ULTIMATUM

MOSAIC were a four piece band out of France led by the Brebion brothers. They had a nice little run in the seventies playing live all over France, and releasing a demo cassette in 1977 before getting a studio album out to the public in 1978 called "Ultimatum". After all that work and finally getting a studio album out they broke up in 1979. Very much an Avant band who within that style created some variety. In fact some bemoan the fact that this album is not more focussed or uniform.

It's about a 34 minute album with nine tracks. MIO Records did a good job with that 2003 re- issue adding those demo tracks from 1977, as well as a couple of live tracks, one from 1976 and one from 1977. We get four short pieces being around the 2 minute mark but they are excellent. Three of the four musicians here are multi-instrumentalists, and there are some french vocals, mostly on that closer. While the brothers had been gigging, doing covers for a couple of years, it was in 1974 that they got serious, adding both a guitarist/ keyboardist and bass player, and naming themselves MOSAIC for the first time.

I love that they did auditions for that bass player and had high expectations, wanting someone who could solo. The last one to audition was Philippe Lemongne aka P.L.M.G.. He must be good! He adds cello, acoustic guitar, synths, and he is a composer. Yeah they got the right one. I like Yves Brebion's description of their music. "Using musical violence, vocal paroxysm, and some frantic and frenzied guitar parts. committed to refined musical developments, MOSAIC was a part of that avant-garde progressive rock with a strong taste for complex, polished, adventerous, aggressive and delirious music!"

That opener "Un Trop" is a highlight for sure. More in the jazz/fusion realm this one with some standout guitar and powerful moments. That third song with the long title contrasts some dark and experimental passages with the more powerful sections. Almost a chamber music vibe here and elsewhere(like the next track) the way they slow it down and go mostly acoustic. My favourite might be "Rue Tabaga" because it's so jazzy sounding. Then there's that four part, almost 9 minute track called "Le Torero Dialu". I like the contrasts of styles on this song with more of that chamber style plus some rocking sections. The closer is a tough one with those punk vocals shouting at us. A post-punk track with plenty of energy. Hey it's 1978.

I had a blast re-visiting this one last week. And it's a solid 4 stars.