ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN

From the first song "Christine" their improvisational sound marriage featuring Chris' crazy saxophone is bombastically exploded. Rhythmic complication, distorted voices, and sometimes graceful, uptempo footsteps are cool indeed. On the contrary, the third one "Rose" sounds more of deformed down-tempo depression. In "Un Apres-midi Au Zoo" Guigou's flexible percussion is sort of breakthrough for "visible sounds". One of my faves is "Binet D'eau Chaude" maybe played as improvised material, where are plenty of complex instrumental battles. Talking of cynic, "La Java Des Bombes Atomiques" full of French chanson flavour seasoned with funky voices and sincere organ sounds.

Kaleidoscopic sound variation and diversity give them a definite position in RIO subgenre. This live album could be thought as their status itself, let me say. Yes my love.

While the term Rock In Opposition has become somewhat synonymous with avant-prog, in the beginning it solely referred to the bands that played in the Rock In Opposition performances. In general these groups all had a few things in common despite the stylistic differences. They were all very experimental with traces of classical, jazz or chamber rock and excelled in creating bizarre music with great complexity. ETRON FOU LE BOUBLAN met all these criteria but stylistically was an anomaly even within this avant- garde movement.

First and foremost ETRON FOU LE BOUBLAN exhibit a healthy sense of avant-prog with excruciatingly weird angular rhythms and melodies however it is fortified with a vigorous infusion of not only jazz-fusion but a snotty sort of art punk as heard in the nasty guitar delivery and emphatic vocal attacks. I'm also hearing a distinct relationship perhaps due to similar geography with the vocal style of Catherine Ribeiro in the lyrics in how Richard belts them out in the same sort of contemplative yet forceful manner (not to mention the folk melodies underpinning certain segments). The music on the album consists of only five tracks with the first one going all out hitting the eighteen minute mark and transversing many different styles and moods whether it be the art punk rebellion, the jazzy bass driven parts or the frantic vocal outbursts. The reeds also give it sort of a klezmer type of feel at times as well. While all the lyrics are delivered in French, it's rather the emphasis on the lyrics that conveys more of the mood than the lyrics themselves (in case vous ne parlez pas français).

It basically boils down to the fact that ETRON FOU LE BOUBLAN share the same sort of anarchic visionary revolution that the punk scene was unleashing upon the world the very same year instead of giving the prog world a big middle finger, ETRON FOU LE BOUBLAN was redirecting this social angst to suit the needs of the current trend. Call it a form proggy punk snobbery if you will, but this musical expression certainly served a purpose as to bridge the two disparate musical worlds for those who felt torn between the love the old in terms of musical complexity and escapism and with the urgency of taking a political stance while being grounded in the here and now in the new emerging world surrounding them.

While the band would first play live in 1973 with Magma (simply as ETRON FOU), they would go through some personnel changes before arriving as a trio on this debut which would succeed in getting them invited by Henry Cow to join the very first Rock In Opposition festival in March 1978 at which time Francis Grand would have replaced Chanet on saxophone. They would play on future RIO festivals and would also work with Fred Frith throughout the 80s but it was this debut BATELAGES that would get them the invitation into the RIO club where they displayed their strange new mix of avant-prog sensibilities infused with a modern punk rock attitude. While Henry Cow, Samla Mammas Manna and Univers Zero would continue on to gain international recognition, ETRON FOU LELOUBLAN is one of the original six (along with Stormy Six) that wouldn't retain as much recognition over the years.

Perhaps it's because they were in a bizarre cross current of two disparate musical movements but nevertheless, they forged a rather unique sounding album that sounds exactly like what one would expect if you hybridized a fully fledged early 70s experimental prog album (albeit quite French) with a late 70s art punk band. Perhaps not as enjoyable as the best the RIO movement had to offer on heavy rotation but nevertheless this a veritable treat for anyone who is craving something utterly unique and a historical artifact that sounds like no other. This one is chock full of energetic disregard for musical norms without resorting to purely atonal noise or angular riff attacks (well most of the time!) Lots of regional folk melodies nestled in the mix as well and the album is well paced with different moods, textures and genre shifts that make it a truly smooth flow that warrants more respect as a founding RIO entity. I love it myself!

This album is the most avant-gardish/experimental from it's already experimental discography, from only one listen you may HATE it, because it may sound very out-order, just like the musicians put various sounds and little songs on a blender, but after some really atentious listens, the beauty of this masterpiece come out right upon your face.

The sound collage, the really unconfortable sound of instruments destroying your ear, the proposital terrible vocals, the funny extremely long-named piece "Percutant Reportage Au Pays Des Fees Recherche Pour Un Journal, Des Lunettes, Une Pipe Et Un Beret, 13 h 58, Ou Les Petites Aventures Du Medecin Chef" but a short one, and the extremely diversified and avant-gard composition "Le Desastreux Voyage De Piteux Python" make it an INCREDIBLE unique album, that when i listen to it the time passes in glimpse, and life becomes really fun when listening to it.

An unique masterpiece that no one will never repeat the same sound.

One of the biggest influences on the band's sound seems to be Captain Beefheart. The group is less goofy and oddball here than on the first two albums. The production is better and the organ fits in well with the sax, bass and drums. "Nicolas" has sax skronking and repeated guitar chords joined by bass and oft-kilter drumming. Then harmonized vocals. Later switches to a more punk sound with sax soloing. I like the sound of the organ and bass playing in unison here. All of a sudden changes to a more upbeat and jazzy section. "Mimi" has nice repeated piano and offbeat drums and bass being joined by some very French vocals. Changes chords and gets more sunny sounding with what sounds like synth squiggles. Followed by a part where there is talking instead of singing with some great brass.

"Nicole" starts off all dissonant and repetative, then switches to a part with talking backed by busy drumming and a 3-note bassline. Changes to a fast dissonant section with more talking. The organ starts to solo. The song returns to the the beginning part, then goes through the next two sections again. Later some crazy organ playing before it changes to a new melodic, upbeat section that almost sounds like reggae. The vocals are now more traditionally sung. Lovely sax solo. Love the piano chords. "La Musique" starts with dissonant atonal guitar playing that gets joined by some very melodic classical sounding organ, piano and bass. Switches to a fast repeated piano note and steady bass string picking with a slowed down voice talking over top. You hear a gong and then some steady snare drum and cool overdubbed organs fighting with each other.

"Christine" has an organ drone get some drums and sax playing freely added to it. Then the drums play a steady beat and the bass comes in. Oh man, that bass sound! I absolutely love the sound of the bass here; it's so sexy and dangerous. Vocals come in. The sax plays a hypnotic 2-note sequence here. Changes to a part with talking and no drums, just dissonant guitar and organ. Comes back to the great bass section. All of a sudden halfway it changes to a part where the bass goes higher and higher up the fretboard while the other instruments and vocals are more cacaphonous. Music stops briefly then a riff on guitar and bass with sax and vocals joining in.

"Those Distant Waters" not only has an English title, but the lyrics are in English as well. Crazy guitar string noises can be heard before eerie organ comes in. Then a voice that sounds like the person is in a spacesuit or something. Oddball effects that sound like they were done on a synth come and go. Some jazzy bass, sax and drums afterwards. "Uppsalla" has some really wonderful melodic organ and sax before it goes into some kind of Middle-Eastern jazz. "Io Prefero" has vocals in Italian. Nice drums and bass playing before it switches to a section with some kind of percussion and the spoken vocals begin. Both parts get repeated. "Pas'L'Sou" is a very French sounding song with spoken vocals. Features skronking just to add some flavour.

My favourite album from EFL and probably their most consistent. This was released in 1982 and you won't find too much music that was as experimental and "progressive" as this back then. Definately one of the better prog albums of the 1980s. The next albums are similar but not quite as good as this. A great introduction to these French weirdos. I feel this deserves at least 4 stars.

Starting at the end, the last two big numbers (''Madame Richard'', ''Histoire de Graine'') have loads of dissonant sax lines and absolutely bonkers percussive lines in the middles. The latter track has a beautiful bass-chord driven beginning that sparks interest. During the crazier section, it's hard to understand that all of that noise comes from just a bassist playing chords, a percussionist and a saxophonist. Unfortunately, this freeform stuff is what might drive most progsters nuts.

There's an epic here in the opening track, and it features punk-like shouting in the beginning, loads of bass chords that sound like guitars and Latin music excursions. The problem is that the epic is way to fragmented; sometimes ideas simply fade out and there's just a bit of French comedy in dry time until the next idea comes.

''Solo Brigada'' is another percussion solo that doesn't make that big of a splash, ''Yvett' Blouse'' is way too short considering the idea the band had going. EFL through BATELAGES is mainly for those with a soft spot for RIO, but some of the more accessible ideas are likely to attract newcomers to the genre moreso than the modern classical avantness of say Henry Cow. A little too much disjointedness keeps BATELAGES from being in the upper strata of RIO albums.

Musicianship is very precise, sound is excellent, and all album is full of energy. Songs are almost all well structured what gives to listener quite interesting effect: it looks like you listen well crafted jazzy pop-songs and free-form avant based music at the same time. Vocals are mostly half-spoken, in a punk/chanson tradition, so this element is possibly most controversial part of all music. Instrumental part is often quite close to avant prog though.

I believe such music is more question of listener's taste, I like this album as real French face of avant rock.My rating is 3,5 rounded to4.

Existing fans of Etron Fou Leloublan should find this production to be one well worth acquiring. The live audio capture is as good as one can expect under the circumstances they were made; the performance is on a par with what you would expect from this band, and I do believe that this is the only official live recording released by this version of the band to boot. RIO fans with a general taste for live performances might also want to take note of this CD, in particular if they have yet to explore the discography of this fine French ensemble.

"Lavees A La Machine" opens with bass as the sax makes some noise. Male and female vocals before 1 1/2 minutes. Keyboards after 2 minutes when the vocals stop. Percussion and male spoken words follow. "Tous Le Poussent" has this beat with male vocals and organ. Sax after 2 minutes. "Hors De Son Monde" has this beat of piano, bass and drums while the sax plays over top. A change before 2 minutes as the keyboards, bass and drums become the focus. "Paris 65" has these theatrical male vocals and a catchy rhythm. I like when the vocals stop and the organ, bass and drums lead. "Sous Les Draps" opens with these cool drum patterns as the organ and female spoken words help out. Bass joins in when the vocals stop. She's back before 2 1/2 minutes. It's surprisingly spacey late.

"Comment Choisir Son Infirmiere" is catchy with male vocals, love the bass. "Gifle Hubert" is pretty much spoken male words with an excellent melody of bass, drums and keyboards.The vocals start yelling at one point. Check out the bass after 3 1/2 minutes ! "Blanc" has some guest violin from Frith while drums,vocals and organ open.The organ starts to pulsate as the bass throbs. It's heavier before 3 1/2 minutes as she really sings. "Binet D'eau Froide" is a very short instrumental. "Plus Rien Ne Nous Retient Dans Ce Pays" has some great in your face bass as the vocals join in. It settles back after 1 1/2 minutes but kicks back in quickly. "Mon Petit Chorus" has this catchy beat with female vocals. Deep male vocals take over.The organ is excellent after 3 minutes.

I own the last three studio albums by this band and they are all so impressive. Highly recommended Avant / Rio from one the original Rio bands.