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Wapassou - Wapassou (1974) Full Album.
Wapassou, 1974
Wapassou “Wapassou” 1974 French Avant Garde,Psych,Prog,Symphonic debut album
full
https://vk.com/wall312142499_3344
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2iel7h_wapassou-1974-full-album_music
A fascinating debut album from a male and female member Seventies musical collective with a skewed split personality of styles and sounds, French group Wapassou would eventually become an avant-garde/chamber prog/rock-in-opposition act of note in the second half of that decade. But while there's the first emerging signs of that on their self-titled first album from 1974, the band were also experimenting with psychedelic, Krautrock, folk, raga and symphonic passages, making for an exploratory work searching musically in so many teasing little glimpses of schizophrenic directions.
Opening instrumental `Melopée' is a melancholic but wistful searing violin, flute and classical guitar folk rumination, keyboards shimmering gently with restraint in the background. The churning and senses-rattling `Rien' races in and out of a wealth of fascinating little themes in almost eleven minutes, Karin Nickerl's breathy pained vocal both reflective and weary over despondent piano, straining synths and scratchy violin responses. The piece quickly turns frantic and dangerous as electric piano and manic acoustic guitar picking grows in urgency, and pulsing electronics and mischievous droning organ brings a nightmarish mood. `Musillusion' closes the first side and is a shorter medieval-flavoured folk lament with droning choir-like vocals, Karin's slightly flat voice giving the piece an eerie despondent quality.
After a first side that was entirely devoid of drums altogether or anything except the lightest of percussive elements, the symphonic `Châtiment' maintains a nicely clipping beat (with almost an accidently modern trip-hop kick to it decades too early!) as Karin's breathy spoken-word purr drifts in and out of aching violin, dancing flute and spectral Ange-like keyboards. The almost fourteen- minute instrumental closer `Trip' sounds like nothing else on the disc (partly due to the addition of several guest musicians), with a Krautrock, raga and psych-rock flavour to the constant spacey electronic drones, lengthy jamming keyboard runs over lively drumming, hypnotic percussion and relentless snaking bass. Acid-fried electric guitar jamming simmers in the background, and sitar groans to life and builds wildly in the climax.
Oddly (and rather frustratingly, because there shouldn't be this kind of `re-writing of history'), the reissue licensed from Musea Records not only adds two instrumental recordings from a 1974 single to the front of the album (they should at least be tacked onto the end of the disc as `bonus tracks'), but it fails to even list them on the back cover. A bit of internet sleuthing reveals they are `Femmes-Fleurs', an easy to enjoy mix of plodding electronics and fuzzy distorted guitars that remind of the title-track opener of Pink Floyd's `Obscured by Clouds', and `Borgia', a throwaway but upbeat jig-like psych-lite rocker full of sprightly Hammond organ and spirited violin.
Initially confusing on first listen, `Wapassou' proves to be an unpredictable and exciting curio if you can connect with the somewhat gloomy mood of the pieces. Each track has a sparse, low-key production and is full of interesting (if not always the most skilled) playing, and there's a constant tasty roughness and natural fragility to the entire set that creates a very permeating and highly distinctive atmosphere. Don't instantly dismiss the album, let it take its time to reveal its precious secrets, and you'll likely find a welcome little unexpected gem..... by Aussie-Byrd-Brother......
“The ancient fathers of post-rock? The least skillful prog band ever? The answer is somewhere in between: through obsessive symphonies Wapassou show that there is no clear mark between depressive madness, cold fever, and music making.” —Mutant Sounds.
Lest we startle you with excited pronouncements of how good this album is, we’ll force ourselves to be matter of fact. With their first album, legendary French art-rock band Wapassou found a distinctive musical voice: long and well-developed melodies, rhythmic support from organ—no bass and drums! (more on that later)—prominent violin parts, and guitar doubling-up as a rhythm instrument. They often conjure up something akin to what it might have sounded like had John Cale and Stereolab formed a band in 1974, when this album was released. The five tracks (actually seven, as the singles tracks are equally intriguing) are highly original, always varied and inventive; spacey and ethereal, but steeped in post-psychedelic rock. Although Wapassou are noted for playing without a rhythm section, two of the most striking songs on this album have bass and drums. Why some enterprising dj hasn’t created a chill mix from the drum track and provocative vocals on ‘Chatiment’ (guitarist Karen Nickerl murmuring about the cigarettes she has consumed and that she is a killer, ‘Je suis l’assassin,’ in the midst of the pulsing drone of the band), we don’t know. The 13+ minute long ‘Trip’ is a revelation: the first two minutes will think you stumbled into the Cocteau Twin’s ‘Victorialand’; the band then jam for six and a half minutes before they drop one of the trippiest ethereal breakbeat grooves you’ll ever hear; the last two minutes of solo sitar are sonic lysergia of the highest quality. A unique style throughout, with slight nods to groups like Amon Düul, Popol Vuh, Czar, Caravan, and Ash Ra Tempel. Includes two bonus tracks from their rare single, recorded in October 1974. A colorful 16-page booklet has the detailed history of the making of the album, plus photos and other marvels. Remastered and sounding better than it ever has.....
Line-up / Musicians
- Freddy Brua / organ, electric piano, piano, synthesizer - Karin Nickerl / vocals, acoustic guitar - Jacques Lichti / violin - Fernand Landmann / acoustic equipment Guest musicians: - Geneviève Moerlen / flute on `Melopée', `Châtiment' - Benoît Moerlen / percussion on `Trip' - Jean-Pierre Schaal / bass on `Trip' - Jean-Jacques Bacquet / clarinet on `Musillusion', `Châtiment' - Jean-Michel Biger / drums on `Trip', `Châtiment' - Christian Laurent / electric guitar, sitar on `Trip'.
Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Melopée (4:05) 2. Rien (10:44) 3. Musillusion (4:00) 4. Châtiment (6:56) 5. Trip (13:45)
Wapassou - Femmes-Fleurs, released in France 1974 on APGF.
1970s "obscure french psychedelia"
