I'M AROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT

Lard Free's second album is very different of the debut and really adventurous mood! With this sophomore album, the feel is definitely towards German influences although the Fripp/Eno ones are still very present.

One cannot help to think of minimalism German master Faust when listening to the Alambic track with their repetitive synths and Tangerine Dream phasers in the background leading you with no definite boundary into the Bakestan track where an Oldfield-like piano and flute take over. Still with no clear track ending we are now lead by a sonar noise (much like Floyd in Echoes) into Taktooz and haunting ambiances lead you in Pale Violence with its booming bass. the CD finishes off with an eastren-sounding piano-led track.

Again with Spalax label record , there seems to be confusion around as the last two tracks mentioned (Glauquerie and Prologue Improbable) above are absent one the copy I own! But I suspect here that the Archives are wrong on this one! I think those tracks might be from a Heldon album!

I couldn't get over how much this record reminded me of HELDON. Of course having Richard Pinhas playing guitar, bass and synths is going to add that flavour. This is Gilbert Artman's baby though, and he plays drums, percussion, vibes, Steinway piano, Hammond organ and sax. There are two other guests playing sax, flute and synths.This has to be the only French Krautrock band that has ever existed.

"Violez L'Espace De Son Refrigerant" opens with what sounds like the wind blowing, but it's cosmic winds that we hear as a humming sound pulsates. "In A Deset-Alambic" has a good, trippy beat to it as Pinhas plays his famous angular melodies over top. Spacey sounds arrive before 5 minutes. "Does East Bakestan Belong To Itself" opens with synths and vibes. Guitar comes in at 2 minutes. "Tatkooz A Roulette" is a very minimilist tune with lots of electronics. Percussion 6 minutes in as the sound swirls. "Pale Violence Under A Reverbere" is my favourite. It opens with heavy drums and bass. Strange mechanical sounds and angular guitar. "Even Silence Stops When Trains Come" features piano melodies throughout.

Pinhas' guitar work doesn't disappoint and neither does this album. Amazing music.