b r a n d o n

"Avant-folk" is the term often used to describe this late-70s collective from Québec, and glib as it is, I think it works. A marriage of traditional, classical and rock musics in an almost entirely acoustic package, Conventum's debut album is unique, and easily one of my favorites from the prolific Québécois prog scene that is now being so well covered by ProgQuébec. Sans almost any electric instruments or, for that matter, drums or percussion instruments, Conventum weave an intricate, compelling landscape full of interlocking acoustic guitars, the occasional dramatic violin swoops, and half-sung, half-declaimed theatrical vocals. By virtue of their inventiveness, Conventum are difficult to pin down musically, but I have seen comparisons to everything from Gentle Giant to Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft. À l'affût d'un complot frequently shifts from pastoral acoustic folk to darkly dramatic chamber music, often within the same track; "La Bataille" and "Ronde" are my favorite pieces on this album and both follow this pattern. Of the nine tracks from the album proper, only "La Piège" missteps, with its manically theatrical choirs coming out of nowhere and sounding a little silly. The trio of instrumental songs that precedes "Ronde" is also a highlight, worthy of the Guitar Craft comparison with its complex, fast-picking interplay of guitars and violin. Following the main album are seven tracks' worth of bonus material taken from live performances. These performances showcase a completely different side of Conventum from the studio album; they are much more abrasive, much more dramatic, with spoken vocals taking over a leading role. My understanding is that a poet was counted as a member of this band for some time, so the ability to understand French is probably paramount for enjoying these tracks. Lacking this ability, I find the bonus material annoying almost across the board. I'm tempted to compare this material to Sleepytime Gorilla Museum's live album: it might be enjoyable in the flesh and if I understood what they were talking about, but in the absence of both of those criteria, it is merely incomprehensible and grating. Bonus tracks aside, À l'affût d'un complot is a nearly one-of-a-kind album that's a definite highlight of the Québécois experimental music scene. It has enough beautiful, theatrical moments that it should appeal to a lot of traditional prog fans, but it's also edgy enough and out-there enough to appeal to fans like me who are more interested in more genuinely experimental stuff. review by Brandon Wu — 12-31-06 —