Week of May 28, 2006
Personnel:
Patrick Audouin - grand piano, electric piano, synthesizers, spinet,
acoustic guitar, percussion, vocals
Patrick Droguet - acoustic & electric guitars
Gérard Duchemann - lead vocals, string ensemble, spinet
Jackuy Thomas - bass, string ensemble, vibes
Michel Munoz - drums, percussion
with:
Hugues de Courson - rototoms, crumhorn
Robert le Gall - violin
Alain Hergouarch - tambourine
Emmanuelle Parrerin - vocals, triangle
Jo Courtin - accordion
Pierre Holassian - sax
Album:
La Vieille Que L'on Brûla 1977 Ballon Noir 13.003
Reissued on CD by Musea (FGBG 4231) in 1997 with 3 bonus tracks
There are three outstanding gems on the highly collectable Ballon Noir label, the solo albums of Emmanuelle Parrerin and Laurent Thibault and the fantastic Ripaille album. This is simply one of the best combinations of lush symphonic rock and folk-rock ever made! Similar to the music of Gryphon, Fruupp and Gentle Giant, this is just as personal. Ripaille's music sounds surprisingly unpretentious, perhaps on account of their great melodic talent. Medieval elements blend well alongside jangly electric guitars, sound effects and hovering synthesizers. The relatively short tracks display great variety and lots of invention. Little could be improved here! (Another great album in quite a similar direction was released by Troisieme Rive in 1978.) A second album was completed in 1980, but Ballon Noir had financial problems as the major labels didn't bother with this kind of music.
Taken from Scented Gardens of the Mind - A guide to the Golden Era of Progressive Rock (1968-1980) in more than 20 European Countries, by Dag Erik Asbjørnsen, Borderline Productions, ISBN 1-899855-12-2