Featured Artist: Morglbl

CD Title: Toons Tunes From The Past

Year: 2008

Record Label: Free Electric Sound

Style: Fusion

Musicians:

Christophe Godin (vocals, guitar), Ivan Tougny (vocals, bass instrument), Jean-Pierre Frelezeau (vocals, drums, percussion), Severine Passello, Nicolas Milliot, Stephane Bergeron (vocals), Manu Araoz (guitar, banjo), Francis Vicherat (accordion), Christophe Chambet (bass instrument), Pierre-Yves Desvignes (drums).

Review:

The hard-driving French trio might not be of the household name variety on these American shores, but have been gaining recognition among the global progressive-rock/jazz-fusion and metal scene since its inception back in 1996.  Therefore, this 2008 package contains the band’s long out of print albums The Morglbl Trio!! (1997) and Bienvenue a Morglbl Land (1999) to include two previously unreleased works. 

One of the appeasing aspects of the trio’s methodology translates into its intermittent slices of wit and humor.  With guest artists accordionist Francis Vicherat injecting a Parisian motif on “Le Fantome de Savoie” and banjoist, guitarist Manu Araoz rendering a roots-driven vibe on “Jouons Un Peu,” the overall program touts a quite a bit of diversity.  Other than the underlying metal, fuzoid and hard rock component, the trio tosses in some zany Zappa-esque type effects on occasion.  Yet they don’t abuse or overstate that lighter fare.  Alternatively speaking, guitarist Christopher Godin could probably hang with almost any of the present day prog-rock guitar lords. 

The band’s bone-crushing mode of attack is pleasantly aggressive, while also fusing the original recording and signature theme from comedic greats Laurel & Hardy into a motif, or generating a cosmic burnout amid knotty time signatures.  Consequently, the musicians do integrate the best of various musical worlds within the grand scheme of matters.  Ultimately, it’s their sparkling camaraderie, high-impact aggression and enviable technical faculties that generally allude to the knockout blow. 

Record Label Website: http://www.lasersedgegroup.com

Listen or Buy: CD Universe

Reviewed by: Glenn Astarita

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