“Mais où sont les neiges d'antan?” 

                                     “But where are the snows of yesteryear?”
We can’t answer that question, (who can?) but we can tell you that Les Neiges D’Antan is the name of a musical project of Paul Rieger, guitars and bass and Bob Tiefenwerth, organ and clavinet. Bob and Paul were one-half of the 1980’s Neo Psychedelic band United States of Existence. Except for a few pauses along the way, Bob and Paul have been making music together in some form or another since their late teen years, beginning with Klangfarb, their musique concrete / instrumental prog band and then fast forwarding past USE to Trio Novo – their jazz trio specializing in Brazilian Bossa Nova and classic American jazz (with some psychedelic nuggets thrown-in for good measure). 
But then came geographic moves and the pandemic. Determined to continue doing music in some fashion, Paul connected with the online music collaboration community to provide the sounds he could not: drums and voices. And, finding that it could actually work, reached out to Bob for the all-important keyboards. The result: the digital single releases of Angelina and So Sorry in Spring, 2022.

It would be convenient to say that the two songs in no way draw upon their joint musical past. But the close harmonies, electric 12 string guitar and clavinet tell a different story. Call it ‘sunshine pop,’ ‘electric folk rock’ or anything else, the songs embrace ‘60’s pop sounds. 

Shindig!'s Camilla Aisa reviewed So Sorry in Shindig! Issue 127: ... "yes, they still have a thing for brilliant, elegant, monikers - 'the snows of yore' is an elegant, melancholic, tremendously French way to look at the passing of time. On 'So Sorry,' that very sweet wistfulness is cradled by jangly guitars and baroque-pop grace."
As for Paul and Bob,  they are developing new songs as Les Neiges D'Antan while also working with Dennis Davison and Gary Schwartz as United States of Existence. The USE is working on a new album and are hoping to wrap up recording in 2024. Stay tuned.

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