HAMADRYAD - LIVE IN FRANCE 2006

HAMADRYAD - LIVE IN FRANCE 2006

Disk 1 . . . . . . .77:11
1) Sparks And Benign Magic / Self Made Man . 9:11
2) Anatomy Of A Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:32
3) Amora Demonis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:37
4) Watercourse Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:44
5) Nameless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5:16
6) Omnipresent Umbra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9:47
7) One Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:32
8) Polaroid Vendetta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:45
9) Alien Spheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:01
10) Still They Laugh (parts 1 & 2) . . . . . . . . . 3:42
11) ...Action! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:03

Hamadryad's official website at:
http://www.hamadryadmusic.com

Line-up
- Jean-Francois Désilets: lead vocals and bass
- Denis Jalbert: electric and acoustic guitars, vocals
- Sébastien Cloutier: keyboards, vocals
- Yves Jalbert: drums

Produced by Michel St-Père and Hamadryad

format: Single CD
Unicorn Digital • UNCR-5046
release date: September 2007

In the summer of 2006, the members of Montreal symphonic prog band Hamadryad were invited to the prestigious Crescendo festival in St-Palais Sur Mer in France and their performance was recorded for this latest release of the band, entitled Live In France 2006. It captures admirably the energy of Hamadryad in concert. A gorgeous mastering and mixing makes this live album a wondrous thing to listen to. Add to that the fact that their performance was particularly exuberant because they were so completely excited by their very first show in Europe and you probably have one of the top live recordings released in 2007.

The album is composed of 11 of their most popular tracks taken from their two studio releases. Denis Jalbert is simply stunning on the guitars, there is no doubt in your mind when you listen to this album that he is one of the best guitarists in Quebec. Yves Jalbert brings the rhythm section to new levels with his intense and precise drum work, Sébastien Cloutier goes mad on the keys with such ebullience and vigor that you wonder sometimes how his keyboard stand is still in one piece! And good old J.-F. just impeccable on bass, delivering all he's got as always!

The album flows well and the track selection is very good. I was surprised to see Watercourse Hymn since it's not a track they have played very often since ex-lead singer Jocelyn Beaulieu's departure. Beautifully rendered, it features a brilliant performance on the keys by Sébastien. The fifth track on the album is a brilliant instrumental rendition of Nameless. To the Hamadryad fan, this is an essential album, and to the casual listener who wishes to discover the band, it's an excellent choice because it covers their greatest and best songs, played with unsurpassed energy and vitality. Recommended for all!

my rating for LIVE IN FRANCE 2006 : 8.7/10(album reviewed by Robert Dansereau, 01/03/2008)