Guapo Appurrreciation Thread

song_of_copper wrote: Very timely: just received this info. from Cuneifom (via the 'avant-progressive' Yahoo group):- Forthcoming European live performance dates for Guapo: September 18 - Botanique - Bruxelles, Belgium Sepember 19 - Zxzw Festival - Tilberg, The Netherlands September 20 - MTC - Cologne, Germany September 22 - Magnet Club - Berlin, Germany September 24 - Klub 007 - Prague, Czech Republic September 25 - Arena - Vienna, Austria September 27 - Sinister Noise Club - Rome, Italy September 29 - Feierwerk - Munich, Germany September 30 - Le Cab - Geneva, Switzerland Various other bands of interest to PA people are also out and about, but that's not for this thread...

No English gig though.

Very timely: just received this info. from Cuneifom (via the 'avant-progressive' Yahoo group):-

Forthcoming European live performance dates for Guapo:

September 18 - Botanique - Bruxelles, Belgium
Sepember 19 - Zxzw Festival - Tilberg, The Netherlands
September 20 - MTC - Cologne, Germany
September 22 - Magnet Club - Berlin, Germany
September 24 - Klub 007 - Prague, Czech Republic
September 25 - Arena - Vienna, Austria
September 27 - Sinister Noise Club - Rome, Italy
September 29 - Feierwerk - Munich, Germany
September 30 - Le Cab - Geneva, Switzerland

Various other bands of interest to PA people are also out and about, but that's not for this thread...

I reviewed Rashomon's CD on www.progressiveears.com.  I had quoted it here but I'm too lazy to redo that post after getting a forum error.

Pnoom! wrote: IMHO Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses > Guapo. Not a huge Guapo fan.  Five Suns would be pretty good if it weren't for the two closing tracks.  Black Oni never hit me.  Elixirs I found mildly interesting at best. I will recommend the cd The Ruined Map by Rashomon ("pen" name of an ex-Guapo member/founder).

Oh well - to each his own!

Great Scott, not another related project...   But the description looks interesting.  Another for the list of things to hear!

Syzygy wrote: The Twisted Stems EP is purely instrumental, and I think that there may have been some other tweaking for the album as well.   'Elixirs' is less immediate than 5 Suns or Black Oni but is probably their strongest album yet, very strong compositions and a quantum leap on from Black Oni. The last couple of tracks hark back to earlier incarntions though; The Planks could have come from Great Sage, Equal of Heaven (recently reissued) and King Lindorm has the kind of pounding intensity that makes 5 Suns and Black Oni so effective on stage.   If you dig around in the interviews section you'll find an interview I did with Guapo shortly after Black Oni was released.

I enjoyed reading the interview, thanks for alerting me to it!  (It's here, if anyone else would like to read it!)  They seem pretty down to earth in the interview, in contrast to some of their PR spiel!

This really is fascinating stuff.  (Listening again this evening...)  I wonder what they'll do next...?

^I think Black Oni benefits from being shorter, its allowed the band to be more concise with the arrangments and the result is it hits home a bit more.

Kim? wrote: Favourite tracks are: Black Oni III and V Arthur, Elsie and Frances from Elixirs

Agreed, those are definite stand outs!  I'd pick 'Jeweled Turtle' from 'Elixirs' as well, though.

Kim? wrote: I've ordered the Mothlite (project of Daniel O'Sullivan, but David Smith and Sara Hurich among many others are also participating) debut The Flax of Reverie, hopefully recieving it soon. From what I've heard on the website/myspace, it sounds very promising! Especially the track Riverside. I'm also a fan of Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses, which sometimes reminds me of Guapo (not that strange, since all members of Guapo are present) with the folkish feel, that they ventured a bit into on Elixirs. The Miasma songs are a bit more focused and resolute, though, like The Planks (which by the by is a great tune!)

These people are unstoppably prolific!  How many projects is it now...?

I'm definitely going to check out Miasma - the description sounds intriguing and the samples I've heard are good.  Maybe I'll get around to some of those other bands too...

Kim? wrote: Manfauna is the EP, Perils is the album, I think. Anyway, I agree, it's great!

Ops! Yes, Manufana is the awsome one. Thanks.

song_of_copper wrote: Dominic wrote: Most of the Black Oni EP is included with Elixirs. If you don't already have Elixirs, definitely get that first. Five Suns is amazing and should be checked out by all Zeuhl fans, but i think that Elixirs might be a bit boring to some, when compared to the vigorous playing found on Five Suns. That'd be the 'Twisted Stems' EP!   'Black Oni' is a long player. Edited to add: is the EP version of 'Twisted Stems' different from the album version on 'Elixirs'?  I've read the PA entry and reviews for the EP and there is no mention of the vocals (which appear on the album version).  I have this weird sensation of having heard 'The Heliotrope' (or something like it) before, but I can't place it.  And I think it's the vocals that make me feel that way...

Yes. They are instrumental, different and better, I think. Well, The Selenetrope with Jarboe is great, but The Heliotrope is much better as a dark, loungy Baldamenti-ish  instrumental. I really love the EP (and Elixirs).

My favorite is actually Five Suns. One of the handful of albums of the 00's I consider a real masterpiece. Never thought it was particulary similar to Magma, although its obviously Zeuhl-inspired.  My problem with the Guapo trilogy, if any, is that (although brilliant) Black Oni is too similar to its predessesor.

The quite new Miasma EP Perils, is fantastic! A lot more interesting than their OK debut. Warmly reccomended.

The older Guapo albums is really by a different band.

One of my favourite bands nowadays.
I'm also most familiar with the trilogy. I listened a bit to Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, but I can't say I liked it that much.
Of the trilogy, I like each of them just as much. All three are exploring different territories, and very successfully so.
Favourite tracks are:
Black Oni III and V
Arthur, Elsie and Frances from Elixirs

I've ordered the Mothlite (project of Daniel O'Sullivan, but David Smith and Sara Hurich among many others are also participating) debut The Flax of Reverie, hopefully recieving it soon. From what I've heard on the website/myspace, it sounds very promising! Especially the track Riverside.

I'm also a fan of Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses, which sometimes reminds me of Guapo (not that strange, since all members of Guapo are present) with the folkish feel, that they ventured a bit into on Elixirs. The Miasma songs are a bit more focused and resolute, though, like The Planks (which by the by is a great tune!)