Le Pélican Noir
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Le Pélican Noir

Montréal, Quebec, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF

Montréal, Quebec, Canada | SELF
Established on Jan, 2014
Band Rock Electro

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"Critique de l'album : Le Pélican Noir - Le Silence tendu au-dessus de nos têtes comme un orage en suspens"

January 28, 2014

This Montreal quintet (and occasional septet) impresses with a wide array of instruments, including mandolin and French horn. When these are added to the typical spread of post-rock instrumentation (guitar, bass, and drums) as well as its expanded array (glockenspiel, violin, electronics), the results are more like the work of a small orchestra than a large band. Le Pélican Noir doesn’t refer to itself as exclusively post-rock, which is accurate; but the mini-LP does bear a post-rock title; the English translation is Silence stretched over our heads like a storm pending. The cheerful mood and bell-inflected tones are reminiscent of Bell Orchestre, another Montreal band. The spirit is uplifted while listening; perhaps there’s something in the water that allows such cheer.

The bells and swells of opener “Kirschen Elektrische” lead to a calliope of sounds. A waltz tempo lends a sweet patina. This isn’t typical music, but neither is it foreign; there’s enough familiarity to be comforting, and enough freshness to be invigorating. The ensemble keeps it fresh by varying the tempos and timbres throughout the album, a luxury afforded by the wealth of instruments available. “Fafrot Skies: part_I” bleeds the intrigue of a black-and-white noir, while “part_II” slows the process considerably, relying more on the violin for mood. The only thing missing is the rain, but for once it’s nice not to hear the rain; a convincing band can imply weather through timbre, which is what Le Pélican Noir accomplishes here.

The band even has a potential single on its hands with “…et les arbes deserteront les champs” (“…and the trees will desert the fields”), a sprightly number that at 4:18 has the potential to take off to a larger audience. The guitar may set the melody, but the strings take it to another level. It may have elements of pop, but it’s not pop; it’s something far more interesting, with a breakdown that sounds like air being let out of a balloon. As for that title track, it’s only a minute long, so no hits there!

Le Pélican Noir is one of the more promising bands to emerge from a busy Montreal scene. A winter tour should help to establish its reputation. Well done, black pelican! (Richard Allen) - A Closer Listen (Richard Allen)


Discography

2013 : Le Pelican Noir - Le Silence tendu au-dessus de nos tetes comme un orage en suspens

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Bio

Influencés du krautrock, du wave, du post-rock, du psychfolk et de la musique électro, les membres du Pélican Noir s'unissent pour créer une musique riche en textures, en contrastes et en mélodies.

Suite à une séance d'enregistrement explosive au studio Treatment Room, à Montréal, l'ensemble instrumental passa une année à travailler et à peaufiner le son de leur premier opus lancé à la fin de l’année 2013.

Leur premier effort trouva reconnaissance auprès de plusieurs stations de radio canadienne ( palmarès CKUT - CHSR - CJAM - CHOQ - CBFU ).

Band Members