Opus-5 -

Opus-5 was a Québécois symphonic-folk quintet from Montréal that released the 1976 Celebration album Contre-courant. The group completed a follow-up and issued the single “Sérieux ou pas,” but Celebration collapsed before the album reached stores. Disques L’Aller-Retour issued the tapes in 1989 as Sérieux ou pas, Vol. 2. Guitarist Luc Gauthier and bassist Christian Léon Racine later formed Concert for a 1980 Columbia album.

Members: Luc Gauthier (guitar, vocals), Olivier Duplessis (keyboard, vocals), Christian Racine (bass, vocals), Serge Nolet (flute, vocals), Jean-Pierre Racicot (percussion, vocals)

Background

Opus-5 emerged in Montréal in the mid-Seventies around guitarist Luc Gauthier and keyboardist Olivier Duplessis. Bassist Christian Léon Racine and flutist Serge Nolet filled the remaining instrumental roles, while drummer–percussionist Jean-Pierre Racicot completed the quintet. Every member sang.

The group worked small clubs before Celebration signed the musicians for a debut album. Sessions followed at Triangle Studio in Laval.

Contre-courant

Opus-5 released their debut album, Contre-courant, in April 1976 on Celebration.

Five long-form compositions divide the music between Serge Nolet, Luc Gauthier, and Olivier Duplessis. The arrangements pair acoustic and electric guitar with piano-led keyboards, flute, congas, and timpani. Every member contributes French-language vocals, while Robert LeBlanc Jr. supplies synthesizer programming. Nolet and Gauthier divide four compositions; Duplessis writes the title track.

“Le temps des Pissenlits” drifts from distant piano and flute phrases into a firmer group passage, then settles on a recurring choral phrase across latter sections. “Il était magicien” pivots from an intricate acoustic-guitar entrance through repeated pace reversals, a sharper electric peak, and a delicate coda.

“Les Saigneurs” careens through stop-start classical figures, an unaccompanied choral break, jazz-marked exchanges, medieval responses, and a gentler closing passage. “Le Bal” saunters from spare opening lines into harpsichord ornament, shifting harmonies, and compact theatrical turns. “Contre-courant” spirals from harbor ambience and strange synthesizer tones through a brief choral entrance, angular ensemble figures, organ accents, and an emphatic finish.

A1. “Le temps des pissenlits” [Dandelion Time] (9:11) – Nolet, Opus-5
A2. “Il était magicien” [He Was a Magician] (11:53) – Gauthier, Opus-5

B1. “Les saigneurs” [The Bleeders] (9:15) – Gauthier, Opus-5
B2. “Le bal” [The Ball] (5:42) – Nolet, Opus-5
B3. “Contre-courant” [Against the Current] (3:53) – Duplessis

Opus-5 completed Contre-courant before April 1976 at Triangle Studio in Laval. Les Entreprises ça s’écoute produced the album under delegate producer R.A. Bob Morten, with Mana as associate producer. Robert LeBlanc Jr. arranged the material with the group, directed the music, and mixed the sessions with engineer Alain Lalancette. SNB engineer Sabin Brunet cut the master.

LeBlanc and Lalancette also completed the paired 1976 albums Le soleil au-dessus de nous and Words and Music, which include Gauthier and Racine among the supporting players. Lalancette co-founded Triangle and later adopted the Alain DeRoque name while pursuing solo and mastering work.

Art directors Louis A. Fortier and Bernard G. Hogue oversaw the sleeve. André Gauthier developed the graphic concept around a line drawing by Mireille Lévesque. The pale-blue front places a black-and-white sailing ship against a cresting current beneath Gothic group lettering.

Unidisc placed the album on CD in 1990 and returned it to Canadian circulation in 2006. Belle Antique followed in 2021 with a remastered Japanese paper-sleeve edition and replica insert.

Second Album and Split

Opus-5 returned to Triangle Studio in 1977 for a second album based largely on piano-led compositions by Duplessis. Celebration collapsed after completion of the tapes and blocked the planned album release. The quintet dissolved soon afterward.

Gauthier and Racine formed Concert with drummer Denis Toupin. Columbia issued their self-titled 1980 album.

Sérieux ou pas, Vol. 2

Disques L’Aller-Retour issued the second Opus-5 album, Sérieux ou pas, Vol. 2, in 1989 from the 1977 Triangle sessions.

The program shifts from five extended tracks on the debut to thirteen shorter pieces led by piano and electric keyboards. The surviving CD credits name Duplessis, Gauthier, Nolet, and Racicot but omit Racine from the performing lineup. Racine nevertheless receives sole credit for “Sérieux ou pas” on the preceding single and adapts the traditional B-side “Pour boire il faut vendre.”

“Provisoir” glides through classically shaped keyboard lines, flute phrases, and supple acoustic-electric exchanges. “Subtil désir” unfurls classically inflected piano passages. “Y a des choses dans l’air” alternates hushed passages with fuller ensemble surges. “Sérieux ou pas” lingers on fragile French singing and sparse accompaniment. “Pour boire il faut vendre” dances through medieval inflections and close violin-guitar exchanges.

1. “Provisoir” [Provisional] (4:42)
2. “Prélude au suivant” [Prelude to the Next] (3:22)
3. “Subtil désir” [Subtle Desire] (2:54)
4. “Épisode sur cette plage” [Episode on This Beach] (5:06)
5. “Sac à délice” [Bag of Delights] (2:14)
6. “Y a des choses dans l’air” [There Are Things in the Air] (6:00)
7. “Nos amis/Fermeture” [Our Friends/Closing] (6:13)
8. “Qui cé qui cé pas” [Who Is, Who Isn’t] (0:30)
9. “Sérieux ou pas” [Serious or Not] (2:46)
10. “Rêves de voyages” [Dreams of Travel] (5:01)
11. “Jouer chanter” [Play, Sing] (3:37)
12. “Pour boire il faut vendre” [To Drink, One Must Sell] (3:02)
13. “Bonus à Bob” [Bonus for Bob] (0:32)

Opus-5 recorded the program in 1977 at Triangle Studio in Laval with producers Les Entreprises ça s’écoute and Communications Triangle Inc. Robert LeBlanc Jr. again arranged the material with the band and directed the music. Alain Lalancette, credited under the Alain DeRoque name, shared engineering and mixing with LeBlanc before preparing the tapes at SNB for digital release.

Returning art director Bernard G. Hogue oversaw a layout by Alfred Lez around photography credited to Anonyme Vespus. The pale-green cover reproduces a high-contrast group portrait under black serif lettering.

Celebration previewed the sessions with the 1977 single “Sérieux ou pas” (b/w “Pour boire il faut vendre”). Disques L’Aller-Retour released the full program on CD in 1989, while Marquee handled a Japanese edition through the MELOS series.

Postlude

Gauthier and Racine carried their partnership into Concert with drummer Denis Toupin. Gauthier later worked with Gerry Boulet and Daniel Lavoie before opening Studio Son G in Longueuil.

Discography: