Like Father Like Son is the intriguing first solo instrumental album by Michel St-Père, the founder, guitarist and creative force behind the Canadian progressive rock band Mystery (along with Huis). However, whilst there are prog elements to be found amongst most tracks, this release is very much a personal one, reflecting on the melodies, harmonies and emotions that have shaped his musical identity, since his father taught him his very first chords at the age of nine.
The 15 cover songs are milestones on his subsequent journey, which have accompanied him through every chapter of his life and continue to fuel his inspiration. His aim was not to reinvent them, but to celebrate them with the same sense of wonder he felt when he first began playing. The result is an eclectic, but very enjoyable, trek through a diverse range of songs throughout the years – some more familiar than others – but all of them an interesting look into what shaped Michel’s musical odyssey.
Many began as demo recordings shared on YouTube over the years (check them out!), which have now been recorded and released as a single album, after countless requests from fans. He is joined on drums by Jimmy Keegan (of Spock’s Beard and Pattern-Seeking Animals), along with renowned bassist Jonas Reingold (of The Flower Kings and Karmakanic, as well as a current member of Steve Hackett’s band), who raise the prog quotient on many of the tracks.
The theme for Star Trek begins the album energetically with Michel’s soaring guitar lines over glistening keyboards and powerful backing from the rhythm section and is the first indication that Michel is adding his own style and experience to this smorgasbord of musical reminiscences. Henry Mancini’s iconic Peter Gunn theme might take us back in time to the late 1950’s, but there is nothing dusty and antique about this modern, supercharged, sonic upgrade that the band deliver. Jimmy’s drums introduce a memorable interpretation of Apache, made famous by Bert Weedon and then Hank Marvin with The Shadows in 1960. While I was less familiar with Sleep Walk, a No. 1 hit in the USA in 1959 for Santo & Johnny, its sleepy, rich, jazzy guitar tone no doubt captures that time from Michel’s childhood well.
The three tracks which follow pay homage to the cinematic, musical sweep of Ennio Morricone – specifically the 1968 spaghetti western, Once Upon a Time in the West. Man with a Harmonica, Farewell to Cheyenne and the theme to Once Upon a Time in the West itself, are all wonderfully mysterious and atmospheric. Michel’s haunting and howling guitar playing re-shapes the first into something fresh and contemporary. The second has a lighter, ‘clipetty clop’ cowboy feel, before the third takes on a truly epic electric guitar-led reinterpretation.
The next three have a distinct feel of water, waves and the seashore. The surf rock/pop of 1962’s Pipeline is given a real 1980’s hair rock make-over over pounding drums and galloping bass, while the flowing serenity and beauty of the 1950’s/60’s standard Ebb Tide is enhanced by the gorgeous, resonating guitar playing of Michel. Just time to get your surfboard out on Hawaii’s Pipeline beach for a fun, guitar-led, twisting rendition of the theme from Hawaii Five-O.
However, for me there is no doubt that the progressive rock album highlight is a stunning, fully instrumental version of Steve Hackett’s timeless Shadow of the Hierophant, with Michel’s luxurious guitar soloing covering the initial vocal parts before the hypnotic power of the finale, with Jimmy’s drumming steadily raising the tempo – and it is appropriate that Jonas is on hand on bass to replicate what he has played many times of Steve’s recent tours.
Joe Satriani’s floating Always with Me, Always with You, then gives another opportunity for Michel’s virtuosic guitar skills to shine brightly. He can even make the theme to the 1978 film Grease work for me, with Frankie Valli’s vocals thankfully covered by the guitar, with some nicely improvised touches too. Much more in tune with my own childhood is a surprisingly fresh interpretation of the 1975 theme to the sci-fi TV series Space 1999, which takes on an unexpected grandeur and has some vibrant bass from Jonas as well. Nice to know it obviously holds a place in Michel’s heart (I reckon he could do a great version of the theme to Joe 90!)
Gustav Holst’s Mars, the Bringer of War is a suitably bombastic album closer, with Jonas and Jimmy pounding away as ever their lives depended on it, as Michel’s lyrical and urgent guitar playing flies high into the firmament. There is even time and space to take the music into inventive corners, before the dramatic finale. Given that Jimmy and Jonas recorded their parts in studios in California and Austria respectively, the music is very well integrated.
Like Father Like Son is a real labour of love for Michel and taken as such by the listener it provides some very enjoyable moments, with personality, warmth, humour, and unapologetic nostalgia throughout. Not every track will hit you with the same impact, given the diversity of choices and styles, but the consistency of the musical interplay, and especially Michel’s stunning guitar soloing, will make it a lovely album to dip into and savour, like an indulgent box of assorted chocolates. There are also enough prog and classic rock touches to keep Mystery and Huis fans entertained over its 15 tracks and 55 minutes duration. Well worth exploring further.
TRACK LISTING
01. Star Trek (1:23)
02. Peter Gunn (4:15)
03. Apache (3:18)
04. Sleep Walk (3:33)
05. Man with a Harmonica (3:39)
06. Farewell to Cheyenne (1:41)
07. Once Upon a Time in the West (4:13)
08. Pipeline (2:28)
09. Ebb Tide (2:45)
10. Hawaii Five-O (1:51)
11. Shadow of the Hierophant (9:16)
12. Always with Me, Always with You (3:24)
13. Grease (3:06)
14. Space: 1999 (2:47)
15. Mars, the Bringer of War (7:30)
Total Time – 55:06
MUSICIANS
Michel St-Père – Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Banjo, Ukulele, Keyboards
Jonas Reingold – Fretted & Fretless Basses
Jimmy Keegan – Drums
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Unicorn Digital
Country of Origin: Canada
Date of Release: 15th October 2026
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