A GHASTLY STATE OF AFFAIRS

This is the 15th release for Kentucky's own FRENCH TV and that includes one live release. Starting with that debut in 1984 these guys continue to roll. I only have "The Violence Of Amateurs" from 1999 and "Pardon Our French" from 2004 and I much prefer those two to this most recent release. I consider "The Violence Of Amateurs" to be one of the best Avant albums to come out of the USA. Sure they go in directions that I don't like which is what kept if off my top 50 Avant list but it is a special record. "Pardon Our French" is cool for the covers they do of bands from France but not nearly as good as that '99 record.

So it was interesting putting this latest one on for the first time and promptly popping it out because I must have put in the wrong disc. I haven't done that in a long time but I have no idea the direction the band has been going in the last almost 20 years(haha). But this is different, not nearly as challenging or avant as the two earlier albums I mentioned. Mike Sary the bass player is the one constant when it comes to this band's members. The lineup has changed a lot since 1984. This one comes across as a more mature, almost fancy adult contemporary like what the ECM label promotes. Just not my scene at all. A four piece of bass/guitar/keys/drums with three guests adding flue, sax and violin. The flute leads the way quite a bit as does the sax. The violin as a lead instrument not so much.

Five tracks over 56 plus minutes but it was that 18 1/2 minute opener that really had me scratching my head. There's so much of it that I'm not into like that ECM label vibe after 6 minutes or those high pitched synths for example around 8 minutes in. A lot of flute and piano follow that, classy stuff. A calm late before the music swells after 15 1/2 minutes. Sax is more of the focus on the second track "Baby You Fill Me With Inertia" at over 11 minutes. Not into it after 6 minutes but the rest is okay.

I'm not big on the synths on that third track. Next is "The Mayor Of Ding Dong City" and an interesting native styled rhythm after 4 1/2 minutes. The closer is where the violin gets some attention but it seems like every track on here has parts I'm not into at all. This closer is all over the place it seems.

Despite the humerous picture of the band with cartoon fists and captions of "Bang", "Whak", "Pow" etc. the music here is just too serious. Not my music.

Here we have the fourteenth studio album from American prog outfit French TV, who released their debut all the way back in 1984, but I am somewhat embarrassed to say this is the first time I have come across the group. With such a long history behind them it is no surprise there have been multiple line-ups, but bassist Mike Sary has been there since the beginning while this is the fourth album to feature both Katsumi Yoneda (guitars) and Patrick Strawser (keyboards) although in recent years they have had some issues with drummers, and this is the debut for Fenner Caster. They also have a few guests in Kenji Imai (flute), Warren Dale (saxophones) and Ludo Fabre (violin). Until last year I had not thought of Pat since the Nineties, when I reviewed an album by Volaré, but recently I have reviewed a few released under his own name or as part of a group, but it was still quite a surprise to see him here as well.

Now, having not heard any of the band's other material I cannot say if this is similar to what they have been releasing recently or not, but I do know from reading other reviews that this is nothing like their early stuff. Seeing this was on Cuneiform I did expect something more overtly RIO, but this instrumental release has much more in common with classic Canterbury, although it also contains more melodic moments as well. The guests play an incredibly important part as they often take the lead, while the core quartet provide consistently high note density. It is the way they move between different styles which makes this such an interesting release as there are areas where if it was played in isolation then it would not be enjoyed at all, but it is the contrast between loungecore and dramatic inventive and complex prog which makes it all work together. There are only five tracks on here, but there is no lack of material to enjoy given that the opener is more than eighteen minutes in length.

Although this is highly melodic, I found it did take me three or four plays to really start to get inside it as although on the surface it does appear commercial for the most part, there is a lot going on and it certainly takes time to fully ingest. This is an album which will only be enjoyed by those who are prepared to give it the time it deserves as otherwise the masterclass in musicianship will just pass them by. If, like me, you have managed to avoid French TV for the past 40 years then this is certainly an interesting release to start with, but whether or not it is truly representative of where they have come from then that I cannot answer.