EN PUBLIC AUX ÉTATS-UNIS D'AMÉRIQUE

By the sounds of it, this particular performance from Etron Fou Leloublan was quite a spectacle to experience in a live setting. Unfortunately En Public Aux États-Unis d'Amérique only has a weak sound collage that can give a certain understanding of how the band sounded during the performance without much depth to it.

After hearing this live album on a few occasions it's still unclear to me what I think of this band's live act. Etron Fou Leloublan had, by the time of this release, already made another change in their lineup with Bernard Mathieu taking over the band's soprano & tenor saxophones duties. This would turn out to be the longest time a member of Etron Fou Leloublan would keep those duties which, in my opinion, greatly benefited the band's next studio release Les Poumons Gonflés.

This live album gives us a few hints of material of the next few albums like a wild take of Christine from Les Poumons Gonflés and Blanc off Face Aux Eléments Dechainés but other than that most of this album's material is comprised of wild jams and improvisational moments that do work well in a live setting but not necessary transition that onto a live release. I generally tend to be more forgiving for mistakes that I see bands do when performing live since I'm getting a different type of energy from the whole experience that overshadows any minor flaws in the instrumental work. Here, these flaws become overbearing at times even though I don't consider myself a perfectionist when it comes to live albums.

With only Le Fleuve Et Le Manteau gapping the bridge between the past and future for Etron Fou Leloublan, En Public Aux États-Unis d'Amérique is quite a weird live album that I can't really recommend to anyone but the established fans. I'm sure that there are interesting moment to gain here if you've already acquired a taste for this band's music, but otherwise I'd definitely recommend starting with the studio albums.

**** star songs: Introduction (0:23) Christine (7:57) Rose (3:58) Atarte (Rappel) (0:45) Le Fleuve Et Le Manteau (8:28) Blanc (4:56)

*** star songs: Ida Trop Tard (6:56) Un Apres-midi Au Zoo (3:03) Et Puis (6:32) La Java Des Bombes Atomiques (2:44)

** star songs: Binet D'Eau Chaude (Impro) (3:57)