REVIEW - CALIORNE "Rock Noz Band" (2012)

Caliorne "Rock Noz Band"
Release date: December 1, 2012
Running time: 54:38, 12 tracks

Even if The Chieftains released an album about Bretton music in 1987 and one of the biggest Celtic festivals in the world is held in Lorient (Brittany), the average Celtic fan is not familiar with the bands coming from this area. The likes of Alan Stivell, Dan Ar Braz and  Kornog are well-known, together with newcomers such as Bretton punks Les Ramoneurs de Menhirs and 40 years old folk rock band Tri Yann. But other interesting Celtic rock outfits (Ar Re Yaouank, Wig a Wag …) are not well-known outside of France.

Caliorne is a 6 piece band that could fill this gap, playing the traditional airs of Bretton music (an dro, gavotte, laridé …) with a rock twist. Daniel Bignon (drums, percussions), François Marchal (pipes, digital pipes, clarinet), Hugues Maljean (12 strings electro-acoustic guitar, vocals), Kevin Bijaoui (electric guitar), Olivier Bintein (keyboards, low whistle, bombarde) and Patrick Jamin (bass) have different backgrounds: metal, jazz, blues, funk, rock, celtic... However, they have developed their own sound during the last three years. A sound that they have called Rock Noz Band, Celtic rock with a party/danceable twist.

Basically “Rock Noz Band” is an instrumental album based on original compositions. Only two tracks are sung in French, “Friponne” and “Coulé à pic” and three numbers have some traditional passages (some laridés on “Eridal”, a polka that has been previously recorded by the likes of The Chieftains and The Tossers on “Paul Caliorne” and the beginning of “La Kro, Star de la boîte”.)

The main numbers IMHO would be “Scottish Purple” (excellent guitar work together with pipes and low whistle), “Rolling Dog” (powerful pipes and guitars with an interesting part with keyboards and clarinet), “Reveur” (the shortest bagpipe number on the album), “Ø120/100” (an acoustic start, great pipes and the right dose of keyboards and clarinet) together with the three tracks that have the traditional parts.

So, if you want to get into Bretton folk rock music, Caliorne’s “Rock Noz Band” is a worth hearing album. Perhaps the compositions are a little bit long (around 4-5 minutes), but this is an element that rock fans will appreciate. Let alone the package, a wonderful digipack with all the info you need about  the CD: band members photos, lyrics, liner notes, credits … Do you want to know how many different pipes are played on the album? And who manufactured them? The answers are on the digipack. Grab a bottle of Kronenburg beer or any Bretton cider and enjoy “Rock Noz Band”.

Tracklist:

1-Eridal (Laridé 8 temps) 5:09
2-Trad ha Rock (Gavotte) 4:38
3-Scottish Purple (Scottish) 5:25
4-Impro au Chat (Andro) 4:51
5-Paul Caliorne (Polka) 5:14
6-Ø 120/100 (Rond de Saint Vincent) 5:45
7-Friponne (Plinn ton Simple) 4:08
8-Rêveur (Bal Plinn) 0:52
9-Déjanté (Plinn ton Double) 3:44   
10-La Kro, Star de la boîte (Kost ar C'Hoad) 4:03  
11-Rolling Dog (Cercle circassien) 6:10
12-Coulé à pic 4:32


http://www.caliorne.fr (in French)
http://www.caliorne.com (in English)
https://soundcloud.com/caliorne
http://www.facebook.com/Caliorne.RockNozBand

Click to buy a CD:

http://www.caliorne.com/p/buy-rock-noz-band-our-new-cd-rock-noz.html

Click to buy a digital copy:

http://www.caliorne.com/search/label/Download

Review by Kinksmarkham