French TV - 2023 - A Ghastly State of Affairs

(56:13; Cuneiform Records)

Here we have the fourteenth studio album from American prog outfit French TV, who released their debut all the way back in 1984, but I am somewhat embarrassed to say this is the first time I have come across the group. With such a long history behind them it is no surprise there have been multiple line-ups, but bassist Mike Sary has been there since the beginning while this is the fourth album to feature both Katsumi Yoneda (guitars) and Patrick Strawser (keyboards) although in recent years they have had some issues with drummers, and this is the debut for Fenner Caster. They also have a few guests in Kenji Imai (flute), Warren Dale (saxophones) and Ludo Fabre (violin). Until last year I had not thought of Pat since the Nineties, when I reviewed an album by Volaré, but recently I have reviewed a few released under his own name or as part of a group, but it was still quite a surprise to see him here as well.

Now, having not heard any of the band’s other material I cannot say if this is similar to what they have been releasing recently or not, but I do know from reading other reviews that this is nothing like their early stuff. Seeing this was on Cuneiform I did expect something more overtly RIO, but this instrumental release has much more in common with classic Canterbury, although it also contains more melodic moments as well. The guests play an incredibly important part as they often take the lead, while the core quartet provide consistently high note density. It is the way they move between different styles which makes this such an interesting release as there are areas where if it was played in isolation then it would not be enjoyed at all, but it is the contrast between loungecore and dramatic inventive and complex prog which makes it all work together. There are only five tracks on here, but there is no lack of material to enjoy given that the opener is more than eighteen minutes in length.

Although this is highly melodic, I found it did take me three or four plays to really start to get inside it as although on the surface it does appear commercial for the most part, there is a lot going on and it certainly takes time to fully ingest. This is an album which will only be enjoyed by those who are prepared to give it the time it deserves as otherwise the masterclass in musicianship will just pass them by. If, like me, you have managed to avoid French TV for the past 40 years then this is certainly an interesting release to start with, but whether or not it is truly representative of where they have come from then that I cannot answer.   

Kev Rowland, May 2024

Links:
https://french-tv.net/
http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/