CARPE DIEM
“En Regardent Passer
Le Temps” LP
 “The album
practically encompasses the diversity
and inspiration of the French
progressive rock underground. It is,
easily, one of the finest albums to have
emerged from that scene. At the
risk of sounding like a raving fanboy, En
Regardent Passer Le Temps is
indeed a classic record for the
ages.” —Greg
Northrup, Progweed
Formed in 1970, Carpe Diem started out
playing covers by the likes of East of
Eden, King Crimson, Deep
Purple, and Uriah Heep in clubs
along the French Riviera. Original
compositions made their way into the
band's repertoire over the five
years between their formation and the
release of their debut album, "En
Regardent Passer Le Temps,” in 1976.
Little wonder then that the band sounds
as magnificently tight, polished and
mature on this classic debut, truly
one of the gems of the French rock
scene. The success of the album brought
them dates with other major French
bands like Magma and Ange, led to the
recording of a second album, and then
ultimately to the sort of nearly
total obscurity which deserves to be
undone with a reissue such as this one!
"Carpe Diem weave spacey, melodic
soundscapes of impossible subtlety
and beauty, combining woodwinds and all
manner of synthesizers with surging,
inspired guitar solos. The playing is
free and loose, while yet retaining an
air of careful composition. Guitar parts
and multiple keyboard lines lock into
precise, tightly meshed melodic
webs, building tension before
bursting into emotive, furious climaxes.
Soaring, cosmic guitar melodies glide
along churning synthesizer rhythms in
the aptly titled opener ‘Voyage du
non-retour’ (Voyage of No Return). The
three lengthy tracks that almost evenly
divide the album's remainder are
uniformly excellent, with nary a
superfluous or unnecessary moment.
It says something when, in
listening to an album, each track
convinces you independently that
it, indeed, is the best cut on the
record. ‘Reincarnation’ features
understated, yet gorgeous, vocal
passages in between fiery
instrumental portions. The flute
and mellotron introduction of ‘Jeux du
siecle’ perfectly sets up the
driving grooves to come. In closer
‘Publiphobie,’ fluid bass-lines and
ultra-tight rhythmic work provide
the foundation for heavily
syncopated, enchanting saxophone
melodies. Subtle, smoky vocals
return to the fore later in the
track, before the band jumps into the
closing instrumental finale.” —Greg
Northrup, Progweed
•First time vinyl reissue of 1976
underground French rock rarity
•Insert details the band’s history up to
the recording of this album.
•"At the risk of sounding like a
raving fanboy, En Regardent
Passer Le Temps is indeed a
classic record for the ages.”—Greg
Northrup, Progweed
Track List:
Side A:
1. Voyage du non-retour (3:48)
2. Réincarnation (12:50)
Side B:
1. Jeux du siècle (10:10)
2. Publiphobie (9:54)
a link to an mp3
sampler, which has a little taste of
every track on the record:
https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/9JjtIg0foz
Catalogue number: LION LP-172
UPC: 778578317218
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