Etron Fou Leloublan - 1979 - En Public Aux Etats Unis d'Amerique

Etron Fou Leloublan

1979 

En Public Aux Etats Unis d'Amerique

01. Introduction (0:22)

02. Christine (7:56)

03. Ida Trop Tard (6:56)

04. Rose (3:58)

05. Un Apres-midi Au Zoo (3:02)

06. Atarte (rappel) (0:45)

07. Le Fleuve Et Le Manteau (8:27)

08. Et Puis (6:31)

09. Binet D'Eau Chaude (impro) (3:57)

10. La Java Des Bombes Atomiques (2:43)

11. Blanc (4:55)

Bernard Mathieu / saxes

Guigou Chenevier / drums

Ferdinand Richard / bass

Recorded live at Squat club, Trnity college, Hartford, Conn., USA, Nov 79

For some bands a live album is a kind of stopgap between studio releases, but EFL presented almost entirely new material along with their new line up. Only one track from their first two albums is featured, Le Fleuve Et Le Manteau, and Christine was the only track would emerge on their next album. There's also an indication of the move to shorter pieces that would characterise their next few releases, and although the surreal narratives still run through the songs they're less prominent, perhaps as a concession to their mostly English speaking audience on these dates. There are no great surprises in store, however, and the wild Beefheart inspired rhythms and free jazz excursions are still in place. There are some highly effective moments throughout the album; the second half of Christine sees Chenevier leaving the drum kit to play tenor sax alongside Mathieu, while Rose slows the pace down with a surprisingly straightforward vocal and minimal percussion. An Afternoon At The Zoo is a percussion only workout that is full of odd twists and turns, and Atarte is a brief snippet of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata rearranged for sax, bass and drums. The CD reissue has two later tracks, one a 1985 studio reinterpretation of a Boris Vian song and a live recording from 1986, both featuring keyboard player Jo Thirion and the first also featuring Fred Frith.

This album demonstrates just how much EFL could do with their stripped down line up, and in particular it showcases the phenomenal rhythm section of Richard and Chenevier. The quantity of material unavailable elsewhere and the sheer energy of these performances make this a real treat for an established fan, but the sound quality and the occasionally grating vocals may be heavy going for a newcomer.

Third album chronologically for EFL, with yet another wind player change, this time Bernard Mathieu. This is probably EFL at its rawest and barest, but we are in 79 and France is a high ground for rawness of punk as "n'importe quoi" (anything goes) but the group doesn't even use their show to promote or play older material, as in this Live collection, with only Fleuve & Manteau (actually quite close to the studio version with a superb sax hovering like Trane) belonging to one of their previous album, and Christine will be reworked in a future album.

That very Christine, built on short repetitive riff, whose storyline is used to for some other song characters in later songs during the concert. Indeed Christine's son JC gets a mention in the following track Ida Trop Tard, but I wouldn't call this album conceptual or thematic, but probably a bit of "n'importe quoi". Et Puis starts as declamation from Mathieyu that obviously had a cvold at the time, before starting very Gonglike with the same Mathieu then blowing Malherbe-like. Great stuff. Rose is from a different mood, as they aim more for music hall music, with Guigou Chevenier dreaming of Chevalier. Some tracks are definitely more difficult but still impressive, like the Zoo track with its all percussive solo attack. A small classical theme to announce to end a set of the concert (sounds like Fur Eloise) etc. .and a great improv to finish the vinyl.

The rawness of the recording is not as bad as some would have you believe, though as both Chevenier and Richard sing sometimes very close to Peter Hammill's register and the overall sound of the album might approach VDG's Vital live album., this mixed with a brutal rhythm section ala Velvet Underground meeting Beefheart's Trout Mask. The Cd reissue has two bonus tracks dating from the mid-80's, that might have their own interest but they stand out like a sore thumb on this live album, the latter of which feature HC's Fred Frith. Don't get me wrong both tracks are fine, but they should've found refuge on 80's EFL albums.

While I wouldn't recommend the novice to start discovering EFL with this live album, it's certainly a very interesting album that holds its own in their entire discography.