Barricade
3
by ZNR
ReR Megacorp/ReR USA, Thornton Heath,
Surrey, UK, 2004
CD-ROM, RER ZNR1, $13
Distributors website: http://www.rermegacorp.com/.
Reviewed by René van Peer
Bachlaan 786, 5011 BS Tilburg, The Netherlands
r.vanpeer@wxs.nl
Barricade 3 was the debut album
of French composers and musicians Hector
Zazou and Joseph Racaille, recorded in
1976. Five years later it was released
by ReR's predecessor Recommended Records
as one of their earliest titles. In the
label's catalog of out of the ordinary
albums, it ranked high among the most
eccentric. Having been re-issued on CD
in 2004, it hasn't lost any of its musical
lopsidedness.
ZNR's album has the hallmarks of a debut,
and of the technology that was in use
at the time. It is also very French, mindful
of Erik Satie's spiritual heritage. This
is immediately evident from the titles
of the pieces and descriptions of the
instruments played, such as "The great
composer seen in the face" (and from behind
a bit further on), and "Your nipples are
like poppy petals", which features Zazou
on 'inspired electric piano' in the first
movement; on Annie la Telie Racaille
sings 'disastrous vocals'.
The sound of the album is determined largely
by the duo's use of the VCS3 and ARP2600
(synthesizers that were very much in vogue
in the mid-70s), electric piano, and all
manner of sound treatment. In some ways
ZNR's tools are similar to what Brian
Eno unloaded on the music and musicians
he worked with. They even shared a bent
for the elegant with him. ZNR's interpretation
of this is far-removed from Eno's stylish
and dreamy moodiness, however. The duo
are more light-hearted and light-footed.
They sound like they enjoy what they are
doing, rather than brood over it. And
if a solo has the sonic finesse and grandeur
of a dentist's drill, they clearly welcome
that.
Zazou's only appearance as a vocalist
(Racaille does all the singing on this
album, in a charming and inexpert manner)
on Seynete has him intone his lines
through a distortion device that gives
his voice an alien, machine-like croaky
buzz that contrasts poignantly with the
emotional urgency of the accompaniment,
and is especially sinister when he chuckles.
Likewise, the synthesized sounds float
through those of acoustic instruments
(woodwinds of all sorts and sizes are
particularly in evidence), resulting in
patchwork chamber music that is too bizarre
to become sentimentalalthough
Zazou and Racaille like to dance on the
dangerous line between brilliance and
bad taste. If anything, their game is
confusion. They play that to their heart's
content. The sound is outdated; there
is no doubt about that, but the playful
joy is timeless.