CEUX D'EN FACE

Francois Thollot's debut album certainly doesn't measure up to his follow up record "Contact", but it's cool to see all the elements here that made his second album so great. I agree with Syzygy that this record would have been much better served with the input of some other musicians. Francois plays every instrument on this album including piano, guitar, bass and drums. Actually, I guess the next album "Contact" proved that with a couple of great Zeuhl musicians added to the mix the sky was the limit.

"Ceux D'en Face" has those dark, angular guitar melodies I love but it's the piano and drums that stand out initially. "Enilek" is kind of unusual as it seems to be made up of different building blocks, but there is nothing being built. The "block" I like the best is 2 1/2 minutes in where the guitar comes in as the piano plays the same melody over and over. "Invasion" features piano and drums that are both pounded. Hey it's an invasion. The guitar is angry 4 minutes in. "Experimentations Sentimentales" opens with a nice guitar melody as drums join in and then some angular guitar. "Marilyn-Antoinette" has some acoustic guitar to open as bass, piano and drums create a mellow soundscape.That is until the drums get heavier and the guitar becomes angular while the piano notes gets louder. The end of the song is like a reprise of the beginning of the song.

"Vingt Trois" has a good rhythm of drums and cymbals before the bass and guitar come in. They come and go throughout. This is good. The guitar makes some noise 3 1/2 minutes in and later to end it. "Voyage Au Bout De La Nuit" is the final and longest track at over 12 minutes. The first 5 minutes features a contrast of two different soundscapes. Then we get cymbals clashing,drums pounding and bass throbbing. No real melody actually but lots of atmosphere. 7 minutes in the drums and piano are both pounded as synths come in. Another change 10 minutes in as cymbals,guitar and piano arrive.

I like this release, but i'm spoiled from hearing the much better "Contact" album. 3 stars.