Barb-à-baal-a-loo (2000) Reviews
Visible Wind Barb-A-Baal-A-Loo
2000 Ipso Facto Records
Canada (54 Mins)
Well, give a band a few years... Five years on, the strangely-titled Barb-à-Baal-a-Loo (no, I don't know what it means either) sounds almost nothing like its predecessor, never mind the band's highly derivative early work. Heavier than before, it's also far more inventive, sounding like... well, no-one, really, and it's not often you can say that in the progressive world these days. There are still some standard song structures dotted around (Lost Ideals), but the band take interesting and unexpected twists and turns all over the place, which is more than you can say for 99% of their neo-prog contemporaries. Geysens' keyboard work is even better than on Narcissus..., too, with plenty of ripping (has to be real) Hammond, and plenty of 'Tron, mostly strings, with some highly effective swells in Dans Le Vide, slightly recalling Crimson's Epitaph. Even where he uses polysynth patches (analogue? Digital?), as on Recommencement, he manages to keep them interesting and original, rather than the awful 'this one's straight outta 1988!' approach that still seems all too common amongst his contemporaries.
According to the band's website, there are a huge number of unofficial recordings available from the band; well over a hundred, dating back to 1983, if they can be believed, and it seems highly likely that many of the later ones also feature it. Also, although it isn't mentioned on their site, another source states that the bonus track on the reissue of A Moment in Time is a re-recording of its title track, complete with 'Tron.
So; do you buy these albums? Narcissus Goes to the Moon: do you have a tolerance for fairly inventive neo-prog? Do you object to a lack of key-changes in your progressive listening? If these aren't problems, there's some nice (real) 'Tron work on the album. Barb-à-Baal-a-Loo: What a surprisingly excellent record - if only more current prog bands would make this much effort to do something new, while not forgetting the all-important exhortation to 'write some songs!' Recommended.
http://www.planetmellotron.com/reviewsv.htm#visible
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I really had no idea what to expect from such a strangely titled album "Barb-A-Baal-A-Loo", but let me just say that this is an excellent album. With 4 solid albums before this one I was well aware of the Visible Wind musical sandbox but this album does take them into new territory.and the end result is an outstanding album. "Barb-A-Baal-A-Loo" features the standout keyboard work of Stephen Geysens, Luc Hébert's drums, Louis Roy's bass playing and the crunchy guitar work of Philippe Woolgar. The opening track "The Healer" is completely worth the price of admission here folks ! This tune is a killer example of how this band have cured over time and may be my favourite Visible Wind song of all time. I suspect this is a concept album but I have no idea of the story line, but having said that it plays in many ways not unlike Saga's approach on "Generation 13". This album is filled with lots of background effects and song by song with a degree of plot. This album deserves to receive a whole lot more attention than it received ! Simply brilliant.
James Unger
http://www.geocities.com/asdfasedf2/yetanother40.html
Just got my order in today, and the winner of the group is the new Visible Wind 'Barb-a-baal'. Any one who is fortunate to have heard or own the previous album 'Narcissus goes to the Moon' and liked it will love this one. Rich retro organ sound, waves of 'tron, moogs, and great guitar work. Inricate and subtle one moment, bombastic the next. Some of the better Canadian prog. Highly recommended.
Dan
©Væsibulle Records 2000