Pour Nous Autres is a Canadian band that recorded a self-titled album in the 1970s and has remained unreleased to this day. Thanks to the invaluable work of the Archéologie Sonore collective, April 22, 2023 has been released on both LP and Digital, giving people the chance to discover this Hidden Rarity. The project proposes Prog music with forays into Folk and Jazz, in the best tradition of bands from Quebec. The album opens with the longest track in duration “La Grande Envolée,” which exceeds seven minutes in length. The band’s Prog imprinting is immediately enhanced by intertwining guitars and horns, while the track’s structure is characterised by an elaborate rhythm section full of tempo changes. The horns offer quality solo inserts, alternating and duetting with the guitar, in long instrumental sections where each instrument makes its own contribution to the excellent sound. The singing in French is very warm and expressive, in line with the 70s style of the bands from the Quebec area, alternating with the long instrumental sections. Dreamy piano melodies open “Légende,” a deep and very intense track with fine guitar arpeggios intertwining with the sound. After a more delicate introductory part, it develops into a musical crescendo interspersed with symphonic openings, gently accompanying us throughout the song. “Rupture” blends Prog and Jazz, reminiscent of the Canterbury style with a pronounced woodwind presence, the band’s true trademark. Constant tempo changes take the sound to another level, with forays into pure Jazz, where each member of the band carves out their own space to show off their technique. Intricate and engaging, it presents ideas of an absolute level both in composition and execution, showing an excellent understanding between the band’s musicians. The album’s shortest track “Celle Que J’Aime” features a mixture of Folk and Jazz Prog traits with fine interlacing of horns, acoustic guitar and an intense vocal. More space is given to the lyrics, although there is no lack of sophisticated musical cues. A melancholic atmosphere permeates “Pour Nous Autres,” continuing the exploration of Jazz-tinged prog sounds, with the presence of warm and expressive vocals. Deep bass lines and soft, elaborate drumming, on which the melodies and instrumental parts develop, then in the second half accelerate, offering a long, distinctly Jazz section and concluding with a fine electric guitar solo. “Ce Matin” is a track that explores Folk Rock sounds with a Psychedelic twist. The rhythm section is minimal, developed mainly on percussion, while the acoustic guitar is at the centre of the melodies. The vocal part adds a Folk touch to the sound, reminiscent of the Psyc-Folk sounds of the late 1960s. A dreamy atmosphere characterises “I Realised,” a track developed with refined and elaborate guitar arpeggios. The vocal parts are dynamic and interpret the lyrics with pathos, resulting in a distinctly Folk track, very pleasant and enveloping. With “Départ,” the band returns to the jazzy prog sounds that characterised the first part of the album. The percussion and flute add a Folk Rock touch to the sound, elaborate and with fine instrumental phrasing with the flute in evidence. The album’s closing track “Joue le donc voir” is a long live recording where the band delivers a granitic rock sound. Well-constructed guitar riffs, beautifully crafted solo inserts and a solid, elaborate rhythm section. The audience follows the tempo by clapping their hands, while all the musicians in the band show off their personal technique with phrasing and solo inserts that accompany us throughout the song. It was a real pleasure to be able to listen to and review this album that had remained unreleased for 50 years. The credit goes to the skilful work of Archeologie Sonore who managed to evaluate this band with its distinctly personal style. A recommended listen for all lovers of prog sounds with forays into jazz and folk, with the classic imprinting that 70s bands from Quebec have. Also an excellent buy for collectors, as the LP edition is limited to 250 copies and was first released on April 2023.
Tracklist
01. La Grande Envolée (07:47)
02. Légende (03:10)
03. Rupture (05:22)
04. Celle Que J’Aime (02:50)
05. Pour Nous Autres (05:34)
06. Ce Matin (04:44)
07. I Realized (03:50)
08. Départ (03:40)
09. Joue le donc voir (06:10)
