Gong
Shamal

Greatly underrated album, yet so beautiful and refined, it virtually disappeared without a trace, not through any fault of its own. When people talk about Gong, they almost exclusively refer to their three most famous albums, a trilogy as singular as it is crazy.

Now, in 1976, Radio Gnome is no longer transmitting, the planet Gong is a place light-years away, David Allen has left the group but the Gong remain, now led by Didier Malerbe. And they have found another dimension, more sensible (perhaps due to a reduced assimilation of strange substances harmful to gray cells?). 

Shamal is not, in my opinion, a jazz-rock album, as it is often described. It is a rock-jazz, very rock and little jazz, of extreme refinement. A late-progressive rock, a hit and run of the Gong into the Prog world or, in other words, a dive and away into Progressive. A dive unfortunately not understood at the time, perhaps revalued after two decades, but still little known.

Remarkable, like embedded gems, are the xylophone duets of the talented Mirelle Bauer now with the bass, now with the flute or the sax, original sounds because created with an atypical instrument for rock. Many good musicians among whom Mike Howlett on bass stands out, followed by Mirelle Bauer on the xylophone (partly assisted by the drummer but also skilled on the vibraphone Pierre Moerlen) and Didier Malerbe on tenor and soprano sax. The quality of the product is slightly lowered by Mike's lead vocals, not up to par, perhaps he would have been better off sticking to playing the bass. Patrice Lemoine on keyboards navigates in a sound that does not give him many ways to express himself.

Good start, it opens with Wingful of Eyes, which immediately showcases the refinement of the entire work. The piece then gains depth with the solo guitar, first electric then acoustic, of Steve Hillage, the mainstay in previous albums but here with one foot out, now launching towards a solo career.
Here comes Gong, Chandra begins, in my opinion the best track, and Mike's bass goes wild. The rhythm changes and the sax alternates with the xylophone, together leading the good piece to a finale with violins. The vocals arrive with sax embellishments but always supported by the varied imperious bass, the true protagonist of the entire album.
The shamal blows, faint exotic sounds are heard, here is Bambooji. Xylophone and flute duet magnificently. Hillage's electric guitar appears subdued, gradually increasing until the gong strike leads to a finale reminiscent of a Mike Oldfield sound, then the shamal returns and erases everything.
Cat in a Clark's Shoes, the weakest track on the album, after a not very harmonious start gains personality but then loses credibility again at the end.
Mandrake, the third and last consecutive instrumental, begins gently, with the xylophone always in the foreground, then gains rhythm with the sax. Calm returns with sounds that evoke visions of calm sea waves stretching and dying on the shoreline.
Shamal is one of the two best tracks, always with the bass setting the pace and forming a carpet on which the sax basks in the morning sun of the desert. The finale, again led by the bass, paves the way for a beautiful xylophone and violin performance by Jorge Pinchevsky  and the lovely voice of Sandy Calley, both welcome guests.
All sound that creates atmosphere. A romantic-Saharan atmosphere.

Like many good albums, which then don't tire, it needs to be listened to several times. For the record: produced by Nick Mason (very good sound quality).

The end of my mission to re-evaluate Shamal, a mission certainly not sponsored by Virgin Records or Nick Mason, but by a healthy love for Prog: to encourage those who love it like me to listen to the good rock of the fabulous '70s.