Ame Son - Catalyse (1970/2024) [Official Digital Download]

I guess comparing Ame Son to Gong is no surprise as they backed Daevid Allen's Bananamoon (not the lineup that recorded the Bananamoon album from 1971, that one was more or less an all-star recording, but the original Bananamoon, the band he was in after being denied reentry into England). Helps that the vocals sound unmistakably like Daevid Allen too. The group consisted of vocalist/drummer Marc Blanc, guitarist Bernard Lavialle, bassist Patrick Fontaine, and flautist/vocalist Francois Garrel. Bernard Lavialle was already family with me because in 1976 he played with former Red Noise member Patrick Vian on his album Bruits et Temps Analogues, but hardly sounded like Ame Son (or Red Noise), but instead an electronic album (and an excellent one at it too).

Catalyse was released in 1970 on BYG/Actuel in France, and in Germany on Metronome, in which the front cover was the same as the back cover of the French original. What you have hear is prog/psych not unlike what Gong was doing. Lots of flute and guitar, plus jazzy drumming. It might not reach the heights of Gong, but it's a nice album still the same. Strangely, the original LP, while it clearly states "Reborn This Morning on the Way Of…/Unity" (supposed to start side two) is on the album, both in the tracklisting (inside the gatefold) and on the label, it's not even there! Instead side two starts with "A Coup de Hache". I am uncertain if this was a misprint or they forgot to actually include the cut. Or it was just on the German version. Also I'm uncertain BYG fixed the problem and made sure "Reborn…/Unity" was included in subsequent pressings. Regardless, the CD reissue includes that cut, so you get everything, including two bonus cuts that were released as a single, including a different version of "Unity" which is sung by the band's usual vocalist, instead of what sounds like a female vocalist. Well I have to say I wasn't blown away by this album, but at least I found it a nice listen, and if you like Gong, I suggest this album, but I wouldn't call it essential, or a lost gem of psychedelic and prog.

TRACKLIST

1. Ame Son - Seventh Time Key / I Just Want To Say
2. Ame Son - Eclosion / Marie Aux Quatre Vents
3. Ame Son - Cœur Fou / La Globule / Le Mal Sonne
4. Ame Son - Reborn This Morning on the Way of… / Unity
5. Ame Son - A Coup De H / Les Sables Mouvent
6. Ame Son - Hein, Quant A Toi / Comme Est Morte L'évocation / Hommage



Thanks to the Original customer.