MÖRGLBL
Hot on the heels of last year's magnificent 'Cannibal Tango' album under the Gnô moniker, guitar virtuoso Christophe Godin is back just ten months later, this time in full-on instrumental mode with the fifth release for Mörglbl. For just a trio of musicians (bassist Ivan Rougny and drummer Aurélien Ouzoulias play alongside Godin), you would expect something fairly minimalist. To a degree, that's true, but the way each of the men use their instruments to compliment and play off each other in displays of individual and collective virtuosic brilliance means it's only ostensible minimalism as, in essence, there's so much subtle and overt interplay that there's actually a fuck of a lot going on in each of the tracks. As such, 'Brütal Römance' is an album that can not only be enjoyed on a surface level by letting the music unfold in its own time but also on a more cognitive level by the muso contingent out there who will indubitably revel in the technical mastery of each of the musicians, notably Godin's fretboard virtuosity. And when I say "technical mastery" I don't mean that it's simply technical for technical's sake as Godin has always been a player that's balanced out his highly developed fretboard abilities with a heavy dose of emotion...which I've always attested is the sign of a true virtuoso - technicality does not itself make a musician a virtuoso. Godin "speaks" through his instrument with sincere affective profundity. And he has such a wide repertoire of techniques and a fully natural, organic flair in their execution that he's able to communicate emotion through his playing with unbelievable ease.
Stylistically, 'Brütal Römance' is a rock/metal affair with minor jazzy infusions and funked-up grooves. It's a thoroughly engaging listen from start to finish although, having previously had the utter pleasure of seeing Mörglbl in live action, what's lost in just an audio format is their batty sense of humour. If you've ever seen the band yourself then you'll know exactly what I mean - apart from Godin's amusing between-song banter with an audience, the trio's facial interplay is as wonderful to watch as their instrumental interplay. In this sense, Mörglbl excel in a live environment but that's only with the knowledge of having seen 'em. In just a recorded format, there's still enough to enjoy on its own merits - I just prefer the full-on live Mörglbl experience to the recorded one. Talking about their batty sense of humour, this materialises partly through the track titles with the likes of 'Wig of Change' et al and although the cover art's a little on the amateurish side, looking like it was knocked up in Photoshop within a few minutes, I guess it's eye-catching in its own eccentric way. Slightly naff cover art and a general lack of craziness aside, 'Brütal Römance' is still spectacular stuff.
Stylistically, 'Brütal Römance' is a rock/metal affair with minor jazzy infusions and funked-up grooves. It's a thoroughly engaging listen from start to finish although, having previously had the utter pleasure of seeing Mörglbl in live action, what's lost in just an audio format is their batty sense of humour. If you've ever seen the band yourself then you'll know exactly what I mean - apart from Godin's amusing between-song banter with an audience, the trio's facial interplay is as wonderful to watch as their instrumental interplay. In this sense, Mörglbl excel in a live environment but that's only with the knowledge of having seen 'em. In just a recorded format, there's still enough to enjoy on its own merits - I just prefer the full-on live Mörglbl experience to the recorded one. Talking about their batty sense of humour, this materialises partly through the track titles with the likes of 'Wig of Change' et al and although the cover art's a little on the amateurish side, looking like it was knocked up in Photoshop within a few minutes, I guess it's eye-catching in its own eccentric way. Slightly naff cover art and a general lack of craziness aside, 'Brütal Römance' is still spectacular stuff.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
The Laser's Edge
Album
BRÜTAL RÖMANCE
Review by Mark Holmes
RUNNING TIME:
61:00
RELEASE DATE:
25th June 2012
TRACK LISTING
1) Gnocchis On The Block
2) Brutal Romance
3) Le Surfer d'Argentine
4) Golden Ribs
5) Fidel Gastro
6) Oh P1 Can Not Be
7) Cantal Goyave
8) Glucids In The Sky
9) Wig Of Change
10) Metal Khartoom
11) Casse
2) Brutal Romance
3) Le Surfer d'Argentine
4) Golden Ribs
5) Fidel Gastro
6) Oh P1 Can Not Be
7) Cantal Goyave
8) Glucids In The Sky
9) Wig Of Change
10) Metal Khartoom
11) Casse
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
France
"Godin "speaks" through his instrument with sincere affective profundity. And he has such a wide repertoire of techniques and a fully natural, organic flair in their execution that he's able to communicate emotion through his playing with unbelievable ease."
