01	La Mauvaise Reputation						03:31
	02	Brume						05:01
	03	Complainte Pour Un Narcisse						04:24
	04	Le Jardin Des Illusions						06:35
	05	Accroche-Toi Et Suis-Moi						06:12
	06	Au Pays Des Grimaces						06:11
	07	Maneges Et Chevaux De Bois						07:03
	08	Maneges Et Chevaux De Bois (Live Version)						07:53

Uploaded by Tore Rosbjorgen
June 2001
Includes 1 bonus track.


Mona Lisa - Grimaces

Release Date: 1975

Track Listing
1) La Mauvaise Reputation
2) Brume
3) Complainte Pour Une Narcisse
4) Le Jardin des Illusions
5) Accroche-toi Et Suis Moi
6) Au Pays des Grimaces
7) Manges et Chevaux de Bois
8) Manges et Chevaux de Bois ( live version )

Member: Progladyte - 02/16/03

The joy of owning a large collection of progressive rock records is surely dependent on being prepared to take a risk by trying a lot of totally unknown bands when you come across them. Such was the ruthlessness of my searching for anything unusual or unknown that I rarely bought an album that I didn't genuinely believe had some merit. And so it was when I picked up this unknown LP about 18 years ago. French is certainly not my favourite language but after hearing an amazing record by Malicorne in the late 70's, I decided to pursue any other French bands that I might discover if I was lucky enough to find them in the used record shops.

While I'm certainly no expert on the French progressive rock scene, I certainly enjoy some of Ange's music and for the most part, include Mona Lisa in a similar vein. Lyrically, the definitive French accent complete with very emotive pronunciations will remind you that these guys don't live next door. There is a very dramatic vocal presence from a band that will have you wondering whether Monsieur Gabriel had surrendered his British passport and adopted French residency instead. Not being fluent in French makes the lyrics sound slightly silly to me but possibly no more than Gabriel would sound to a non-English speaking Frenchman. Given this bands symphonic and very polished approach to their music, is certainly no reason to fail their exam papers.

While Ange engage in slightly more instrumental passages on a more regular basis, Mona Lisa would be the French equivalent of Genesis, if such a comparison can be allowed. I can't really say these guys are totally brilliant as they don't have the immediate replayability of Ange's Au-dela du delire but your enjoyment of their music would certainly be enhanced if you understood French. While the same could be said about any language you don't know, musically, Mona Lisa doesn't sound like a French equivalent of PFM, Banco or Le Orme. Pity!