Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Od Franclna Možgani
Label: Založba Goga
Release: 2006
Rating: 3.5/5
The emergence of the so-far little-known avant-garde rock outfit Od Franclna Možgani is a joy for all of us who admire, and have often missed on our home turf, bands that make highly creative, inventive, dynamic and downright witty music. Our wait is over, because the music of these promising, versatile players offers all of the above. Their debut “Pofrancljevanje” (we Rockline crew members were at the excellent gig for the official album launch, too) packs in a whopping 24 interesting and 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 surprise with their unbridled musical ideas. That these guys are bursting with creative drive is evident from the band name alone, which sounds like a tribute to the legendary master of avant-garde rock Franclin-Frank Zappa, who undoubtedly influenced some of their ideas. Some of the music that cult progressive rock names like Gong, Egg, Steve Hillage and Henry Cow cooked up in their “workshops” back in the day (and still do) also comes to mind, and Ozric Tentacles pop up here and there too, while the injection of absurdist elements, such as the many interludes of mostly cheeky, 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 pull off the trick of blending their rather complex compositions with just the right dose of humor, so the whole thing never loses its thread and is a blast to listen to 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 fun illustrations that even Uncle Frank wouldn’t have been ashamed of. The production is fairly solid by our standards, though not top-notch.
Now let’s get to the individual pieces. After the short but witty soundcheck “Testing, Testing”, the Franclni whisk us off to “Kolaček”, which, quite surprisingly, is at its core a pop song, the kind that could be spinning on any Slovenian commercial radio station, or even be a hit, if the band had better promotion in our beloved Valley of St. Florian. On the other hand, it’s a thoroughly successful mix of electronics, funk and jazz. The addition of female backing vocals is especially interesting, adding even more melody to the track. Guitarist Dzuko also found his feet well in the atypical role of pop singer, and his witty narration about melted chocolate proves he’s a good actor too. A very entertaining and unexpected album opener, proof that these are musicians who could fill the Slovenian charts if they wanted to, just for a laugh. “Extra” leads us into the hugely funny “Extra Bird”, where Pimps’ kazoo wizardry shines in particular, along with an excellent jazz-fusion-based improvisation in the second half (the flute is a very neat touch too). On “Solata Rap” the band members ruminate on 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 improvisation, like the excellent “Gvars”, which was recorded with the previous Kušljan-Grubar rhythm section. Pimps’ percussion also lends a nice taste of ethno and enriches the whole record further. The band isn’t far from first-class jazz fusion, but their untamed urge to keep experimenting constantly pulls them into avant-garde and psychedelic waters too, and so they surprise us with “Are You a Horse?”, one of the highlights of the whole album and a very successful combination of funky guitar and bass, cowbells and Dzuko’s almost paranoid vocals. “Fender Kontra (Djuko vs Brgs)” is a short recording of a very funny and constructive conversation between Dzuko and Brgs, leading us into “SuperSonic Speed”, another one of the album’s best moments and 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 features 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 off-the-wall vocal games. “Interwiew With Django” is most likely the band’s homage 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 writing more compact songs. What impresses most is the lovely mix of vocal harmonies (female backing vocals again) and melancholic guitar fragments. On “Beach Paty at Suarez Guaran Sanchez” they take more time for a hugely entertaining dose of ethno, where the percussion in particular brings a whiff of the Caribbean. I’d call this one a highlight of the album too. “Grumlin Star To Meet” is yet another short bit of goofing around, which leads us 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 us over with the band’s best qualities, joined more actively here by Tinčk’s flute, which brings a touch of folk on top of the jazz, funk and ethno. “SuperSonic Dubrovisation” is a neat, somewhat funkier improvisation on “SuperSonic Speed”. “Lesbian Show” is the lyrical peak of provocation, since the band hadn’t dabbled in toilet humor until now, the kind Zappa liked to use in his day, too. I’m personally not a big fan of this sort of thing à la “Tities ‘N’ Beer”, but I have no doubt it will be the band’s most popular track among the many teenage boys for a while. “Repko, Mala in Buntica” is a whole different kettle of fish, 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 high point of the musical experimenting, with the band serving up some seriously avant-garde sounds. Once again Frank a.k.a. Francl would be proud of them. The Franclni wouldn’t be the Franclni if they didn’t finish with the wittily sick “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 keep a straight face through.
“Pofrancljevanje” is a most pleasant surprise, marking an important turning point and new hope for Slovenian alternative, avant-garde and progressive rock as well as for the Slovenian music scene in general. In my opinion, the album has already earned cult status, at least among their fans, 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 very emergence is a hugely heartening sign that brighter weather is coming for highly experimental and innovative music here, the kind that 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 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 cut from the right cloth, and they raise hopes that friendlier 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, sit down in your favorite armchair and enjoy the pofrancljevanje.
Lineup
Jure Duh – DZHUKO – guitar, vocals
Dejan Slak – SLEYK – bass guitar
Jaka Berger – BRGS – drums
Primož Malenšek – PIMPS – percussion
Martin Klančič – TINČK – flute
Production
Od Franclna Možgani
Track list
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’
