AMBASSADORS OF GOOD HEALTH AND CLEAN LIVING

Their first studio album in six years, this is by far the most accessible and enjoyable French TV album that I have encountered. Perhaps this is due to band leader Mike Sary's new association with guitarist Katsumi Yoneda (TEE), keyboard players Ryuji Yonikura (TEE) and Takao Kawasaki (Flat122) and drummer Mark L. Perry.

Favorite songs: the surprisingly sedate and melodic, 1. "We're Putting On Our Bulldog Faces (and Hoping Something Good Happens)" (9:29) (10/10); 5. "Shemp vs. Classical Economics" (6:32) (9/10); 6. "Metronome Crisis" (10:46) (9/10); 2. "Friendly Pursuit" (5:46) (8/10), and; the hilariously clichéed and melodramatic, 4. "Gee, I Wish We Had One'a Them Doomsday Machines" (7:43) (8/10). 3. Rocka-Saggy-Baby-Bubba-Shaggy-Baba-Boo (9:39) (7/10)

One of avantgarde progressive rock veterans FRENCH TV's newest album has hit me completely. No difficult word nor extensive stretch needed but combinations of delightful instrumental bullets launched in the whole production.

Each phrases with complicated rhythms and massive sound-based gestural power cannot be created with eccentric instruments but with a simple formation like a guitar, a bass, drums, percussion, a synthesizer, or a keyboard ... such a basic rock combo style. The frontman and the bassist Mike has created sound elements with lots of addictive and sensational tonic explosions frankly inspired by avantgarde progressive vanguards like Zappa. Every single sound bullet is impressive and enjoyable, not difficult to digest at all, amazingly.

We can get immersed in their mazy crazy soundgarden, where nobody knows what would pop up in succession. Some synthesized sound effects are pretty effective for every pleasure song (just like "Gee, I Wish We Had One'a Them Doomsday Machines" ... exactly like a paranoiac sound hotchpotch rushing out of a treasure box meh). Sometimes dynamically and sometimes sensitively their magical mystery tour goes forward ... as if we would stumble upon quite a few mysterious obscure spots here and there. And no painful accident nor serious incident would not come on ... through their cool and clean plays.

Sorry for my tough-to-understand words but their mystic soundscape can get understandable just the moment you listen to this terrific album. ;)

US combo FRENCH TV is a veteran band in the field of progressive rock, with a past going back to the early '80s. A myriad of line-ups have come and gone over the years, with composer and bassist Mike Sary as the sole constant on the 11 CDs they have released to date. "Ambassadors of Good Health and Clean Living" is their most recent production, and was released in 2016.

Those who know and love the kind of music generally described as avant-garde progressive rock should have a field day with this most recent excursion by French TV. Challenging, expressive music is the name of the game here, and a fairly complicated and quirky one at that, unconventional and adventurous throughout the album. Those who find such a summary to be intriguing will most likely find this CD to be that as well.