CARPE DIEM - CUEILLE LE JOUR - 19

This is one of the most beautiful prog musical works to come out of France: "Cueille le Jour" is Carpe Diem's sophomore release, which is full of beauty, magic and distinction. Carpe Diem's terrific sound is based upon an even combination of the most delicate jazz fusion (sax and flute parts, rhythm section) and symphonic captivating sensibility (keyboards and guitars). The magical tension of KC's melodic side melts fluidly with Pulsar's ethereal introspectiveness plus some hints to 73-75 Yessian sense of adventure, as well. All this works in order to create walls of inventive chord progressions that serve as sonic curtains upon which the wind, synth and guitar solos are displayed. These displays never distract the listener from the general ambience that the five musicians create as a well-oiled unit. 'Couleurs' is a notable masterpiece in its own right. The use of consistent moods in the carefully crafted framework sustaining the subtle build-up that fills the first quarter of 'Couleurs' is perfectly achieved: the keyboard's layers and phrases and the playful lines on flute and sax pretty much define the nucleus of the overall sonic development. Once the rhythm section is all the way into the fore, the band is ready to take the imposed melodic drive to a more extroverted expression. Reaching the 830 mark, the band turns to a space-rock oriented jazzy excursion that may remind us of the immence 'Le Publiphobe', the closer track of Carpe Diem's first effort. The sung portion is typical of French symphonic rock, like a mixture of early Pulsar and "Le Petit Violon"-era Mona Lisa. The instrumental finale bears a patent aura of magnificence, with the instrumentalists delivering a controlled pomposity all the wa ytward the last note. A brilliant suite, indeed! Though less impressive, I must say that the other 5 remaining tracks, albeit shorter, also show the band's ability to create attractive basic melodic lines and develop them cleverly, without saturating the listener. 'Naissance' finds Carpe Diem focused on exploring its spacey side. Further on, I honestly regret that tracks 3, 4 and 5 are not longer than they are, since I suspect that they would have benefited from a more detailed development: 'Le Miracle de la Saint-Gaston' displays a lovely melancholy within its overall reflective feel; 'Laure' is stated on folk-oriented grounds in an unusually playful mood for the band's standards; 'Tramontane' is yet another refined exercise on the band's jazzy side, as usual, based on a defined musical architecture and incorporating some spacey undertones. Like I said, I wish these tracks had been longer... but that's how it is, and all things considered, it's fine by me. The piano/soprano sax duet 'Divertimento' serves as a pretty closure in the guise of a notturno. A French 70s gem that deserves a place in any good prog collection.
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