Castle Records has released three archival albums by the French prog/jazz/rock band, Coincidence. Pink Floyd once suggested, “The Gold, It’s In the …” and for those of us who are lovers of ’70s rock music, that “gold” is found in the grooves of a newly discovered band from those days when to (almost) quote Bill Bruford, “rock went to college.”
We all had long hair, liberal idealism, a pretty great (and necessary!) stereo system, very little food in the refrigerator, thrift-store furniture, with nary a girlfriend in sight. Still, we were redeemed with an insatiable attention span that contemplated space, time, the fall of the Roman Empire, Geoffery Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale, the art of Hieronymus Bosch, (personally speaking) the women in my William Blake seminar, and all the incredible records that stretched, twisted, and turned our collective collegian vinyl spun brain synapses. And by the way, it was a tremendous relief to have (finally) passed an algebra class!
That all said, these three Coincidence albums travel through that once contemplated space and time and conjure the soundtrack to those threadbare thrift store days of my ill-spent youth when clever, complex, and progressive music was all that mattered.
The first, Archives 1973-1974, is a live recording from the nascent band. Concidence’s main guys, Jean-Pierre Llabador and his late brother Jean-Claude, are joined by a full group with vocals, flute, keyboards, bass and drums. This is classic French prog, with “Glimpse” clocking just over 30 minutes as it rocks and gets a bit jazzy here and there, with a Canterbury twist for added pleasure.
Despite its age, the sound quality is good but then to be honest, my memory of those days is also not crystal clear – so let’s say the recording shows its age. Still, it’s a nice time ride that includes the 12-minute plus “Astronaut/Juggernaut,” and the almost seven-minute “Suite Parts 1 & 2.” To quote (the great) Mary Hopkin, “Those were the days, my friend.”
Then fast-forward to 1976 as Coincidence records their first self-titled studio album, now reissued as Mets tes Lunettes et Ecoute Comme ca Sent Bon! (Vol. 1). This is fluid-rock with a jazzy Canterbury vibe. The first tune, “Berceuse Chinoise,” pops and hops with joyous Brand X flavor. Jean-Pierre and Jean Claude sizzle. Then “Les Grenouilles” bounces with the complex delight of “Born Ugly.” The guitars surf a weird and wonderfully convoluted wave. Sometimes, a melody can be a gift that keeps on giving.
In contrast, “Soleils” plays with a moody acoustic prog touch, which abruptly morphs into an acoustic labyrinth that conjures (the also great) Pierre Bensusan, but then it becomes an electric guitar solar flare, which in turn spins “Sequences” into an acoustic orbit around a melodic planet. That’s followed by the dreamy acoustic tune, “Canevas.” Then “Sucre D’orge” sticks (with delightful wobbles!) a soft lunar-landed finale. Coincidence, while carving its groove, spins in the vinyl circumference of French bands like Pierre Moerlen’s Gong, Potemkine, and (a personal favorite!) Zao.
The band’s second studio album, 1979’s Clef De Ciel, is also being reissued – and has also been renamed. With Mets tes Lunettes et Ecoute Comme ca Sent Bon! (Vol. 2), Coincidence continues with big bass pulses, melodic twists and turns, Canterbury Pilgrim jazzy keyboard stories, Thomas Beckett-approved guitar solos, and a few sainted halos.
“L’Autre Face” punches a melody like a Caravan Dave Sinclair big prog “Nine Feet Underground” composition, with perhaps a Dave Stewart (of Egg, Hatfield and the North, and National Health fame) vibe. Big compliment, that! Then “Miroir” flows with ocean air (and groovy!) Caribbean flavor. The seven-minute “Agawe” swirls with a prog-space lunar-dusted melodic memory, and it conjures, with a nice jazzy glide, the instrumental beauty of Vertigo label-spun Jade Warrior, circa “May Queen” from Last Autumn’s Dream. That’s always a good thing to do, just like (finally) passing an algebra class. This is beautiful stuff.
There’s more: “A Toi, a Moi” touches a brisk (swirling!) complicated and slightly weird Star Wars house band dance floor fusion alien jive. “Azigu” does another prog-jazz funky dance in yet another playful “hurly-burly” labyrinth in a “galaxy far, far away.” The tune stretches hot wah-wah vinyl. In nice juxtaposition, “Exile 1” begins with an acoustic intro, morphing into a stately electric guitar/keyboard dramatic slow dance with the beauty of the sultry Wishbone Ash glorious guitar solo of “Persephone” from There’s the Rub. Nice.
Interesting: “Si T’es Reggae” bounces with carefree island joy then “all change again” as “Tu Paries” defies genres with percussive/bass percolation, while the guitar twists and turns with (even more) clever electric drama that stakes a melodic tent in a friendly wind. The final tune, “Cote Cour, Cote Jardin,” skates merrily with a final thought that summarizes Coincidence’s funhouse jazz rock ride and everything else focused solar-flared melodic discussion. Nice, again!
The term “jazz-rock” often implies clever technique, which is good, but these Coincidence albums – especially the two studio releases – cross-pollinate their grooves with moments of great prog and rock music which is perhaps even better. Of special note is that the compact discs are included in the old-fangled vinyl album release, with no download needed! That’s a nice combo retro rock prog jazz platter package.
Ah, these archival albums with thrift-store furniture, long lost hair, a still necessary stereo system, and the memory of all those women in my William Blake seminar class, sing a collective and clever prog-jazz-rock chorus with the wise retro words, “Those were the days!”
- Coincidence – ‘Coincidence,’ ‘Clef de Ciel’ + ‘Archives 1973-1974’ (2024) - November 17, 2024
- Mile Marker Zero – ‘Coming of Age’ (2024) - October 14, 2024
- Burton Cummings – ‘A Few Good Moments’ (2024) - October 7, 2024
