Harmonium – L'heptade

I'm just discovering this group. I listened initially to "Si on avait besoin d'une 5ème saison" and found it kind of pleasant, a bit jazzy (that's an observation, not a preference), but not all that inspiring. So I thought nope, it's one to skip.
Still, I always give a group a second change and this was it.

What can i say? It totally, totally blew me away. It's just so ... complete.
It helps that I speak near-perfect French, but that wasn't at all necessary to appreciate it.

(I'm still not keen on the other one though :p)

L'Heptade was Harmonium's final studio offering, and I really needed to make this review because it's unbelievable how much this group had progressed between their self-entitled 1974 debut to L'Heptade, released in November 1976, just a couple weeks after completion. Serge Fiori's voice is still recognizable as ever before, and though I'm from America and not familiar with French accents, it sounds to me like he sings it with a Quebec accent. While their debut was rather straight-ahead folk and folk rock, this one is a highly symphonic, orchestrated album, with orchestra, conducted by Neil Chotem. Serge Locat's Mellotron work was greatly diminished from their previous album, Les Cinq Saisons, which is understandable thanks to a real orchestra, but he does include a little. Michel Normandeu, though credited with a bulk of the songwriting, left halfway to be replaced by new guitarist Robert Stanley. I really like how the oarchestra blends well with the music. The folk elements are still there, but there's often a more electric approach, with electric guitar and synthesizers, plus full-time use of drums (their second album is their only album without any drums). Some of the songs tend to have a rather slow pace, like "L'Exile" and "Lumière du Vie" so it often requires your full attention. I really love "Le Corridor", with gentle use of electric piano and female vocals, but I really love that use of phased Mellotron near the end part.

Not knowing French, it's apparent the lyrics to the album is about the seven stages of consciousness.

This album took me perhaps one of the longest times for me to get familiar with it. But once I did, I can understand why this album is so highly praised. Also it's no surprise this was their final studio offering. Serge Fiori probably knew he probably couldn't top what he done here, and although a 1977 live recording (in Vancouver) surfaced in 1980 as En Tournée (live rendition of L'Heptade), Harmonium was pretty much history by 1978.