Hughes Aufray


Band members                             Related acts

- Hughes Aufray --  vocals, guitar, bass, flute, harmonica

 

  supporting musicians:

- George Augier de Moussac -- bass, guitar

- Marc Bozonnett -- bass, guitar, banjo

- Michael Colombai -- bass

- Andres Georget -- guiatr

- Coaty de Oliveira -- drums, percussion

- Jean-Pierre Sabard -- keybaords

- Gerard Salesses -- keyboards

- Don Sanford -- pedal steel guitar

 

 

 

 

- Bob Aubert

 


 

Genre: pop

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Garlick

Company: Atlantic

Catalog: 50 010 U
Year:
 1972

Country/State: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG

Comments: gatefold sleeve; French pressing; plays with some hissing, no skips

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 833

Price: $25.00

 

I picked this one up at a yard sale having no idea who Hugues Aufray was.  In fact, I wasn't even sure if the band's name was Garlick and the album was titled 'Hughes Aufray'.

 

 

 

 

                                                                   Barclay catalog number 80289S

 

 

 

 

 

 

As it turned out, the album was actually by singer/songwriter Hugues Aufray.  The title was named after his backing band -  "Garlick".    Unfortunately I can't tell you a great deal about the man.  Starting in the early-'60s with his chiseled good looks, he carved out some attention on the French charts as a folk musician/chanson artist.  he somehow ended up representing Luxembourg in the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, where his performance of the song 'Des que les printemps review' ('Once spring returns), came in fourth, ultimately losing out to Italian singer Gigliola Cinquetti and her cover of 'Non ho l'età'.  In 1965 he introduced most of France to Bob Dylan via an album of Dylan covers ("Aufray Sings Dylan").   

 

By the time he recorded this 1972 album (which never saw a US release), he'd grown his hair long; hooked up with a rock band (Garlick), begun writing his own material and broadened his repertoire to include a host of more contemporary musical genres, including pop and even some rock.  The results weren't always successful, but Aufray had a nice enough voice and his willingness to try a broad spectrum of sounds and genres made for some interesting efforts, including the out-and-out rocker 'Lila - 1e partie  Le bal au bois du loup', the slice of Nilsson-styled pop 'On n'est pas heureux', and the Dylan-esque 'Fleur d'oranger'. Unfortunately, side two wasn't nearly as impressive with Aufray spending way too much time on country-tinged numbers like 'Fois-mois un lit / dans ton granier ' and 'A propos d'un detail'.

 

"Garlik" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Lila - 1e partie  Le bal au bois du loup   (Hugues Aufray - Andre Georget) - 4:04   rating: **** stars

Opening up with some nice fuzz guitar, 'Lila Lere Partie / Le bal au bois du loup' served to showcase Aufray's likeable voice on a track that sounded a bit like a French version of Pink Floyd (albeit, at their most commercial).   The other thing that was amazing about this tune came in the form of Coaty de Oliveira's mind numbing drums - it sounded like the drums had been swallowed by the the tape machine   Cool tune and it got my hopes up.  Sadly, what was to come found Aufray heading off in less productive directions.

2.) Lila - 2e partie - Perdu dans la foreit   (Hugues Aufray - Andre Georget) - 3:28   rating: *** stars

'Lela 2eme Patrie / Perdu sans la foreit' found Aufray returning to a chason style of pop.   A pretty pop ballad, the result was a bit sentimental, but still worth hearing.    

3.) Moi je chosis la liberte   (Hugues Aufray - Coaty de Oliveria) - 2:26   rating: *** stars

Personally I wouldn't have expected much from a slice of French country-rock.  The funny thing is that with help from pedal steel guitarist Don Sanford, 'Moi je chosis la liberte' sounded like a good Michael Nesmith Monkees tune.  

4.) On n'est pas heureux   (Hugues Aufray - Jean-Pierre Sabard) - 2:54   rating: **** stars

Speaking of The Monkees, 'On n'est pas heureux' sounded like a cross between Nilsson and  The Monkees.  A wonderful slice or breezy toytown pop, I'm surprised this one didn't get nabbed and copied by an American, or British band. 

5.) Fleur d'oranger (instrumental)   (Hugues Aufray) - 3:17   rating: *** stars

Showcasing harmonica, tablas, pedal steel, and some nice fuzz guitar, (and lots of humming), 'Fleur d'oranger' was a surprisingly intriguing instrumental.  Kind of  a mash-up of Celtic-meets-Bob Dylan-meets-Poco.  Not sure what the chiming bells at the end of the tune signified.  

6.) Adieu   (Hugues Aufray - Jean-Pierre Sabard) - 3:08   rating: *** stars

'Adieu' (I can actually translate this tile - 'goodbye'), was a pretty, piano-based ballad that actually sounded like it had stolen some chords from a Billy Joel songbook.    

 

(side 2)
1.) 
Fleur d'oranger    (Hugues Aufray) - 4:13   rating: **** stars

With Aufray employing his best Dylan impression (it sounded like he's been gargling with sandpaper), the vocal version of ' Fleur d'oranger' was actually interesting.  Loved  Marc Bozonnet's banjo accompaniment.  ratting: **** stars

2.) O Maria   (Hugues Aufray - Coaty de Oliveria) - 3:58   rating: ** stars

The Stark ballad 'O Maria' found Aufray moving  back to his chason moves.  Liked Gerard Salesses's church organ fills. 

3.) New Baby   (Hugues Aufray - Andre Georget) - 2:44   rating: *** stars

'New Baby' was a bouncy slice of commercial pop with a hopelessly catchy refrain (wonder why it was in English).

4.) Fois-mois un lit / dans ton granier    (Hugues Aufray) - 3:13   rating: * star

'Fois-mois un lit / dans ton granier' found Aufray going full-tilt into country.   Not sure why French audiences find this genre so appealing ...   Horrible.  

5.) Boeuf gros sel (instrumental)    (Hugues Aufray) - 2:53   rating: * star for the first half of the song and **** stars for the second half

Apparently an in-house joke, before the cow sound effects kicked in, the keyboard instrumental 'Boeuf gros sel' sounded like something Randy Newman might have written for a movie soundtrack.  And just when you thought it was over the song morphed into a get down slice of harmonica-powered funk.  Seriously ...   

6.) A propos d'un detail   (Hugues Aufray) - 3:04   rating: * star

Ever heard C.W. McCall's hit 'Convoy' ?   Pretty awful ...  well the spoken word, country-flavored  'A propos d'un detail' reminded me of 'Convoy' with similar results.   Yech.

 

 

 

As of 2009,  the man was still recording music (as well as working as a sculpture), including another Dylan tribute - "New Yorker: Hommage a Bob Dylan".    For anyone interested, Aufray has a website (its in French) at: http://www.hugues-aufray.com/

 

 

 

 

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