A-J Charron
Humouring Gods
... is a suite in 8 movements that delves into Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, you often find the typical story of Zeus falling in love with a mortal woman. Of course, when his wife Hera finds out about it, she endeavours to transform the poor human woman into some lowly creature. For example, Io was changed into a cow.
Hera takes her wrath on the woman as Zeus would surely kill her if she took it out on him. Question is, how does the woman feel?
Imagine that this once fabulous woman has been turned into a harpy. She has her beautiful face, breasts, and body except... Where she used to have arms, she now has the wings of an eagle. Where she used to have legs, she now has the claws of an eagle. And she has the tail of this same bird.
Any man will be attracted by her beauty, yet repulsed by her body.
1. Transformation
Our heroin wakes up in her transformed body. A plethora of emotions goes through her. Repulsion at her own body. Extreme hate toward the gods who did this to her. Fear, loathing.
2. Sorrow
Any semblance of a normal life is over. Her dreams have died.
3. Aftermath
After the self-pity and self-loathing, she will try to regain composure.
4. Phantasmes
In an attempt to make life bearable, she will discover certain advantages to her new body; like soaring in the sky, free. Perhaps finding a way to attain the gods and be transformed back.
5. Revenge
After careful planning, she attempts to seek out some kind of revenge on Zeus and Hera. Transformed as she might be, she is still no match for immoral (immortal) creatures.
6. Nostalgia
After her failed attempt, she looks back on her life before Zeus seduced her.
7. Insanity
But it is all too much for her. All her planning for revenge, all her nostalgia leads her straight into insanity.
8. Oblivion
There is but one way out. She will use her mighty wings one last time to soar up to the gods and drop, like a missile, to the ground.
“The disc is damned near a new wrinkle in the canon. For a debut solo effort, it's indicative of a coming career of top-notch craftsmanship of intellectual savor and vivacity.
Mark S. Tucker, Fame
you can't help but be taken into a different state of mind, one that is almost transcendental.
Barbara Pavone, Skunk Magazine
"the music of A-J Charron is strongly impressionist, evoking in the mind of the listener images of ancient architectures, pastoral landscapes, exotic places; also causing different sensations – of relaxing, fear, doubt, curiosity, or introspectiveness"
Marcello Trotta, Progressive Rock Brazil
Delightful and at times stunning displays with the longing guitar sounds crafting an almost heavenly mood in themselves, effectively combined with the dramatic presence of timpani for the ominous and haunting moods, sweetly contrasted by the bass guitar whenever that instrument is present, and with the keyboards adding symphonic textures that harmonize and flesh out the arrangements quite nicely indeed. If you enjoy moments of sheer beauty there are quite a few of them to enjoy
Olav M Bjornsen, Progressor
fans of guitar and here I’m thinking Steve Hackett fans, they’ll find much to enjoy. Then there are followers of bands such as The Enid who will enjoy the more classical structure of these tunes. And then last but not least the wider symphonic prog fan, especially those who feed off the classical influence
Jerry Lucky, jerrylucky.com
one of the more outstanding new songs is “Insanity.” The opening notes put you in the mood of early Genesis (Watcher of the Skies), before veering into guitar psychedelia à la Syd Barrett. It almost sounds as if Syd got his hands on David Gilmour’s slide. It’s a spacey and trippy sound, almost like very early Pink Floyd with some of their later finesse
Paul Hackett, Guitarnoise
