Gialorgues

Hailing from Nice, France, Shylock formed in 1974, combining the talents of keyboardist Didier Lustig, drummer André Fisichella and guitarist Frédéric L'Épée. The band then retreated to a church in the Maralpin town of St-Dalmas-le-Selvage to write and rehearse. Early compositions were named sequentially, and later evidenced by the titles on their debut album, Gialorgues (named after a valley in St. Dalmas). The band self-released the instrumental album in 1976, printing a reputed 1000 copies; however, CBS subsequently signed the band and re-released the album in early 1977. "Le Quatrième" is the opening track; after a brief introduction from Lustig's claviers, the band breaks into a big symphonic theme with L'Épée's guitar soaring. Throughout, the band add a healthy dose of rock to their progressive compositions, recalling Genesis toward the lead-up to the track's end. The brief "Le Sixième" is more angular, propelled by Fisichella's brisk and effervescent drumming. The first section of "Le Cinquième" offers a literal quote of King Crimson's "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two," and there's little doubt that the band's intent is homage; just as their forbearer, Shylock excels at improvisation and rebound, shifting effortlessly between well-developed themes and offering a grand rock progressif throughout the album's second side. After a break for mandatory military service, Shylock reformed to record their second and final album, Île De Fièvre, with bassist Serge Summa completing the record after the original bassist, Christian Villena, suddenly departed. The album was released in 1978, but neither the band nor their record company were happy with it; and despite subsequent attempts to rekindle the atmosphere that generated the band's excellent debut, Shylock called it a day.