15 October 2005

DEBILE MENTHOL - Switzerland 1982

"Emile Au Jardin Patrologique"



Like a juggernaut protozoan escapade, Debile Menthol slides on the scene slick and grooving to an alternate universe soundtrack of goofy madness and mayhem. This is a calculated complex scry for your cortexes to engage with music on a hairpin curve course straight ahead to fun, set your mind bogglers to stun! With deft and ease, this crew glides through the most intricate of melodic twists this side of road-runnering it past Pecos Bill and his hat is still floppy-floatin' in the air before the first cut, 'A Nos Mamans,' is over.

The next track, 'Mort Aux Dehaus,' keels over in moves like Cassiber with a tight sound that hangs delicately in the balance of the sweet magic that can come from synchronous improvisation. it is hard to tell if the song is composed or if they zoned out together there and felt the vibe crawl out..

After that we get a treat akin to the antics of the famed Etron Fou Leloublan with syncopated jitteriness atop Gong-like tight guitar licks like those found on "Camembert Electrique" excepting that they are much cleaner and crisp to slicing you down on it's sword hand steadfast hilt. The song ends with a burp and was called: 'La Jupe'.

Then we get treated to some Teutonic innovation bubbling over and replete with elecronic gurglings and experimentations atop of it before drums and violin take over with the sound of the wind on 'Je Regarde Par la Fenetre.'

'Crash Que Peut' comes right back at you with the energy levels of Etron Fou Leloublan carrying an attache-case full of Albert Marcoeur and Patrick Forgas in tow. Excellent food for the mind indeed, makes one want to brush up on their french.. and I don't mean bread or kissing.`';o)

Side Two splashes the tanz with some of my faevorite Rock in Opposition licks and grooves. Swiftly out of the gate there comes a barreling little jaunt by the name of'Stamoi de Cousu.' Absolutely mesmerizing, I tell ya'. The interplay from the violin, drums and bass loops a bandanna around the head of any wayward sonic cowboy. Not to duped, the next track, 'Tres Amusant Major' slips right in afterwards segueing the listener on a roller coaster ride through woodwinds, percussion and sharply executed guitar parts still clouded with a clever violin circuitous electrical blaze.

A freaked out locomotive train follows quickly paced and generally along the lines of the Yugoslavian Quatebriga and Begnagrad. Which switches up on us mid-stream to provide two new and fresh approaches of momentary no wave into a downtown sound clincher to cinch the ending of 'Tante Agathe.'

Recalling the best moments of Francois Breant mingled back to devious drumming harkening Pip Pyle around 1971, 'Coupe-Rose' attacks.

Majestically soaring into an avant-garde modern Bartokian dark classical Univers Zero cum Art Zoyd momentary foray towards the Zeuhl school, 'Spacio Cib' tightens up the belts on your jag while warming the seats for another vamp into Albert Marcoeur/Etron Fou Leloublan territories. It gets maniacal as the song progresses in weaving these elements together to a mad swirling dervish of an insane sound with vocalese that invokes hallucinatory flashbacks evoking the ghost of Henry Cow past or at least the Cow of Henry bassoon pastiche past.

Self-reflexive and sharp, these cats lope off into a slowed down guttural rocker which sounds like a new wave killer waking up, groggy and really wanting to get down to business. The ether is too thick and gravity crushes him down as the speed manipulation as 'Rien' ends this fine album. Exciting is an understatement for the effect this record has. Truly unique, original, flavourful and refreshing.

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