage of attention-snapping jump-cuts in Falaise’s music, he manages to make them appear organic, even when (as on Tour) moving between sweetly voiced acoustic material and hardedged electronics. Falaise’s manipulation of found sounds and samples grab the ear, as well as his rhythmic sense and humor, but it is the real-time contributions by the whole ensemble that give Clic its warmth. Together they make this sophomore effort a compelling listening experience.

blogue@press-3631 press@3631
5 August 2008
By Dolf Mulder in Vital #638 (Netherlands), August 5, 2008

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“An impressive and important album from a true talent.”

Fantastic to have a record like this produced in these days. I will explain what I mean by ‘this’, but let me first introduce you to Bernard Falaise. This Montréal born guitarist and composer wrote music for the Ensemble contemporain de Montréal (ECM) and several other ensembles. Also he created music for exhibitions, television, theatre and dance. As a musician he is known for his many contributions to projects of Michel F Côté like Klaxon Gueule and Mecha Fixes Clocks. And I also would like to remind you of his work with Miriodor and Papa Boa. These references may give you a first indication of what we have to expect on Clic: it is fair to say that Falaise has a strong interest for new forms of rockmusic. And yes, this is also the case for his new soloproject Clic. His second one after Do released in 2000. For Clic Falaise is assisted by Gordon Allen (trumpet), Jean Derome (saxes, flutes), Lori Freedman (clarinets), Julien Grégoire (marimba), Jean Martin (drums, percussion) and Tom Walsh (trombone). Falaise himself plays guitars, banjos, etc. He wrote 13 compositions that came into being in the context of a pure studio project. The musicians didn’t actually play together simultaneously, but only one after another, with little room for improvisation. Complex music, almost impossible to perform live according to Falaise, because of the complex tempi, but one wishes it would be possible. In his own words: “With Clic, what I wanted to do was to experiment with unusual metronomic applications. For instance, the ever changing tempo in Yéti; the superimposed tempi in Mule, Thon, Neuf, and Fête; the tempo changes in Neuf, etc. Also, Watt and Clic feature two part canons, each with its own tempo.” Falaise mentions Aksak Maboul, Anthony Braxton, Captain Beefheart, Franco Donatoni, Les Granules, Conlon Nancarrow, Igor Stravinsky, and Robert Wyatt as points of reference. Falaise brings new life to the avant rock genre that is not allergic for melody and harmony. In a way he continues where groups like Henry Cow stopped. One can hear that he takes the advantages of new technology and musical principles. He must clearly feel at home in company of groups like Blast, Miriodor, and not to forget Albert Marcœur. His music is accessible and complex at the same time. The pieces have beautiful arrangements, a strong drive and are full of unsuspected twists. Because of the recording process we must also mention that Falaise did a great job in mixing it. An impressive and important album from a true talent. I hope it takes not another seven years for his next album!

blogue@press-3619 press@3619
1 August 2008
By Henryk Palczewski in Informator “Ars” 2 #48 (Poland), August 1, 2008

Press Clipping

blogue@press-3639 press@3639

Other texts in

  • SOCAN, Paroles & Musique #15:3 (Canada), September 15, 2008
    “Le résultat est passionant et très original.”

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