Harmonium


Band members                             Related acts

  line up 1 (1972-73)

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute, mandolin, percussion

- Michel Normandeau -- vocals, guitar

 

  line up 2 (1973-75)

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute, mandolin, percussion

- Michel Normandeau -- vocals, guitar, accordion, dulcimer

NEW - Louis Valois -- vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards

 

  line up 3 (1973-75)

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute, mandolin, percussion

NEW - Pierre Daigneault -- woodwinds, sax

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute

NEW - Serge Locat -- keyboards, synthesizers

- Michel Normandeau -- vocals, guitar, accordion, dulcimer

 

  supporting musicians:

- Marie Bernard -- ondes-martenof, synthesizers 

- Judi Richards -- backing vocals

 

  line up 4 (1976-77)

- Denis Fatrmer -- drums, percussion

- Monique Fauteux -- vocals, keyboards

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute, mandolin, percussion

- Serge Locat -- keyboards, synthesizers

- Robert Stanley -- vocals, guitar

- Libert Subirana -- woodwinds, sax

 

  line up 5 (1977-78)

- Denis Fatrmer -- drums, percussion

- Monique Fauteux -- vocals, keyboards

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute, mandolin, percussion

- Jeff Fisher -- keyboards

- Serge Fiori -- vocals, guitar, flute

- Robert Stanley -- vocals, guitar

- Libert Subirana -- woodwinds, sax

 

 

 

 

- Neil Chotem (Louis Valois)

- Serge Fiori  (solo efforts)

- L'Infonie (Pierre Daigneault)

- Serge Locat (solo efforts)

- Michel Normandeau (solo efforts)

- Toubabou

- Ville Emard Blues Band

 

 

 


 

Genre: progressive

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Si on avait beoion d'une cinquieme saison

Company: Celebration

Catalog: CEL 1900
Year:
 1973

Country/State: Montreal, Canada

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 31207

Price: $50.00

 

I knew nothing about Harmonium, but this album caught my attention when I saw it in a Rolling Stone 

article entitled The 50 Greatest Progressive Albums of All Time.  Not that I'm a mindless follower of Rolling Stone album reviews (I've bought some stinkers based on their reviews), but some of the other albums on the list were pretty good, so when I stumbled across a reasonably priced copy of this one ...  why not?

 

Harmonium was formed in Montreal, Canada in 1972.   Their second album, 1975's "Si on avait beoion d'une cinquieme saison" (translated as "If We Needed a Fifth Season") reflected major personnel and musical changes.  On the personnel front the album saw singer/multi-instrumentalist Serge Fiori, guitarist Michel Normandeau and bass player Louis Valois expand to a five piece with the addition of woodwind player Pierre Daigneault and keyboardist Serge Locat.  Musically the album saw the band shift from a heavily folk oriented sound to one that remained pastoral, but now included distinct progressive elements.  The French lyrics were lost on me, but the album was apparently conceived as a concept piece with each song addressing a different season - the closing extended musical suite 'Histoires sans paroles' reflected an imaginary fifth season.  I have to admit, normally this probably wasn't an album that would do much for me.  A pretentious concept album.  A pretentious concept album with lyrics that I can't understand.  A pretentious concept album with lyrics that I can't understand and a heavy folk component.   A concept album with lyrics that I can't understand and a heavy folk component and no drums.  And in spite of all those issues, I'm a big fan.  Yeah, the concept and lyrics were lost on me, but Fiori had a great voice and along with Normandeau their melodies were attractive, yet challenging - check out the multipart 'Depuis l'automne'.  Lots of folks go on and on about side two's extended opus 'Histoires sans paroles'.  The seventeen minutes, multiple segment had its moments, but I found it inconsistent and not nearly as impressive as the rest of the collection.  Still, it was a pretty impressive piece of work.  Will definitely have to check out the two other studio albums.

 

 

 

 

Always liked Louis-Pierre Bougie's fantasy sleeve cover ... talking flowers; red-eyed, scary bunnies; human-headed butterflies.  What more could you want for an album sleeve?

 

 

 

 

 

"Les Cinq Saisons" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Vert   (Michael Normandeau - Serge Fiori) - 5:34   rating: **** stars

I've occasionally seen comparisons to Pink Floyd and they always made me laugh.  And then one day while listing to 'Vert' the comparison struck a chord with me.  Admittedly it wasn't the most obvious comparison, but there were definitely some elements where I could see it.  The early vocals; Fiori's acoustic guitar work and some of the orchestral arrangement struck a Floydian note in my ears.  Okay, I don't think I've ever heard a Pink Floyd with a scatting segment ...  Of course, elsewhere the sweet harmonies reminded me of CSN&Y.  I'm guessing the title ('Green') was meant to reflect Springtime? 

2.) Dixie   (Serge Fiori) - 3:26   rating: *** stars

A French-Canadian band signing a song entitled 'DIxie'?  A bouncy, good time Dixeland-influenced tune.  Strange thought and even though it clocked in under four minutes, the track gave each member an opportunity to briefly stretch out.  Surprisingly sweet melody, though I could have done without  Fiori's scatting segment.  No idea why, by the track was released as a Canadian single:

 

 

 

- 1975's 'Dixie' b/w 'En pleine face' (Celebration catalog number CEL 2132X)

 

Other than having a bouncy melody, the connection to Summer was totally lost on me.

 

 

 

 

3.) Depuis l'automne   (Serge Fiori - Michael Normandeau) - 10:28   rating: **** stars

'Depuis l'automne' (I think it translates as "since Autumn"), started out sounding kind of jazzy.  Luckily a couple of minutes in it shifted in a more progressive direction.  From around the two to the four minute mark (when the synthesizer washes started spilling over the arrangement), this was probably the album's most commercial effort.  And as good as the commercial segment was, Fiori's acoustic guitar work was even better and when combined with CSN&Y harmonies, it was stunning.  The closing segment took on an almost martial feel.  Normally a ten minute track would send me scurrying for the tone arm, but this is one of the exceptions.  Wish I could understand the lyrics.

 

(side 2)
1.) En pleine face
   (Serge Fiori) - 4:51   rating: **** stars

The acoustic ballad 'En pleine face' was easily the album's prettiest performance with a melody that bored into you head and wouldn't leave.  Never expected to find accordion accompaniment so attractive.

2.) Histoires sans paroles  (Serge Fiori) - 17:12   rating: *** stars

I think the title translates roughly as 'stories without words'.   Rather than going on an on about the five individual sections, I'll just say the extended instrumental  track was inconsistent, ranging from stunning to fairly mundane.  Stretched across the 17 minutes there were lots of strumming 12 string guitars, too many flute solos, occasional bird sounds and Serge Locat got to showcase his tasteful synthesizers.

     i.) L'isolement

     ii.) L'appel

     iii.) La recontre

     iv.) L'union

     v.) La grant bal

 


 

 

 

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