Basso Cantate

Advantages: Distinective French music at it's most brilliant
Disadvantages: At some point it has to end

...Long Live Noir Desir! Noir Desir is dead! Well, kind of. It’s probably not particularly PC to like Noir Desir as their charismatic singer, Bretrand Cantat is currently about to stand trial for manslaughter (of then girlfriend, actress Marie Trintignant), the story behind which is rather hazy; but this should not get in the way of recognising what an utterly sublime band Noir Desir were. It is very easy to dismiss European rock music and often it is pretty bad; mainland Europe flourishes in all other art forms but contemporary rock music seems to be one item that is missing. So it is just as easy to accept something slightly less than great as great because of general paucity of skill. Not so with Noir Desir and especially Des Visages des Figures, for this has to be one of the great albums. In truth I’ve been listening... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Beautifully controlled, deceptively inventive music
Disadvantages: Err... it's not bad Euro-pop, if that's what you like

...with a solid guitar introduction that grinds away with some heavy drumming only to find sudden and disconcerting North African tinged clarinet and Cantat’s vocals which throb syllabically, there is absolutely no attempt to create actual words. The result is almost like the final, gargantuan track on DVDF (L’Europe) which descends, or ascends depending on opinion, into apparent improvisation centring round strident clarinets, random horns, Cantat’s screeching vocals and occasional aggressive burst of guitar. The effect is a welcome introduction, apparently simple and yet finally segueing into casual creativity. It’s short and yet strangely satisfying because you know in less skilled hands the music would be a mess, a real sloppy glop of sounds. Then in pounds Fin De Siecle that follows on perfectly from the opening track, it has a sound similar... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful