IN A BAR, UNDER THE SEA

These fellow countrymen are difficult to catalogue. Avant-garde is probably the best definition of their style. At times, they sound pretty weird, and their sound would probably upset more than one listener (including myself).

This album is not very accessible. The funky-grunge "Fell Off The Floor, Man" not being especially my cup of tea. In terms of gloomy atmosphere, almost decadent I should say (very much in the "Antwerpen" style), "Theme From Turnpike" gets the "Palme D'Or". Almost improvised music. Directionless.

In terms of direction, "Little Arithmetics" is heading a totally different style. More intimate, joyful mood for most of it, it only gets crazier during the last minute. One of my preferred song from "In A Bar.".

This incursion into another "dEUS" facet was short. Tom Barman brings us quickly with his dark and serious style yet again with the languishing "Gimme The Heat". A pretty dark affair, indeed. It has the cold beauty of some "Anekdoten" songs. The backing violin play adds so much to this great track. Another highlight. Which is not the case for the weird (to say the least) "A Shocking Lack Thereol".

Next good track is the punkish "Memory Of A Festival". Superb beat, great to pogo dance. Catchy melody, this pop song is amazingly upbeat. I'm not sure that it fails under the prog category (it doesn't at all of course), so if you are a proghead purist, you have been warned.

If ever "Nirvana" ("For The Roses") and "Anekdoten" (not to mention Crimson of course) are in the list of your favourite bands, you might well check out for "dEUS". Their music is diverse, dark, bizarre. Original and different. But several noisy moments might well be irritating at the end of the day ("Guilty Pleasures").

This album is maybe a bit too long to listen to it from start to finish too often. The piano bar mood for the jazzy and groovy "Nine Threads". As well as the stripped of "Disappointed In The Sun" which only starts at half time to turn into one of the best songs from this offering.

If you appreciate the mood of Berlin (Lou Reed), you should be receptive to the closing Wake Me Up Before I Sleep.

Three stars for "In A Bar.". The second opus from Tom . Barman.