Morglbl

[EDIT 4.5 out of 5 stars]

Toons Tunes from the Past is a two CD reissue by Ken Golden and Free Electric Sound of Morglbl first two albums. Morglbl is a trio consisting of Christophe Godin (guitar), Ivan Rougny (bass) and Jean- Pierre Frelezeau (drums & percussion). They play a jazz-fusion style with some metal and rock added with a touch of humor. Christophe guitar playing is the center piece of the music, but all three musicians are excellent players.

I am a big fan of guitar based fusion, but sometimes it can just sound stale. Definitely not on this 2 CD set, even though they were recorded almost ten years ago. It sounds like Mr. Godin has taken all of his influence and combined them into his playing and made his own style. This may sound obvious that he combined all his influence, but the reason I mention it is because sometimes you hear a musician say he is a fan of Pantera and plays in a pop band (?). His influences seem to be wide ranging from metal, jazz, fusion, rock, acoustic guitar music, Spanish and many other styles. Morglbl don't hide their influence, but skillfully combine them into an exciting mix of music.

One of the main things that I really like about their music is how they combine different styles into one song. The song Lieutenant Colombin starts of with Ivan playing a funky slap and popping bass part, Jean-Pierre puts down some laid back jazz groove drumming and Christophe plays some Holdsworth style volume swell chords. Then out of nowhere you get this heavy pinch harmonic guitar lick, while the bass and drums just stay in their groove and they keep rotating the parts. It just sounds so cool! Then there is guitar solo it just burns; it rivals any thing Shawn Lane, Scott Henderson or Paul Gilbert has played.

The other big reason I am enjoying this CD set is the variation in songs. They play a heavy odd meter rocker like Cleopatatras that sound a bit like Spaced Out song with more prominent guitar work. They follow that up with a heavy metal/ funk song Scouskymegnum that could fit on a Primus album. Next up Conversations D'alcove a soft gentle jazz piece with a John Scofield feel to it. They also play an acoustic Spanish flavored song Il Bello di Notte. The band's sense of humor also comes out in tracks like Mexico and Monishkolio. This all makes this a fun listen, so crank it up and enjoy.

Morglbl have managed to mix together a variety of ingredients and preservatives to keep this music fusion cake from going stale. Recommended for fans of instrumental guitar music, fusion, jazz, funk, power trio rock, metal and by anyone who wants to amazed by some awesome musicianship. Soon we will be hearing Christophe Godin's name used with same recognition as Vai, Satriani, Beck, Holdsworth, Gambale and others.



Track Listing

Disc 1 The Morglbl Trio !! (1998)


Disc 2 Bienvenue A Morglbl Land (1999)


Disc One
1. Links
2. The Tale Of Thibault
3. Streets and Traps
4. Inside Power
5. Il Bello di Notte
6. Les Mecanisme du Temps
7. Travels
8. Mexico
9. Lieutenant Colombin
10. Strictement Confidentiel
11. Monishkolio
12. The Principles of Life
13. Friends

Disc Two
1. Bienvenue Morglbl Land
2. Scipagnoleg et Bombola
3. Pekno- Teckno Boy
4. L'age de L'eveil
5. Le Fantome de Savoie
6. Angelica
7. Ben…Voilal
8. Derriere les Sourires
9. Cleopatatras
10. Scouskymegnum
11. Conversations D'alcove
12. Jouons Un Peu
13. Toons Tunes
14. Nounours a Disparu


Added: October 28th 2008
Reviewer: Christian Bernier - http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=6924

Mörglbl - Grötesk: Don’t even bother: it doesn’t mean anything. It’s just a weird band name they use because it sounds funny. And that, in itself, should tell you something about this band - they’re French and they have this kind of sense of humor. Add in the fact that guitarist Christophe Godin plays like the lovechild of a bizarre mating of Mike Keneally, Frank Zappa, and John McLaughlin and you’ve got some pretty weird territory. Zappa asked, “Does humor belong in music?” That question could be appended with the phrase “instrumental music.” They don’t descend into Keystone Kops-like moments, but it is clear that the intent of their music is serious fun, and there’s an element of humor. In fact, there are times when I laughed to myself at the often ingenious approaches the trio takes to music. Not necessarily “funny ha-ha” but “funny clever.” - http://www.lookoutforhope.com/?p=231

Reviewed by Christopher J. Kelter

[EDIT - 3.5 stars out of 4]

Free Electric Sound, a sub-label of The Laser's Edge, is known for having an eclectic mix of artists. French trio/fusion masters extraordinaire Morglbl are the latest addition to the Free Electric Sound roster. “Grotesk” is Morglbl’s third CD after an extended hiatus.

Musically “Grotesk” is at all times playful; please see the cover art for more proof. While I am tempted to throw Morglbl into the fusion genre it would be a disservice to them. Morglbl are more like Steve Vai’s fever-induced jazz spasms.

I have spent the majority of my music listening life only caring about the guitar parts in songs. Having made more effort in the recent past to listen to bass and drums within the songs I am listening to music with a renewed sense of wonder. With “Grotesk,” Morglbl play the guitar and bass parts in separate, but complementary, patterns. It’s refreshing for me to listen to music like this. And it makes me excited to hear music, even if it doesn’t necessarily and easily fall into the pure metal category. I am confident that there are a lot of guitar fanatics out there that will appreciate it as much as I do.

Sometimes the musical ideas seem like half-baked studio ruminations; literal throwaways, if you will. But the purity in those ideas contain a certain freshness to the proceedings. It doesn’t sound like any of the basic ideas that formed these songs were over-thought or otherwise stripped of their initial joy via revision and/or editing. Of all the tracks, “Fevrier Afghan” is one of the more metallic numbers with stellar soloing over distorted glory.

Fans of guitar luminaries such as Steve Vai and Allan Holdsworth will love what Morglbl have to offer.

“Grotesk” was produced by Rock et Chanson & Morglbl.

Morglbl is Christophe Godin on guitar and vocals, Ivan Rougny on bass and vocals, and Jean Pierre Frelezeau on drums and vocals.

For more information visit http://www.myspace.com/morglbl. - http://www.roughedge.com

MÖRGLBL: "Grötesk"
By tlarz
Published: February 1, 2008

[EDIT - 4 stars ]

Mörglbl…no I'm not drunk, that is the name of the band, which I'm about to review!!

This French trio (classic power trio line-up) has apparently received world wide acclaim for their intriguing blend of Jazz, metal and rock outlets with a dose of Zappa-esque humor (both in arrangement and texture).

By the look (cover of this third outing) of these fine musicians, they are bunkers..ha..ha..just kiddin´...no really, the frontcover displays these 3 guys, sittin´ in a row, wearing funny hats, shorts and ditto jackets and in a way, their music are just as weird and incredible as their chosen outfits (see cover above!)!
Imagine a power trio, who delivers brilliant music that blends Jazz, hard rock and melodic fusion and some weird
arrangements, with some very amazing guitar, leading the way through breaks, twists, turns (sometimes at heart stopping pace), odd signatures and funny inputs, then add the craziness of Zappa and you´re almost there!!
These guys create amazing themes (that seem to spread all over the genre map) and delivers incredible musical talent!
Fronted by the very talented Christophe Godin on Guitar, Ivan Rougny on Bass (and vocal...well sort of!) and finally
Jean Pierre Frelezeau on drums.

“Buffet Froid” are a semi-slow track, that could have been out of a Allan Holdsworth album, with its excellent guitar
parts!
“Tapas Nocturne” powerful track in the Vai/Satriani style!
“Le projet Pied de Biche” a nice melodic track that evokes beautiful imaginative landscapes.
“Lieutenant Colombin” opens with echo chord guitars and some very steady precise bass lines and incredible drums
now and then broken by a B-piece with more gusto.
“Les Petit Nous” another beautiful slow track, that reminds this proghead of Wishbone Ash (bar the vocals) and Pete Haycock (Guitar & Son- period). Excellent!!
“The Toy Maker” a more tight, heavy approach opens this track with some splendid wah-pedal guitar (a la Zappa or Vai) with little stings and breaks here and there, with funny or near cartoon like themes. Great stuff!

Yes, my dear progfriend, that was only 6 tracks out of 10, not counting the bonus tracks!

The rest must be observed by yourself, when you purchase this album, which you must, if you were the least intrigued
or had a happy smile on your face while reading this review?!

Me? I think it is a refreshing music endeavor played by 3 excellent musicians! And mind you, there is not one boring minute on this outing. As I probably have indicated I wasn't aware of these guys´existence. That said, I most certainly will check out their former releases!!
The only Grotesk thing (other than the title of this great album) about this trio, are that they are quite unknown in my neck of the woods!! Here´s hoping that will change, now do your part!! - http://www.progplanet.com

By Gary Hill



Overall Review



These guys have been around for ten years and this is the first I’ve heard them. That’s a shame because Morglbl (I wouldn’t try to pronounce it as I believe it could cause tongue injury) is one of the better fusion meets prog outfits there is. These guys never fail to entertain on this CD. Wandering between standard fusion, more metallic Crimson-like territory and other textures, the music is dynamic and creative. It still manages to be catchy – now there’s a feat. However you pronounce it, make no mistake, Morglbl are a great trio and this is a disc that’s sure to please fans of fusion, instrumental prog and great musicianship in general. - http://www.musicstreetjournal.com

MORGLBL – “Jazz For The Deaf” CD ’09 (Laser’s Edge, Fra) – And to think, I wasn’t going to go. See, about 2 months ago, my prog-rawk bowling teammate Rick mentioned to me that MORGLBL was playing at Orion Studios in Baltimore on May 9. Having never heard ‘em, I was assured by Rick that they smoked & so I jotted the name down in my calendar: “MORGLBL.” I tried to pronounce it, then gave up, meant to look ‘em up on YouTube, never did. Anyway we got into May & I opened that ol’ calendar one week. Let’s see, Friday night take my oldest to his prom. Pick him up from the after-prom party at 4:00 AM Saturday. Get together with relatives to celebrate Mother’s Day 2:00 PM Sat., then go to dinner after. Sunday 1:00 PM go to dinner with wife for Mother’s Day. 5:00 PM Sunday go to theatre with son.” Then, I saw the additional note for Saturday night. MORGLBL – Orion. Jesus Christ, I thought. Talk about a full weekend. And, as it turned out, on the way back from taking the kid to the prom Friday my van broke down & I stood at roadside, irate drivers blowing their horns as I waited nearly 3 hours for a tow truck. So, by the time Saturday rolled around I was already pretty damn burnt and was about to call Rick & beg off on the show. For some reason, however, I hesitated & figured “Ah, what the hell….” I think God guided me this time and his name is Christophe Godin.

Christophe Godin, you see, is the guitarist for MORGLBL and that evening as I sat on my metal folding chair in front of him at Orion, he did indeed rise to deity status. Funny thing was, on entering this intimate studio/venue that evening, before even taking my seat, I snagged a copy of MORGLBL’s new disc, “Jazz For The Deaf” (released officially in June). I thought, “Ok, could be $15 down the drain.” By the time the 1st song was over, I was checking my wallet to see if I had enough to pick up their other 3.

What I saw live that night was a revelation, not only for those who love fusion and heavy prog but metal as well. It’s the same revelation you’ll have when you slide “Jazz…” into your CD player. This is an album that is relentless. It is relentless in it’s wickedly dexterous musicianship. Together, Godin, Ivan Rougney (bass) and Aurelien Ouzoulias (drums) form a mega-organic trio who constantly push each other to playing that not only borders on the ridiculous but barrels right on thru to the middle of crazy. It is relentless in the quality of the material. With their stuff being of the oft-dreaded “instrumental” variety, MORGLBL are never in danger of being boring or directionless. One reason is because they are also relentless in terms of heaviness. While their output ranges from all-out metallic assaults calling to mind (but far better than) Cynic (US) to Primus-like-funk to Cobham-styled fusion, there is never any shortage of overdriven intensity that can alternately shake the walls and raise a smile. That’s another thing. Even though these 3 cats have the chops to bring Steve Vai, Stanley Clarke or Terry Bozzio to their knees, they’ve got a Zappa-like sense of humor that keeps it all real. Check out opener “Morglbl Circus,” with it’s, yes, circus theme that may end up seeming droll if the whole thing weren’t just so crushing. Or the nearly whimsical off-time rhythms of “Borderline” that dissolve into a heavy-ass riff mid song. Mostly, however, MORGLBL as a band are a musical house afire from one end to the other.

And frankly, I’ve gotta talk some more about Christophe Godin. Is the guy a shredder? Sure. My hands actually hurt just listening to some of the manically-note-riddled lead lines he lays down during this hour of metal-massacred-funk-fusion. Yet, unlike so many well-schooled players, he doesn’t give you the impression of being some lab technician or Julliard grad. Rather, there’s an under-lying blues feel and a very over-lying vibe of just coming out and kicking complete and utter ass. Envision, if you will, Dimebag Darrell (R.I.P.) after he listened to a Mahavishnu record and you might have an idea.

Best cuts? I don’t even have a clue where to start. “Jazz For The Deaf” is an album that continues to unveil great surprises every new listen at the same time it’s stomping all over your face with tank treads. If your appetite for amazement is as wide as your desire for a butt-kickin’, order this bitch yesterday. Acoustic Earplugs Anyone?
NOTE: It also must be added that my listening to the previous MORGLBL discs I purchased (“Grotesk” ’07, “Bienvenue A Morglbl Land” ’99 and “The Morglbl Trio II” ’98) yielded similarly orgasmic musical results with this listener.

www.myspace.com/morglbl - http://raysrealm.blogspot.com/2009/05/iron-man-i-have-returned-cd-09-shadow.html

The Review:

The French instrumental trio, Morglbl, comprised of Christophe Godin (guitars), Pierre Frelezeau (drums), and Ivan Rougny (bass) has been around since 1996, and Grotesk is their third official release on the Free Electric Sound label in 2007.Their music is hard-hitting and combines crunchy metal with jazz fusion along with humor. From my limited exposure to this genre, I would say the music is akin to the stylings of Frank Zappa, Steve Vai and Allan Holdsworth.

Although this isn’t the music I listen to, I found it a fun challenge to explore what a trio of fine musicians can create. If you deeply enjoy instrumental music that fuses both metal & jazz, with soloing that doesn’t take away from the song, then look no further and pick up a copy ASAP!

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on March 6th, 2008 - http://www.geocities.com/prognaut/reviews/morglbl.html

Morglbl
Toons Tunes from the Past The Laser's Edge

by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer

Comments: Do you think it's possible to have virtuosic technique, be able to write wonderful tunes, and at the same time not to take yourself too seriously? Apparently, this absurd combination of the rarest of qualities is possible, as demonstrated with staggering off-hand brilliance by the two-disk reissue of the first two Morglbl's albums under the title Toons Tunes from the Past. A range of styles from heavy metal to jazz, and intentions from gleeful tongue-in-cheek mockery of contemporary music to outer space experimentation makes this French trio a multi-layered, utterly unique band with its chemistry so complex, but at the same time so fetching that it stands side by side with the best work of Frank Zappa, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Steve Vai, Weather Report, and all others who over the last four decades have thought of music as a source for joy, adventure, fun, and experimentation.

Morglbl's debut record "The Morglbl Trio" first released in 1998, is the first disk of this release, and from the beginning introduces us to the non-linear universe where styles, genres, and traditions unite in a bizarre and captivating Mardi Gras of musical eclectism. Its first track "The Tale of Thibault" layers raucous heavy metal guitar over Alan Parsons-inspired spaced-out ostinato arpeggios before trailing off into prog rock a la Yes and jazz fusion guitar extrapolations. And at this point we get the first glimpse of guitarist Christophe Godin's awe-inspiring pyrotechnics which he delivers as naturally as all living things breathe. He is one of those virtuosos who makes it look easy, but while his technique is at times so effortless it becomes unnoticeable, his range and invention stand out in all their splendour, showing a first-rage composer as well as a dazzling player, proving yet again that you can't have great guitar leads without great songs. And Godin is a master of both.

With too many ideas emerging simultaneously to allow the band to stick to one formula, the rest of the album is a head-spinning journey through an astonishing variety of modern genres. There is "It Bello de Notte", an ephemeral acoustic guitar Latin tune, which would have bordered on mysticism if not for its delicate, barely-there irony; there are further experiments in marrying heavy metal to jazz; there are unashamedly retro eerie tunes inspired by Eighties pop; balls-to-the-wall hooky rock riffs that wouldn't have sounded out of place on an AC/DC record; and fierce heavy metal numbers that hit out with bona fide fire, laser-sharp and passionate.

Overall, the first disk is a wonderfully catchy, gimmicky record, freed from all constraints - a stunning debut for a band that knows all modern styles back to front, fluent in them all, somehow managing to unite them under one entertaining, witty paradigm.

The second disk of this release, "Bienvenue A Morglbl Land", Morglbl's sophomore effort released in 1999, shows the band remaining open-minded and humours, perhaps even more so than on their first record. Their interest in the Seventies and Eighties prog rock carries over from their debut, but this time their sense of comedy is more straightforward, and their interest in metal gives way to experiments with electronica and some serious jazz studies. "Pekno Tekno Boy" is the masterpiece of this disk, with raucous rock guitar slowly burning over a killer dance beat, punctured by an industrial riff, now and then joined by a wonderfully quirky Seventies disco vocal hook. This track alone makes this reissue worth buying, but if you are into earnest mind-bending jazz, or straight-head metal, or instrumental guitar, you wouldn't want to miss this gem either. A band with a rare ability to unite all styles, as well as a perfect understanding of what works in modern music, Morglbl have something for fans of all genres, no matter how demanding or simple their tastes may be.

Track Listing:
The Morglbl Trio
1. Links
2. The Tale of Thibault
3. Streets and Traps
4. Inside Power
5. Il Bello di Notte
6. Les Mecanismes du Temps
7. Travels
8. Mexico
9. Lieutenant Colombin
10. Strictement Confidentiel
11. Monishkolio
12. The Principles of Life
13. Friends

Bienvenue A Morglbl Land
1. Bienvenue A Morglbl Land
2. Scipagnoleg et Bombola
3. Pekno-Tekno Boy
4. L'age de L'eveil (a Genevieve et Roger)
5. Le Fantome de Savoie
6. Angelica
7. Ben… Voila!
8. Derriere les Sourires
9. Cleopatatras
10. Scouskymegnum
11. Conversations D'alcove
12. Jouons Un Peu
13. Toons Tunes
14. Nounours a Disparu

Hardrock Haven rating: 9/10
- http://www.hardrockhaven.net/reviews2008/oct08/Morglbl%20-%20Tunes%20from%20the%20Past.php

Score: *****

Ahh, those silly French. I still don't even know how to pronounce the name of this band correctly, but Morglbl (yes, that is the correct spelling) are one hell of a talented trio! Their latest CD, Jazz For The Deaf (The Laser's Edge Records) is a 12 track CD full of musical chops and a lot of goofy, off beat fun.

Morglbl features the talents of guitarist Christophe Godin, bassist Ivan Rougny and new drummer Aurelien Ouzoulias, and the all instrumental Jazz For The Deaf will totally find a home with fans of Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, King's X, Frank Zappa and Primus. Guitarist Christophe Godin has the ability to channel a Vai or a Holdsworth in songs while never actual stealing from them. His linear phasing is uncanny but it never feels like he's copying anyone, which is a hard feat to pull off. Morglbl's 4th CD, Jazz For The Deaf is quite a heavier release than their previous CD's and new hard hitting drummer, Aurelien Ouzoulias is a large reason for this. Part Fusion, part Metal, Morglbl have a killer CD here and finding a bad track among this lot is a hard thing to do. Highlight tracks like "Borderline", "Jazz For Deaf People" and "Hell's Ball's" all showcase a great sense of humor as well as technical brilliance. Quirky changes and break downs are simply a lot of fun to listen to and actually made me smile and laugh out loud at times. These guys are just an awesome band.

The strange name aside, Morglbl are a fun band to listen to and the combination of humor and musical wizardry is brilliant. Guitarist Christophe Godin is a stellar player and for shred guitar fans out there, he IS a player to check out. You won't be disappointed. For fans of American bands like Dub Trio and Bolt, Morglbl have that same offbeat wackiness with an even a higher level of superb musicianship. Jazz For The Deaf is a great, fun record that you will find yourself spinning over and over. I know that I did. Great guitar tone, great playing and a nice clean production, no clunkers on this one. This is a winner! I thoroughly enjoyed it.


Track Listing
1. Morglbl Circus
2. 22 Oz
3. Borderline
4. Myspacebook
5. Stoner de Brest
6. The Bleach Boy
7. The Monster Within Me
8. Jazz For Deaf People
9. Point d'Org
10. Hell's Ball's
11. Untold Stories
12. My Little Man

Added: August 20th 2009
Reviewer: Butch Jones - http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=8116