From: davem@uvmark.uucp (Dave Meeks)
Subject: Meeks Review #3 - Univers Zero "Ceux Du Dehors"
Date: Thu, 08 Oct 92 16:55:34 GMT
Organization: VMark Software, Inc.

Well, we have come to that fabled time yet again my friends..

Time now to sit back and listen to the story, the story of a man named
Jed... Opps.. Sorry..  :-)

Anyway, this weeks installment of "What's next Dave" will be a review of
an album by Univers Zero, entitled "Ceux Du Dehors".  This was an interesting
experience due to the large amount of discussion this group went through
a while back.  Interestingly enough, I haven't heard anything about this
album, so had nothing to go on when I picked it up.  Anyway, let the review
now begin....

Univers Zero.. How to describe them is probably the first and hardest question
to answer...  They have been described as "hard to listen to", "dissonant",
"chamber/rock/raga .. ensembles", and "this band defined Bartokian and
moody chamber rock".  Well, that only begins to tell the tale of this weird,
often gloomy and dark group.  For starters, this album was apparantly
recorded around the 1980/1981 time frame.  It clocks in at just over 50 
minutes and includes 7 songs.  The songs and players are as follows:

1 - Dense  (12:23)
Michel Berckmans	: Bassoon, Oboe, English Horn
Daniel Denis		: Drums, Percussion
Patrick Hanappier	: Viola, Violin
Andy Kirk		: Harmonium, Organ, Piano, Mellotron
Guy Segers		: Bass

This song is amazing, to say the least.  Imagine King Crimson/UK style music
(at it's hectic best) being down with mainly classical instruments (such
as Bassoon, Oboe, and English Horn).  All of the musicians are absolutely
outstanding, and it is hard to say what dominates this song, as the song
takes a basic theme and all (and I mean all) take the forefront at some 
point.  Imagine a great old Victorian/English horror movie, and this would
be the perfect mood music for it.  The first section of the music is very
upbeat with absolutely fantastic work with the horns, strings, and wind
instruments.  Daniel Denis is a great percussionist, and often adds some 
humor to the song.  Actually, the bass is fairly plain in most of the song,
but does add the appropriate growl.  The song has a lot of jazzy touches
to it that reminds of Soft Machine or maybe even National Health at times,
but again, those instruments used really make the sound so unique.

I really could go on and on with this song (at over 12 minutes, no wonder),
but will leave the rest to the ears of the listeners.  This song alone makes
this album well worth the money and time spent in finding it.

2 - La Corne Du Bois Des Pendus (8:38)
Michel Berckmans:	: Bassoon, Oboe, Voice
Daniel Denis		: Drums, Percussion, Voice
Patrick Hanappier	: Viola, Violin, Voice
Andy Kirk		: Harmonium, Organ, Voice
Guy Segers		: Bass, Voice
Jean Debefve		: Hurdy-Gurdy (???)

Very weird song.  Voices are the "ahhhh" chant kind.  At times this song 
reminds me of Michael Oldfield in Tubular Bells, at least the part where
the "Nasal Orchestra" is going.  Very, very dissonant, and I can't say I 
necessarily like this song all that much.  Sounds almost like orchestra
tuning their instruments, but with an underlying theme.  Lots of organ
and bassoon.

3. - Bonjour Chez Vous (3:48)
Michel Berckmans:	: Bassoon, Oboe
Daniel Denis		: Drums, Percussion
Patrick Hanappier	: Viola
Andy Kirk		: Organ, Piano
Guy Segers		: Bass
Jean-Luc Aime		: Violin

Door opens, then a wonderful short song with lots of range and dynamics.
Very bright, with lots of Bassoon and piano in the lead.  Percussion keeps
it interesting, almost like a marching beat at time.  At other times, the
strings take the lead, with the same theme, and accomplishes the same basic
effect.  Very nice... 

4. Combat (12:50)
Michel Berckmans:	: Bassoon, Oboe
Daniel Denis		: Drums, Percussion
Patrick Hanappier	: Viola, Violin
Andy Kirk		: Organ, Piano, Harmonium, Mellotron
Guy Segers		: Bass
Ilona Chale		: Voice

Kicks off with a call to arms sound.  Title is pretty descriptive actually,
as the songs sounds as if the various instruments are fighting off one another.
Drum beat keeping the tempo, attack with the winds/bass, counter with the 
strings and organ/piano.  After the opening flurry, the battle starts to
develop.  This one really almost tells a story, and could easily be included
in a movie/play about some battle.  Ebbs/tides like you would expect, with
many highs/lows..  Nicely done as often times there are many different songs/
themes within the same section.  Strings will be playing one theme, with the
bass another, and the woods still another.  Really gets almost spacey towards
the middle/end of the song.  The ending of the song really kicks!!! It almost
has a "Symphonic" style to it, and you could actually hear someone like
Genesis playing it... (Well, almost)

5 - La Musique D'Erich Zann (3:25)
Michel Berckmans:	: Bassoon, Oboe
Daniel Denis		: Drums, Percussion
Patrick Hanappier	: Viola, Violin
Andy Kirk		: Organ, Piano, Harmonium, Mellotron
Guy Segers		: Bass

(Collective Improvisation inspired by a short story by H.P. Lovecraft)

Well, it is scary sounding.  But this song basically sounds like noise to me.
It is good at building a mood, but I can not recommend this song, as it is
not much of a "song".

6 - La Tete Du Corbeau (3:08)
Funeral March in memory of D. Neukens
Daniel Denis		: Cymbals
Patrick Hanappier	: Violin
Andy Kirk		: Harmonium, Yamaha CP 70, Piano, Glockenspiel
Guy Segers		: Bass
Thierry Zaboitzeff	: Cello

Now this is more like it.  Song evokes emotion...  From the beginning, with
the incredible lows, the song befits a funeral march with it's dark and 
dreary Cello and others.  Very sad sounding, this song drips with atmosphere.
Not the kind of song you want to play real loud around Halloween, but then
again:-)  Not real complex or intricate, the song relies more on mood and
flow than on song structure.  

7 - Triomphe Des Mouches (5:34)
Daniel Denis		: Harmonium, Drums, Percussion, Voice, Violin
Andy Kirk		: Harmonium, Piano, Organ, Voice
Guy Segers		: Bass, Clarinet, Voice

The final song on this album.. Starts out rather boring, kinda strange,
but about half way through, it gets interesting.  Sound of a clock ticking
and the story unfolds behind it.  (At least, thats what I get out of it)

Anyway, that is it.  All told, this was a great experience. And, I mean 
experience, as my first exposure to Univers Zero was not so much a musical
lesson as it was an experience in musical expression.  LOTS of classical 
overtones, sinister sounding playing, and at times, dissonant noise, but 
tons of good things to say as well.  At times, the album is uneven, and a
few of the songs made no sense at all.  However, a couple songs were brilliant
and worth the price.  At their musical best, the make me think of what would
happen if Yo-Yo Ma, and other greats of the classical world decided to play
some UK/King Crimson music, with some additional touches.  At their
expressional best, they create a sound that would be hard to duplicate and
that literally expresses a story with its various mood/tempo/theme changes.
For example, with "Combat" I literally feel drawn into some long battle, 
hearing the conflicts and pain of both sides encompassed within the song.  
This may sound corny, but it is true, and this too me is a remarkable 
accomplishment.  

Anyway, this album is not for everyone, as I am sure you have guessed.
But, I HIGHLY recommend getting this album, and it looks like I might have
to get another one, like their highly recommended "Heresie" album.

Anyway, until next time...

"Later Daze and Longer Knights..."


Dave Meeks
-- 
David T. Meeks                    ||" We are jigsaw pieces, aligned on the 
VMark Software, Inc.              ||  perimeter edge, 
uvmark!davem@merk.com             ||  interlocked through a missing piece"
davem%uvmark@merk.com             ||" ...This world is totally Fugazi"