French TV from the USA

French TV is one of the best bands nowadays. I have listened to all their records, and it´s one of  the few bands that I consider non repetitive, despite having their stylistic treats very well defined. For beginners,the best records  could be "The Violence of Amateurs", "The Case Against Art" and the live album "Yoo Hoo!!!", although I think that all their records are essential. Despite being labelled as a RIO band,  I feel its music much closer to the Canterbury Scene. An unknown gem worth to be discovered.

Since the band was mentioned in this poll I thought it's a good opportunity to bump this to get others interested in this fine band

Syzygy wrote: They are one of the few RIO bands to perform cover versions (of other RIO bands, usually), which they generally do very well.

I have The Violence of Amateurs and The Case Against Art, and both are great! I'm surprised they're so obscure, considering how accessible (by prog standards), yet still good their music is. Recommended to everyone!

I only have Pardon Our French but I love this band.They are very,very overlooked.

FRENCH TV is an inventive, enthusiastic, exciting and creative band, very humourous in its approch and sound, that has released several albums though are not very well known which is a shame. They have been at this since 1983 making them long time proggers.

They draw influence from Zappa, Soft Machine, Samla Mammas Manna and others and this amalgam results in the sound that is theirs.

You will find elements from all styles in their music, but mainly you will have good time with their music, which is uplifting and energetic.

 

Their PA bio:

 

This fun band comes from Louisville (Kentucky) and has existed since 1983. Led by the leadership of bassist Mike Sary, FRENCH TV has released 7 albums of music for musicians, deftly nodding to prog-masters like NATIONAL HEALTH, SOFT MACHINE, ZAPPA, BRUDFORD, BRAND X, HAPPY THE MAN, and SAMLA MAMMAS MANNA, among others. To describe French TV's music is simple and complicated ... All the band’s other issues contain moving moments; a hybrid of Canterbury, RIO, Fusion, and Insanity, not to mention random little snippets of other styles.

"The Violence of Amateurs" is one of the best jazz-rock album of the last ten years. This is somtething that should easily appeal to fans of Canterbury, Fusion or even the more minded symph fan. On the whole, the music on "The Case Against Art" represents a very innovative manifestation of Classic Symphonic Progressive with the elements of Jazz-Fusion and Prog-Metal.

 

 

Their website:

http://www.frenchtvonline.com/