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Paskinel — Maraude Automnale
(Bandcamp Vallis Lupi VL07, 2023, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2023-08-31

Maraude Automnale Cover art

Some readers may recall the French band Alco Frisbass, whose first album we reviewed back in 2015. Patrick Dufour, who goes by the nickname Paskinel, has now put out his own project under that name, a solo work with substantial assistance from his Alco Frisabass bandmate Frédéric "Tourneriff" Chaput. Stylistically, Paskinel is very much in the same territory as Alco Frisbass, with complex keyboard-driven compositions full of unexpected twists and turns. Paskinel himself contributes the writing and plays keyboards along with programming the drums; Tourneriff plays guitar and bass as well as mixing the album; and there are several guests providing woodwinds, violin, organ, extra guitar, and lap steel. The drums are programmed very skillfully, so a casual listener might not notice there’s no drummer. Keyboards sounds are a blend of vintage and modern, with electric piano, Mellotron, and organ cohabiting equally with a wide range of synthesizer tones. And while Paskinel is a fine player in the technique area, he doesn’t go out of his way to be flashy, always tailoring his parts to the imaginative compositions. There are hints of Canterbury and jazz-rock in the air, especially in “One O’Clock,” which features both noble synthesizer and edgy guitar over an insistent beat along with the added bonus of bassoon. Tourneriff’s bass playing really elevates the arrangements, providing a much better bottom end than keyboard bass would have. Every one of the eight tracks is a gem, providing just the right balance between variety and cohesion. Maraude Automnale is one of my favorite albums of the year so far, and deserves be heard by fans of all varieties of progressive rock.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Paskinel (Patrick Dufour)

More info
http://vallislupi.bandcamp.com/album/maraude-automnale

 

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