b r a n d o n

There are perhaps three possible reasons that Québécois symphonic prog Contraction achieved near-legendary status among progressive rock fans. One, based on the sheer obscurity of their albums, never issued on CD until 2005 by ProgQuébec; two, based on their centrality to a vibrant Montréal prog scene in the early- to mid-1970s; and/or three, based on the ingenuity and beauty of their second album, La Bourse ou la Vie. In my opinion, all three of these items are contributing factors to Contraction's current status in the minds of knowledgeable prog fans, but the third is certainly a predominant one. Notably missing from the above list is "the ingenuity and beauty of their debut album." Indeed, Contraction's eponymous debut pales in comparison to La Bourse ou la Vie. On both albums, the band flirts with the boundaries of soft rock, but there's a bit more of it here. Short songs are anchored by Robert Lachapelle's excellent piano work and Christiane Robichaud's soft but powerful voice, just as in La Bourse ou la Vie, but the melodies aren't quite as strong, and at just over half an hour, this is an album of songs just begging for a great central composition to tie them all together. La Bourse ou la Vie had its 18-minute title track; there is nothing comparable here. All of these songs are pleasant, even beautiful (see the delicate "Délire (474 Rang de la Petite Côte d'en-Bas)"), but none reach out and grab me quite like the songs on the next album. My favorites here are probably "Pixieland," with its jazzy guitar solo, and "Fin du Commencement," which benefits from a touch of funk and a lot more energy than much of the rest of the album. If Contraction had not released La Bourse ou la Vie and this album stood as the only recorded evidence of their existence, it's doubtful that their reputation would in any way rival what it has become. Nevertheless, a worthy effort and of course a must-hear for avid fans of the band's second album or of Québec prog in general. review by Brandon Wu — 5-19-05 —