Artist: French TV
Label: Self-released
Released: 2004
Runtime: 60:12
Rating: 4.4/5
Pardon Our French is the title of French TV’s eighth album. This time, after a long while, they’ve gone back to covers (they’ve done it before with Van Der Graaf Generator) and proved they didn’t pick that name for nothing. These are covers of nothing but French artists, strung together as a medley: Ange, Pulsar, Shylock, Carpe Diem, Atoll and Etron Fou Lelouban. So, a wet dream for any fan of French prog and a nightmare for normal people.
The lineup is once again built around bassist Mike Sary, who has rounded up the right crew to sail the sea of strange visions and delusions. Once again they’ve pulled off that proper French TV organized mess, chaos with a red thread running through it, and they’ve surely delighted their longtime fans, plus the one fangirl.
The first two tracks are typical French TV creations. In their mix of avant-garde and the occasional symphonic touch, “unusual” influences pop up again, like Mexican music and oriental flavors. Once more they manage to make a whole that flows naturally and never feels forced. On the third piece they went for covers of their favorite French prog bands (they are French TV, after all), like Ange, Pulsar and Rock in Opposition legends Etron Fou Lelouban. The covers are excellent, and the female vocals stand in for the male ones beautifully. Only the French accent isn’t the most convincing (though even that adds a certain charm), and you really notice the missing nasals, oh dear oh dear oh dear. To close, there are two more French TV classics, which once again show how well these guys can be unpredictable, with their blends of the tragic and the comic, the dark and the silly.
French TV are outstanding musicians with a fairly recognizable style, yet on every album they still find a way to surprise you with some unexpected ingredient (this time tarragon, which didn’t end up in the potica). Pardon Our French has plenty of that too. On top of that, the album is superbly played and produced. This one might suit people who are more into classic prog than avant-garde fans (if only for the covers) and it makes a good way into the band for anyone who isn’t too keen on the more experimental styles. Either way, French TV serve up a great feast again, and not for a single moment do you feel shortchanged.
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Pardon Our French is the title of French TV’s eight album. After a long time, they decided to do covers again (they already had a cover of a Van Der Graaf Generator song before) and show that the name French TV is well deserved. Namely, they chose to do covers of only French artists – Ange, Pulsar, Shylock, Carpe Diem, Atoll and Etron Fou Lelouban. So, basically a wet dream for any fan of French progressive rock and a nightmare for normal people.
The line-up is again based around the bass player, Mike Sary, who is again surrounded by the right people to share his extraordinary vision. Again, they managed to create that perfect French TV organised confusion, chaos that makes sense. They must have made their fans and female fan very happy.
The first two pieces are typical of French TV. It’s a typical mixture of avant-garde and the occasional symphonic rock. Once more, we see some “unusual” influence, like Mexican and oriental music. They manage to create pieces that are fluid and unforced. They decided to cover their favourite French artists on the third piece (they are French TV after all). We can hear artists like Ange, Pulsar and Rock in Opposition legends Etron Fou Lelouban. The covers are great, the female vocal replaces the male excellently, only the French accent perhaps isn’t the most convincing (but it adds a certain charm, a certain je ne sais quoi) – the lack of nasals is especially noticeable. For the end, we have two more French TV classics, which again show how unpredictable the men can be with their mixture of tragic and comic, dark and humorous.
French TV are exceptional musicians with a very specific style, but they still manage to surprise with an unexpected ingredient on every album. Pardon Our French is also full of such elements. Besides that, the album is also masterfully played and produced. This effort might suit people who are more into classic prog (if for nothing else than the covers) and can serve as a good introduction for all people who aren’t that into the more experimental styles. Anyway, French TV cook up a feast again and you don’t feel deprived of anything at any moment.
Lineup
Chris Smith – guitars, banjo, viola, violin, mandolin
Mike Sary – bass, keyboards
Warren Dale – keyboards, accordion, marimba, samples, flutes, whistles, harmonicas, tuba, saxophones, clarinet
Jeff Gard – drums and percussion
Production
Mike Sary, Warren Dale
Track List
1. Everything Works in Mexico (11:56)
2. Sekala Dan Niskala (6:20)
3. Pardon Our French (Medley) (16:59)
… 1. La Bataille Du Sucre (ANGE) / 2. Tired Answers (PULSAR) / 3. Laocksetal (SHYLOCK) / 4. Publiphobie (CARPE DIEM) / 5. Laocksetal (SHYLOCK) / 6. Tunnel Pt. 2 (ATOLL) / 7. Publiphobie (CARPE DIEM) / 8. Yvett’s Blouse (ETRON FOU LELOUBAN)
4. Tears of a Velvet Clown (13:17)
5. When the Ruff Tuff Creampufss Take Over (11:41)
