ASIDE BESIDE - TADJ MAHALL GATES - 2002

With the phantom of GENESIS forever wandering about the prog vaults, one could argue that the last thing needed was another clone or G-wannabe. Yet, ASIDE BESIDE (hailed as the new French wave) are one of those rare intelligent followers of the mighty "G" who manage to give their material an unmistakable personal flavour. Clearly from the early 70's symphonic school, their album "Tadj Mahall Gates" displays a rare perfection for a first attempt. The core of the band consists of Lionel Giardina on lead vocals, guitars and Layotron; Frederic Woff on synths, drums and percussion; Vincent Chevalier on mellotron, organ and backing vocals; Pascal Riaux on electric and acoustic guitars; and Tristan Pean on bass guitar. A hefty score of 8 extra musicians also appear on their album "Tadj Mahall Gates", released by Musea in 2002é

Upon hearing "Tadj Mahall Gates', the listener instantly recognizes the BANKS-ian keyboards, the HACKETT-esque solos, even the husky (and pleasantly non-accented) vocals of a Peter GABRIEL (vocalist Lionel Giardina almost sounds more PG than PG himself!) But wait: there are also outbursts of EGG-like discord in this music (the English EGG, not the Swedish one); some killer guitar solos that range from Pat Metheny's to Allan HOLDSWORTH's; definite classical influences provided by oboe solos and martial brass choirs; even an operatic tour de force by tron master Chevalier-turned-baritone for one track. The performance is huge, the musicianship astounding and the production impeccable. Now, the weak points: the quality of the album seems to decrease slightly as it moves along, making it two-thirds masterpiece and one-third a bit less impressive - although they always remain on the safe side of prog. The other sore point is the absurd 5-minute pause between the last two tracks; why this fad is endorsed by so many a prog bands remains a mystery... Despite these flaws, the album is an ambitious, coherent and varied piece of work that is practically devoid of any 'neo' antics. And contrary to some of their compatriots, ASIDE BESIDE don't indulge in any lengthy, freaky sessions whatsoever. Their album is definitely well worth checking out. Some déjà vu, no doubt, but a mighty pleasant one indeed.

Very highly recommended for all fans of old GENESIS who long to hear the likes of the old masters enhanced by a pristine, modern production.
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