ONZE DANSES POUR COMBATTRE LA MIGRAINE

3.5 stars.This is the debut album of AKSAK MABOUL and you'll notice on the album cover that Marc Hollander's name is at the top and in bigger letters than AKSAK MABOUL. And this record does come across as being a Marc Hollander solo album. He was a busy boy in 1977 with the release of this album, and he was also part of THE HONEYMOON KILLERS who released their debut this same year. And the year before as a member of COS, Marc and that band released "Viva Boma".

This was produced by Marc Moulin from COS/PLACEBO. Big fan. I have to admit that of all the RIO bands out there, this was the one band I did not want to touch. The crazy female singer, the difficult music, that cover art on the second album, all had me squinting and shaking my head. Well I did give in, and got both at once thankfully or I probably wouldn't have got the second one.

And that second one is quite different than this one plus we get a real drummer instead of the drum machine used here. And hey Chris Cutler is the man behind the kit on that one. His fellow HENRY COW member Fred Frith adds bass, guitar and violin on that one. Oh, and UNIVERS ZERO member Michel Berkmans adds bassoon and oboe. So yes please give me the lineup and music of the second record over this difficult debut. Catherine the female singer is also kept to a minimum on the second record. Not here.

So this wasn't as bad as I'm letting on. Sure when it's avant, it's out there, but I actually have a top three songs to share and when it's good, it's great. "Son Of L'idiot" for the guitar, "Cuic Steppe" which like many has horns, farfisa, piano and xylophone with effects after 3 minutes. "Mastoul Alakefak" for the depth of sound early with the farfisa over top. We get an electronic vibe, then sax to the fore after 4 minutes, with a fuller sound arriving to the end.

Better than I thought but not far off to what I was expecting either. That second record is where they increased those RIO sounds and at the same time they decreased the avant leanings along Catherine's voice.