Alpha Centauri - 1976 - Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri
1976
Alpha Centauri

01. La montre (6:03)
02. L'Arbre (5:50)
03. La Rire des Pierre (2:01)
04. Cage en Béton (2:43)
05. Passant de la Nuit (6:35)
06. Sans nom (5:56)


- Daniel Abherve / drums
- Serge Nevez / keyboards, vocals
- Bruno Nevez / guitar, bass, vocals
- Gilles / bass 


ALPHA CENTAURY is a rare French band from the seventies. Like many others, they recorded one album, and that was it. As you can imagine, information is very hard to find. This is evidenced in the discrepancy in the spelling of the name. On the album, Cenaturi is spelled with a Y. However, if you try to search with that spelling, you find nothing. The band was comprised of Daniel Abherve on drums, Serge Nevez on keyboards and vocals, Bruno Nevez on guitar, bass and vocals, and Gilles on bass

The have a lot in common with other French arists of the time, but not entirely. The closest comparison could be made to Asia Minor. There is that darkness that was prevalent with others, but they have more of a jazz influence. That is mixed with a bit of spacey, almost psychedelic, element. There is even a bit of an operatic tinge in some of the vocals. Their self-titled album was released in 1976.

Just a single album from these guys (built around the Nevez brothers) and also a much too short album at that. 29 mins is simply too short on a CD for a full price - Mellow Records CDs are never cheap (found my copy in a second hand shop). The music developped here is typical symphonic French prog from the mid-70's not far away from Atoll , Carpe Diem. The sound production is just correct at best but this was the case for most French prog of that era (Magma excluded). It is nothing shameful either.There are some very fine moments and the guitarist's lush sound is sometimes reminiscent of Hackett and the Kb are also superb leaning on a cross Genesis's Banks and Floyd's Wright. Reaching a musical orgasm is possible if you are symphonic prog-inclined but one must suffer from premature ejaculation because of the brevity of the album.