C.O.D. PERFORMANCE

This is probably the hardest listening record by ehis incredible band, or most exactly, this incredible musician who is ROGER TRIGAUX, this time plating duo with his son, Reginald Trigaux. I suppose this record was a kund of training for his son, because after this record, he played regularly witn PRESENT.

What we cand find here is mainly two pieces that in a more or less primitive sate would later become complete songs ("Alone" in live recordings and "Love Scorn" in the middle section of "The Sense of Life"), recorded with complete band, not in duet format, although the musical developememnts are quite different here; so then, we could easily talk about different songs indeed. But on this occasion, the lplaying is rougher, more to the roots of the song. The playing is really incredible, provided that there are only two guitars and some percussion (and vocals, more in a recitative than singing way). The sound of the music in general doesn´t remember much the neoclassical style, but maybe some kind of "dark avant songwriting". I enojy this record quite a lot, but I admit it would not appeal to any music lover.

So then, despite being a great record with superb musicianship, I think it would fit well listeners very well trained in the darks side of prog, but for beginners, better start with other records of the band ("Triskaidekaphobie" or "A Great Inhumane Adventure"). For me, iw would be a 4 star record, but for all listeners, it will be 3 stars.

After a long hibernation (roughly a decade), Present rises from its ashes with this strange format, consisting of only Roger Trigaux and his son Reginald, both on guitar, vocals and percussion. Released in 93 with a sombre artwork, reminiscent of the original UZ's Heresie artwork, this album contains only three tracks, all of them filled with awesome guitar works for a total of almost 50 minutes, and was recorded just a stone's throw from the French boder.

The opening side offers two shorter tracks, with the opening Love Scorn being the most accessible of the three, but the album in general is not quite as sinister as the previous 80's works of Trigaux sr. The first part of Alone (lasting 14-mins+) is a slow crescendo climbing from guitar arpeggios to searing electric guitar solos. The flipside holds the almost-25 mins second part of Alone, featuring some of the craziest vocals of Present's studio discography, plus some awesome guitars ranging from the quiet almost bucolic (everything being relative with Present) to the furious and rabid histrionics of the father-son team and a short wink to a Beatles tune, right before the album's final notes.

COD Performance is a bit of a side-bracket in Present's discography, being closer to the 80's stuff than the newer series of albums, but it's no less worthy of the RIO/avant fan than it would be for guitar absolutists.

Psychedelic Rock in Opposition, "raw" as "raw" can be.

At last, I have aquired this PRESENT "C.O.D. Performance", 1993 record, or simply Roger Trigaux plus his son playing on what could almost be called an all electric guitar album, Trigaux's style of course . A guitar album, that is intimate, experimental, daring, and at times, also self-indulgent. A surprising visit to Mr, Trigaux's concept of the "Psychedelic 60's", in his own compositional and performance language, transformed to be played by electric guitar duets, triplets and solos (including bass guitar, of course). Some additional, but scarce percussions, and some very "Doorsy" vocals and lyrics, here and there.

This is the kind of record guitar players should enjoy listening to. More than anything else, due to the fact, that the electric guitar was kind of demeaned by the RiO crowd. It seems it was too "symbolic", and too close to the Rock they "opposed". Mr Triguax kind of even things up, more or less.

Of course there are some astounding highlights, as far as music writing goes. The performance, although impeccable, kind of weakens itself by repetition of ideas. To round things up, "C.OD. Performance" is uneven. The great music sections, are trapped, more than once, between quiet unimpressive or less inspired compositional sections.

***3 "Fun, but not essential" PA stars.

Hyper-Minimal Quasi-Psychedelic Avant-Prog Somewhat Satisfactory

At a 'quick and easy' three tracks, I knew I could get this one reviewed by the end of the beginning of the morning. I jest, of course. I suppose the biggest joke is that this was going to be, in all likelihood, some very dense Avant-prog... I guess it's hard to believe, generally speaking, to have an R.I.O. release with only guitar, vocals and percussion (this amounting to no more than light clicks and kickdrum), but here we are. Super minimalistic. But they certainly make it work.

"Love Scorn" starts off low and slow, comparable to the darkest that '60s Psychedelia had had to offer then. And dark indeed. And such a unique use of guitar itself! I assume (possibly only then) they tuned one of them down extremely low to accomplish this weird, alien 'cello'. It's in the latter half that guitar soloing jumps out of the minimal expanse of guitar and simple clicks (at times what sounds like just the simple hit of a closed hi-hat). It may remind of FRIPP. And following this first sketch of electric guitar is an intense battle, fierce and eerie.

The tracks get exponentially longer, from 9 and a half minutes to just under 15 all the way to 25 minutes. And with that, "Alone - Part One" heads off in beautiful, again not unlike KC (though latter days Crimson via the aid of BELEW), overlapping guitar melody. Around the midway point, this falls away to something heavier. The heaviest percussion they had introduced to us up to this point (as with said 'battle' on "Love Scorn") is merely intense, reverb'd out kickdrum. "Part One" was well performed, but so minimal, I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

"Alone - Part Two" kicks off with something a little more intriguing. The rhythm is slightly off-kilter and the guitar just goes. They once again, I assume, because it seems clearer here using octave pedal, have the dark, muddy 'bass guitar'. Like I suggest, much more satisfactory than the first part. Unsurprisingly still moody and gloomy. Minimal or not, actually quite a lot happens within the first 3 minutes! Vocals are finally introduced around minute 11. Sort of classical and creepy, reminiscent to me of Sophisti-Pop lounge lizards? Again falling away, minute 18 introduces a queer, creeping section. Worth a listen if you have the time.

Overall, well performed, at times genuinely very interesting, but not to appeal to even your average RIO fan half the time. I nearly gave it a 2.