Malicorne - Malicorne (1974)

Malicorne - Malicorne (1974)
EAC Rip | APE, image+cue, log / 203 mb | Mp3 CBR 320Kbps / 95 mb | 11 tracks | Covers
Celtic / French Folk | Hexagone GRI191252 | RAR 3% Rec. | Time: 38:46 | FileSonic, FileServe, Uploaded

This first of two self-titled albums (this one has a light peach-colored cover and displays a photo of the band) offers a fine selection of traditional folk songs from the regions of Berry, Poitou, Savoie, and the Limousin, along with two songs from the French Canadian songbook...
It's not quite folk, not quite rock and not quite prog, it occupies a warm moist hole in the ground all of its own.




Fresh out of Alan Stivell's band, Gabriel Yacoub recorded the first album by his own group, Malicorne, and made sure that despite the fact that he, too, was taking the folk revivalist route, the group's music would come out as being very different. Mission accomplished. This first of two self-titled albums (this one has a light peach-colored cover and displays a photo of the band) offers a fine selection of traditional folk songs from the regions of Berry, Poitou, Savoie, and the Limousin, along with two songs from the French Canadian songbook. The cromorne, a medieval double-reed instrument, gives the group a distinctive sound without occupying center stage like the Celtic harp in Stivell's music -- Laurent Vercambre's violin, viola, and bouzouki actually write a stronger signature on this first album. And the group's arrangements remain rather close to the tradition, eschewing blatant pop/rock bastardization (unlike Stivell, Tri Yann, or Quebec's Garolou). Besides Hughes DeCourson's bass, there is little electricity heard here (Yacoub mostly sticks to acoustic guitar) and the percussion section remains very slim, with no sign of drum kit. The album is bookended by the instrumental "Colin," a bagpipe melody. "Dame Lombarde" and "Landry" represent some of Malicorne's finest moments: an ageless melody of shifting, inventive arrangements and beautiful multi-part vocals. Slower numbers, such as "La Pernette" and "Le Deuil d'Amour," require a little more getting used to, as they bring forth the nasal singing of the Yacoubs (Gabriel and Marie). But their languid (almost lazy) voices in slow numbers express the sorrow and sadness of the lyrics in a way even a non-French speaking listener will grasp. This and the group's second album are classic LPs of the '70s French-speaking folk revival.
Francois Couture, AllMusic


Timeless...

This cd, along with La Marriage Anglaise, are two of the best recordings of medieval music ever. If you like Malicorne, or any other band playing traditional medieval tunes, this disk is a must have. It is certain that the new wave of groups playing "mittelalter rock" got their inspiration from Malicorne. I have a tape of this cd and I have been hunting for the disk for years since I fear the tape may not last. This is classic music for those who wish to meet knights, fair damsels, and feel the magic of a time outside of time which is immortal in the human heart. I do not believe that the ancient Gaulish god of Eloquence could give this band and this album adequate praise. Folkies, pagans, and romantics will love this unique and precious gem. James B. Whitney "mannaz", Amazon


This a fantastically ambitious and complex album courtesy of France's national treasure Gabriel Yacoub. It's not quite folk, not quite rock and not quite prog, it occupies a warm moist hole in the ground all of its own. Using primarily accoustic instruments with carefully placed electric bass and occasional electric guitar this should be a folk album, but the arrangements and tonal language sometimes lean towards the avant garde, it's a feast. If you're biased towards music that can be ambitious and complex without ever appearing flashy or fake then this album may please you greatly. Folk without fart. Rock without posture. Prog without lighting. stuffedspacedog, Discogs




Malicorne founder Gabriel Yacoub, taking his inspiration from the French/Celtic explorations of Alan Stivell and Dan Ar Braz as well as the British folk/rock of Steeleye Span, led his crew in producing rich, haunting arrangements of the folk music of France, Brittany, and francophone Canada. The band's later recordings feature original compositions and more contemporary instrumentation while retaining a traditional flavor. Michael P. Dawson, AllMusic


Malicorne was a French electric folk group that flourished in the 1970s.

The traditional years
Gabriel Yacoub and Marie Yacoub formed Malicorne in 1974, naming it after the French town, Malicorne, famous for its porcelain and faience. Since several of their albums are called simply Malicorne it had become the custom to refer to them by number, even though no number appears on the cover. Malicorne 1 consisted of the Yacoubs, Laurent Vercambre and Hughes de Courson. The combination of electric guitar, violin, dulcimer, bouzouki and female vocalist immediately brings to mind Steeleye Span, their English equivalent, thus placing them squarely in the electric folk genre. These four musicians were, between them, masters of twelve instruments. Their first four albums consisted of mostly traditional French folk songs, with one or two songs by Gabriel Yacoub and one or two instrumentals per album. Again like Steeleye Span, they occasionally sang group harmonies a cappella. On Malicorne 4 they were joined by Olivier Zdrzalik on bass, percussion and vocals. The exuberant art-work on the album sleeves, featuring elves and dragons, makes them collectors pieces.

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