VIETNAM

This very « original » group emerged from the extreme left-wing political factions and created almost by themselves a small current Polit-Rock, one of the many facets of Krautrock. While other groups engaged in this type of experimentation of including politics into rock music (Wyatt in Matching Mole's Little Red record, Henry Cow in In Praise Of learning or Italy's Area's Arbeid Macht Frei), there is sense of the political message being more important than the music in FDC's oeuvre.

Taking their name from the Eau De Cologne, this Köln present some typical krautrock music in the background of their German- spoken/sung lyrics, and although I've never seen any film footage, one can't help but thinking that one of their concerts must've approached avant-garde theatre that was the rage, following Counter Culture's brief triumph in the early 70's.

This debut album (a collab with Dieter Süverkrup) certainly did not go by unnoticed as their full frontal attack to the Vietnam disaster was not only the planet's prime concern, but had become the focal point of all of the planet's military efforts, possibly leading to the Cold War's warming to full global conflict. Obviously this group's very critical stance against the US's invasion forces, whether invited or not is regardless to the disastrous results. More than on later FDC albums, the music takes a back stand to the group's political message that seems to be more akin to theatre or some kind of avant-garde performance. But whatever music is present is indisputably progressive, even if sometimes nearing complete caricature, and is designed to enhance the German declaimed/sung lyrics supporting the text's absurd and derisive situation, attacking capitalism and rather thick-humored silly jokes, providing some difficult and uninteresting moments for the progheads not wishing such satire in their music. The music is mixed between some excellent prog moments (there are cash teller noises that will become so famous with Floyd) and absolutely grotesque tuba-music for cabaret and marching bands or Oktoberfest popular orchestras.

Difficult to recommend such a weird late-60's artifact, as it is completely obsolete nowadays, unless you master German well enough to draw some philosophical wisdom from such a masquerade. And for potential investigating proghead, this album would not b e a suitable intro, either, not only in musical contents, but also ibn terms of potential repeated listenings.