Label: Goga
Release date: October 2006
Production: Od Franclna možgani
The arrival of the little-known avant-garde rock outfit Od Franclna Možgani is a big joy for all of us who admire, and have so often missed on our home turf, bands that make highly creative, inventive, dynamic and downright witty music. The wait is over, because the music of these promising, all-round musicians delivers all of that. Their debut “Pofrancljevanje” (we at Rockline were at the excellent gig for the official album launch, too) packs in a whopping 24 interesting, sonically contrasting pieces, with a sound dominated mostly by elements of jazz fusion (mainly via the guitar), funk (mainly via the rhythm section) and ethno (mainly via the percussion and flute).
The band members, who also go by the stage names Dzuko (guitarist and vocalist Jure Duh), Sleyk (bassist Dejan Slak), Pimps (percussionist Primož Malenšek), Brgs (drummer Jaka Berger) and Tinčk (flutist and saxophonist Martin Klančič), are all exceptionally talented musicians, mostly multi-instrumentalists, who already stun with their unbridled musical ideas. That these guys are bursting with creative drive is clear from the band’s name alone, which sounds like a tribute to the legendary master of avant-garde rock, Frank “Francl” Zappa, who undoubtedly influenced some of their ideas. You also catch whiffs of the music that cult names of progressive rock like Gong, Egg, Steve Hillage and Henry Cow cooked up in their “workshops” back in the day and still do; Ozric Tentacles come to mind in places too, while the injection of absurdity, such as the many interludes of mostly mischievous-grotesque narration and goofy sound effects, recalls the legacy of the aforementioned American composer. On most of their pieces, Od Franclna Možgani also ask, in a simple and only rarely cynical way, “does humor belong in music?” For the most part they manage nicely to blend their rather complex compositions with just the right dose of humor, so the whole thing never loses its thread and is a fun, joyful listen from start to finish. It’s worth mentioning that the album is also graced by an exceptionally original and witty cover and a very handsome booklet with interesting illustrations that even Uncle Frank wouldn’t be ashamed of. The production is fairly solid by our standards, though not top-notch.
Let’s get to the individual pieces. After the short but witty soundcheck “Testing, Testing”, the Francls whisk us off to “Kolaček”, which, quite surprisingly, is basically a pop song, the kind that could be spinning on any Slovenian commercial radio station, or even be a hit, had the band had better promotion in our beloved Šentflorjan valley. On the other hand, it’s a very successful blend of electronics, funk and jazz. The addition of female backing vocals is especially interesting, adding even more melody to the song. Guitarist Dzuko also finds his feet well in the atypical role of a pop singer, and his witty narration about melted chocolate proves he’s a good actor, too. A very interesting and unexpected opening to the album, proving these are musicians who could, if they wanted to, fill the Slovenian charts as a joke. “Extra” leads us into the hugely entertaining “Extra Bird”, where Pimps’s kazoo antics shine in particular, along with an excellent jazz-fusion-based improvisation in the second half (the flute is a very fitting touch, too). On “Solata Rap” the band members ponder the difference between salad and potatoes, which of course has to be mentioned. What I enjoy most, though, are the moments when they give themselves over to free jazz-funk improvisations like the excellent “Gvars”, which was recorded with the previous rhythm section of Kušljan and Grubar. Pimps’s percussion also lends a nice taste of ethno and further enriches the whole record. The band is not far from first-rate jazz fusion, but their untamed urge to keep experimenting constantly drags them into avant-garde and even psychedelic waters, and so they surprise us with “Are You a Horse?”, one of the highlights of the whole album and a delightful combination of funky guitar and bass, cowbells and Dzuko’s almost paranoid vocals. “Fender Kontra (Djuko vs Brgs)” is a short snippet of a hugely entertaining and constructive conversation between Dzuko and Brgs, leading into “SuperSonic Speed”, another of the album’s best moments, one that even Uncle Frank would be proud of. You don’t hear such a complex and at the same time excellent piece from the fingers of Slovenian musicians every day! Every Star Wars fan will quickly figure out that “Wormhole No 9” (“Chewbacca’s Song”) is dedicated to the beloved Wookiee (it even contains audio samples of his menacing growling). This piece is a perfect psychedelic switch-off with a rowdy guitar solo, colorful percussion and a palette of witty sounds. “How To Be Happy On The Floor” (the 1st attempt) is pure avant-garde with constant rhythm changes and offbeat vocal games. “Interwiew With Django” is most likely the band’s tribute to the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. If he were still alive and heard it, he’d probably wet himself laughing.
“Kavboj Kavbojc”, with its ukulele intro and country sounds, is another short but witty brainwave. On “Butterfly”, probably the funkiest piece on the album, they once again show their knack for composing more compact pieces. What’s especially impressive is the lovely mix of vocal harmonies (female backing vocals return) and melancholic guitar fragments. On “Beach Paty at Suarez Guaran Sanchez” they take more time for a very witty dose of ethno, where the percussion in particular brings in a whiff of the Caribbean. I’d call this one another of the album’s highlights, too. “Grumlin Star To Meet” is yet another short goof that leads into “Kaj Ste Tak Čudni Vsi?”. This piece features a thick bass line, funky guitar and dissonant vocal lines. “Po Kaj” is another studio joke. Next comes “Whale In High Heels”, which wins you over with the band’s best qualities, joined here more actively by Tinčk’s flute, which adds a bit of folk on top of the jazz, funk and ethno. “SuperSonic Dubrovisation” is a neat, somewhat funkier improvisation on “SuperSonic Speed”. The lyrics of “Lesbian Show” mark the peak of provocation, as the band hasn’t dabbled in toilet humor until now, the kind Zappa also liked to use in his day. I’m not exactly a big fan of this sort of thing à la “Tities ‘N’ Beer”, but I have no doubt it’ll be the band’s most popular piece among plenty of teenage boys for some time to come. “Repko, Mala in Buntica” is cut from a completely different cloth, as it’s dedicated to three kitties owned by the guitarist’s nephew. It’s a mellow piece built on simple jazz fusion. “Šarodoraš”, which tells an imaginary story about a meeting between a Californian surfer and a Hungarian submarine, is the closing climax of the musical experimentation, where the band serves up some seriously avant-garde sounds. Once again Frank a.k.a. Francl would be proud of them. The Francls wouldn’t be the Francls if they didn’t finish with the wittily deranged “Mat’ O Plat'”, probably dedicated to some mother-in-law who went off to the market to buy sauerkraut, and which you simply can’t listen to with a straight face.
“Pofrancljevanje” is a hugely pleasant surprise that also marks an important turning point and new hope both for Slovenian alternative, avant-garde and progressive rock and for the Slovenian music scene in general. In my opinion, the album has already earned cult status, at least among their fans, even though we can hope the band will enrich its sound even further in the future. Of course, there’s still a long road ahead of them, full of artistic challenges, but their mere arrival is an utterly heartening sign that brighter weather is on the way here for highly experimental and innovative music, which has been far too neglected in recent years. Most important of all, you can feel throughout the whole album that the band firmly believes in its musical mission, and that there’s that right kind of creative energy among them that turns beginners into masters. With their unique blend of diverse musical styles and unbridled humor, Od Franclna Možgani prove they’re the real deal and raise hopes that kinder times are coming for highly creative music here, too. So, as it says in their booklet: make sure you have a refreshing drink at hand, settle into your favorite armchair, and enjoy some pofrancljevanje.
author: Peter Podbrežnik
rating: 8.0 / 10
Tracklist:
1. Testing, Testing
2. Kolaček
3. Extra
4. Extra Bird
5. Solata RAP
6. Gvars
7. Are You a Horse?
8. Fender Kontra (Djuko vs. Brgs)
9. SuperSonic Speed
10. WormHole No. 9 (Chewbacca’s Song)
11. How To Be Happy On the Floor (the 1st Attempt)
12. Interwiew With Django
13. Kavboj Kavbojc
14. Butterfly
15. Beach Party at Squarez Guaran Sanchez
16. Grumlin Star To Meet
17. Kaj Ste Tak Čudni Vsi?
18. Po Kaj
19. Whale In High Wheels
20. SuperSonic Dubrovisation
21. Lesbian Show Named Herald
22. Repko, Mala in Buntica
23. Šarodoraš
24. Mat’ O Plat’
Lineup:
Jure Duh – DZHUKO – guitar, vocals
Dejan Slak – SLEYK – bass guitar
Jaka Berger – BRGS – drums
Primož Malenšek – PIMPS – percussion
Martin Klančič – TINČK – flute
