Some of the albums that really made me fall in love with music in my formative years were concept albums. Being able to be transported on such a fully fleshed-out (and not to mention dramatic) narrative journey by a collection of music was thrilling to me at the time, although I think the concept album has largely fallen out of fashion in popular music — at least in the way we once knew it, instead of vague "concepts" guiding the body of work.
Quebec singer-songwriter Lou-Adriane Cassidy is keen on bringing the concept album back in the high-flying spectacle form on her latest album, Journal d'un Loup-Garou. With the artwork's guidance, even those with next to no comprehension of the French language can probably glean that it's about a werewolf, which speaks to the tone of unabashed ridiculousness a lot of the best concept albums embraced.
However, there's nothing goofy about Cassidy's execution. I'm admittedly not very able to follow the story of her werewolf with my rusty French at this point in my listening — but, illuminatingly, that doesn't seem to hinder the record's ability to keep me bewitched through grandiose prog-inspired percussion, atmospheric synths and the artist's curlicue vocal motifs. Highlights like the twinkling "Souffle souffle" stand powerfully alone, and as part of a full-length trip worth taking.