TOUCAN

I must confess to never being really sure how to write the name of this band as I often see it written as two words, and the latest album has the words on two lines, but inside the press release it says JackDupon so maybe it is that? What I do know is that there has been a major change within the ranks of this French quartet, in that they are a quartet no more. If one goes back to 2006's 'L'Africain Disparu' one would find the names of Gregory Pozzoli (guitar), Arnaud M'Doihoma (bass), Philippe Prebet (guitar) and Thomas Larsen (drums). Over the years they have all added vocals, but now on their eighth album we find Prebet listed as adding vocals to the first track, but nothing else. In their press release they say it is their first release as a trio, so it indeed looks as if Prebet has permanently left the band, just contributing to the first song. I have no idea why, as it is certainly not down to the quality of material contained within as this is a blast from beginning to end and I love it.

I find it difficult to believe that the only review on ProgArchives for their 2021 album 'La République Dominicale Du Zoo' is the one I wrote, but there again here we have a band who not only have the temerity to sing in French but refuse to compromise their style for anyone. I love how they describe their music, which is entirely accurate and certainly worth repeating, "One could characterize this music as minimalist rock à la Shellac, psychedelic, avant- garde, or Rock in Opposition, but the band rejects all these influences, embracing freedom and the need to respect no stylistic rules as their way of being, to create an instrumental ritual in which listeners are guided by falsely innocent or fragile bubbles of singing. One could still mention Fred Frith, Primus, King Crimson, Zappa, Etron Fou Leloublan, The Ex, and aggressive atmospheres reminiscent of The Birthday Party (Nick Cave). One could talk about soundscapes, dancing traces, Oulipo-inspired poetry, angry breaks, and changes of mood, with twisted mastery and the ability to make opposing rhythms dance."

"Twisted", now there is a good word, and probably the best way of describing this. They are off the wall and try to express what is in their heads and do not worry what is going on in the rest of the world. It is close to improvisational free jazz, yet there is a rehearsed structure, and one can imagine much of this being recorded live as a band as opposed to individually sat down attempting to follow a score. There are no rules, it is whatever they want to produce while not even looking at the rest of the music scene. There is a punk anger contained within as if they are blasting at us with the menace of Throbbing Gristle from more than 40 years ago. It is not music which is easy to listen to, it is not supposed to be, but due to its very nature it feels real and visceral, not plastic and created to be a clone of everything else in this increasingly artificial and soulless world which continues to stifle creativity and reward mediocrity.

This album is a musical ear wash for the soul and makes me feel alive just by having the opportunity to listen to it. Yet another great release from the French masters, the quartet is dead, long live the trio!

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