Present Triskaidekaphobie/La Poison Qui Rend Fou CD

2 LPs on 1 CD.
Univers Zero guitarist Roger Trigaux left the group after their second release, Heresie, and formed Present. This reissue combines a 1981 release with a later 1985 recording. Trigaux was joined on the 1981 debut by Univers Zero drummer Daniel Denis, and bassist Christian Genet, who played on Univers Zero's first release. Le Poison Qui Rend Fou maintains the same lineup, except that bassist Ferdinand Philippot replaces Genet on electric bass. Paradoxically, Present's sound is almost a concentration of Univers Zero -- more Univers Zero than the thing itself -- due not only to the presence of two dominant members of the group, but also to Present's being a quartet (drums, bass, guitar and keyboards), which allows for the very essence of the musical vision to emerge without any frills or distractions. "Triskaidekaphobie" begins with a haunting theme, and then moves through a series of jagged but rhythmically precise riffs, building tension and then releasing it (but never altogether), and then building it again. Genet and Denis are, as always, the foundation, playing almost the same accents and lines, and their weight anchors the other instrumental voices and maintains the oppressive atmosphere. The twin pianos of Trigaux and Alain Rochette are played percussively, almost as rhythm instruments, and there is a crazed, obsessive quality to the repeated riffs, which typically continue a little bit longer than expected (like the fabled Chinese water torture) and are always on the edge of nervous hysteria. The effect is suggestive of someone (or something) too tightly wound, which is on the verge of self-destruction. It's a quality, like percussive minimalism, which may drive some unreceptive listeners half crazy, but to the aficionado, the tension is exquisite. ~ Bill Tilland

Live RecordingOption - Highly Recommended