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Guldbamsen 
Special Collaborator 
Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23098 |
 Posted: November 05 2011 at 15:14 |
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With my recent overdose of Krautrock - a strand of music that speaks to me in a highly surrealistic yet very earthbound way - the album from Art Zoyd I´m enjoying the most these days is Berlin. If anybody´s interested in hearing this album´s German brother(s) they´d do well to check out both In den Gärten Pharaohs and Affenstunde by Popol Vuh.
Then again, I just listened to the debut and it is a true gem, although I slightly prefer Musique pour L´Odyssee. |
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams |
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group
Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: November 05 2011 at 22:10 |
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I like Affenstunde a lot. Playing In den Gärten Pharaohs right now -- been a while, great!
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Just a fanboy passin' through.
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23098 |
Posted: November 06 2011 at 08:50 |
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^It is more of an intensive and "strung" atmosphere in that Popol Vuh release. The title track seems to build up this slightly cacophonous storm through repetitive percussion and bewildering synths - and then finally when the track has had all it can muster, it sort of releases itself like a giant rubber-band that´s been stretched to its limit. Berlin is more subdued and cold like that, and works in a different way for me - not that it is inferior in any way, but certainly different. I really love the way Art Zoyd played around with electronics in the 80s, and I think they, along with a bunch of other avant/classically driven groups, proved that the decade wasn´t as dry and dead to the world of music, as many historians and proggers tend to give it credit for. There does exist music outside the radio you know...
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams |
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TODDLER
Forum Senior Member 
VIP Member Joined: August 28 2009 Location: Vineland, N.J. Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
Posted: November 06 2011 at 18:32 |
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So refreshing to know there are Art Zoyd fans in the world. To actually read their comments on the band. I have a decent collection of Art Zoyd cd's. I also greatly enjoy the music of Patricia Dallio and my favorite is Barbe Bleue.
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group
Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: November 12 2011 at 07:32 |
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Just a fanboy passin' through.
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colorofmoney91
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: March 16 2008 Location: Biosphere Status: Offline Points: 22774 |
Posted: November 12 2011 at 12:11 |
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I can appreciate Art Zoyd. They're my favorite of the original RIO bands.
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166178 |
Posted: November 15 2011 at 18:55 |
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Recently got their latest...The Fall Of The House Of Usher (whatever it is in French)...not bad at all. Very different from the previous one...much fuller/more busy and more use of percussive sounds. Not my favorite for sure, but enjoyable. I should probably listen to it in a better environment than my car... Anyone know if Art Zoyd is planning to release another CD sometime soon?
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group
Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: November 15 2011 at 21:14 |
Th group's latest album, released earlier this year, is Eyecatcher/ L'homme a la Camera http://www.artzoyd.net/2011/06/nouveau-double-cd-eyecatcher-lhomme-a-la-camera/ I have yet to hear it. |
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Just a fanboy passin' through.
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166178 |
Posted: November 15 2011 at 22:05 |
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Oh damn! That didn't make it to PA yet.
Thanks for the heads up. I'll be on the lookout for it. Edited by Man With Hat - November 15 2011 at 22:07 |
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group
Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: May 04 2012 at 13:02 |
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I finally write a review to give with an old rating for Art Zoyd, though it needs some cleaning up and says very little:
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Art Zoyd's Haxan has been one of my favourite albums of the 90s, by what is probably my favourite band In Prog Archives for years because the patterns that Art Zoyd weaves best fit my neuralities and neuroses. In some ways I see Art Zoyd as antithetical to the Prog Rock aesthetic set by the likes of ELP. If Art Zoyd is Prog (genre) rather than simply progressive rock (and rock related), then it is Prog Rock in Opposition -- Art Zoyd makes art music, but not I would think very inaccessible music. Haxan is melodic. To me it sounds much more natural and organic than a ton of music in the Prog universe. It's not really weird, but it is wonderful. They paint a picture with their textures. It is band of contrasts, and Häxan presents lows and highs. It can be mesmerising and hypnotic, but depending on the listener's state of mind, it could also be largely irritating and boring. Some background info: Häxan was commissioned by the city of København as a soundtrack for the 1921 Benjamin Christensen directed film "Häxan" (Witchcraft Through the Ages). Art Zoyd has hardly been a stranger to making soundtracks to silent films, and have written ballet dance music. I don't think many would appreciate its mostly cold, quite ambient -- although atmospheric is the better term for it --, quite repetitive, and long nature. It also has what I would consider something of the same 80s aesthetic we see in other Art Zoyd albums such as Le Mariage du Ciel et de lénfer This is not 'on the whole' "action music". To draw a film analogy, this being a soundtrack, this is much more Art house Cinema than Hollywood Blockbuster, which is not stating that it's high art -- for high art look to stoner music. If you're looking for arena rock, blistering guitar solos, and plenty of headbang for your buck, look elsewhere. If you want rather contemplative, atmospheric, and rather paranoid texture weaving, then this might be for you, but it would require a lot of patience for most to appreciate. And if you're thinking this is going to be a really creepy album considering the subject matter, well no. It is actually quite light listening on the whole. This is silly breaking down the tracks, but I'm going to do it anyway, especially since a warning is in order.. Track 1 composed by Gerard Hourbette is long and frigid, and many would find it very tedious on the whole. I find that it presents a brilliant atmosphere, and is highly nuanced. The music does build in unusual ways. "Nuit"" has light opera moments and can be a very upbeat piece. It's quite humorous (rather recalls Beethoven's 9th to me in part), and I might call it fun and lively with sombre moments. Delightful. With "Häxan Phi" titled pieces we move into somewhat darker territory, but the music picks up pace. "Häxan Xi" is somber and contemplative. "Häxan Psi" is quiet wonderful, sombre, with bartone? operatic vocals. I tend to turn up the volume when listening to it, which can be dangerous because the next track kicks in loud. "Epreuves d'Acier" is the track i would be most likely to suggest to a Prog fan, and it is really loud if you don't use volume control compared to the last track. I think it may be one of those wake-up intros that some classical composers would throw in to startle the audience who were getting a little sleepy and unfocused. Fantastic track -- lots of contrast, and plenty of mood. If I gave someone an Art Zoyd compilation, this would be on it. "Marche" is very beautiful and very sad. Such a poignant track (short and bitter-sweet). It has the sound of sobs in it, and I'm feeling depressed, somehow it makes me feel more satisfyingly sombre. Some might complain about an album that ends more with a whimper rather than a bang, but of course not only is this album's music following the story of the film somewhat -- I have seen the film, but not for many years and not with an Art Zoyd soundtrack -- but it does make the whole experience more poignant for me. This is an album full of nuances but really quite simple at its core. It does not really have complex harmonies, nor does it have, thank god, instrumental showmanship. Art Zoyd is known as a chamber rock band, but it wasn't long before they used plenty of electronics, and they rarely had the instrumental harmonics that go into chamber music arrangement. it is background music for a film, and should not distract over-much from that, but also stands alone beautifully and there is depth to the music, and enough contrast to keep many non-ADD listeners interested. The only album from the 90s that has got as much play from me as Häxan is the equally magnificent Faust by Art Zoyd. I feel like saying that this is music that fits the patterns of my slightly deranged mind, but the patterns are not deranged. It's very orderly and logical even if it at times it has a somewhat fragmented feel. That said, music that sounds natural to me may sound unnatural to another, nor do I am really competent in describing music since I have a disorderly mind, so buyer beware, unless you are a sombre hombre. Edited by Logan - May 04 2012 at 13:32 |
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zravkapt
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6446 |
Posted: May 04 2012 at 14:04 |
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^That's better than half the reviews on this site.
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Magma America Great Make Again
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group
Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: @ wicker man Status: Offline Points: 32690 |
Posted: May 04 2012 at 15:11 |
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It's hardly up to your Art Zoyd reviews, but when, or if, I edit it for structure, prune any repetition, add more substance, or at least use various music theory terms to make me sound kind of smart, and add some sexual innuendo, it should be okay. I just typed what came into my head without planning it out (which is probably a very common way that many do write reviews). It would be helpful to see the film with that score.
Edited by Logan - May 04 2012 at 15:12 |
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zravkapt
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6446 |
Posted: May 04 2012 at 20:07 |
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You should also add in the review that it was the last AZ album with Thierry Zaboitzeff (who I suggested as a solo artist but I don't think has been added yet). My way of doing reviews is to write down some notes while I listen to the album, then I 'ad-lib' my review based on those notes in the little white box on the album page.
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Magma America Great Make Again
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team Joined: March 12 2005 Location: Neurotica Status: Offline Points: 166178 |
Posted: May 04 2012 at 20:29 |
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A good review for certain in my eyes.
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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Sleep_Within
Forum Newbie 
Joined: April 21 2012 Status: Offline Points: 24 |
Posted: May 05 2012 at 22:27 |
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I must say I'm elated to have stumbled upon this old thread. I had no idea members of Art Zoyd had solo material as well. From what I've heard thus far, it's outstanding.
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"I decided to draw some pictures in the air, pictures of all my imaginations."
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Saperlipopette!
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 20 2010 Location: Tomorrowland Status: Online Points: 10045 |
Posted: May 07 2012 at 05:06 |
You sure made me want relisten to it. Its been years since I gave any of Art Zoyd's post '85 albums a spin. I have a feelling that if I discovered the exact same music by another band I would be more thrilled. Now I just compare them with their six first releases. And to my ears three or four of those are flawless masterpieces of modern art. So I always end up thinking that although this is rather interesting, life is too short not to give L'Odyssée or Generations... a spin instead. The main reason I clicked in here is because I'm listening to Berlin for the first time right now, and its rather interesting, but... no, like it. Its obviously more inspired and on another level than their creative low points (Marathonerre, Nosferatu). It sounds a lot like one of Laibach's gothic synth symphonies from around the same period, but I prefer Art Zoyd to remind me of a dark and gloomy jazzed up Bartok.
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23098 |
Posted: September 08 2012 at 10:37 |
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Had to search awhile to find this thing
 Anyways, is there anyone out there who've heard the most recent Art Zoyd album? I just got extremely surprised seeing a 2011 release called Eyecatcher right here on PA! Big red cover art and all.... Talk about slipping under the radar huh? I'd be very interested in hearing any feedback from somebody's who's heard something, anything of or about it
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams |
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pfloyd
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 02 2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 302 |
Posted: October 07 2013 at 20:26 |
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I'm finally starting to get into Art Zoyd. Generation Sans Futur and Migrations are both amazing. Not sure which album to try out next...
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check out my art: http://alexanderbennett33.wixsite.com/portfolio
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zravkapt
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 12 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 6446 |
Posted: October 07 2013 at 21:15 |
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Try Phase IV.
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Magma America Great Make Again
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin Joined: January 22 2009 Location: Magic Theatre Status: Offline Points: 23098 |
Posted: October 08 2013 at 10:39 |
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Phase IV?
Sorry, but that's the one I found the hardest to get into, but hey maybe that's just me. I do love it now, but it took me a couple of years though. I'd say Berlin, especially if you crave a little electronic fiddlings with your Zoyd, and if you like what you hear then take on the unparalleled darkness of Häxan afterwards
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams |
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Art Zoyd appreciation
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Man With Hat wrote: