Saturday, May 23, 2009

Faust - C'est Com...Com...Complique

Faust is one of the most mythical groups from the German Kraut-rock scene, who released four studio albums in the seventies and then disappeared off the radar. Reappearing in the mid-90s. C'est Com...Com...Complique, their newest release indicates that Faust is not only one of the most innovative and influential German ensembles, but they are still on such a good level that younger neo-kraut performers have a good reason to envy them.

Here, their trademark mind-bending brain-searing psychedelic hypnotism and dadaistic weirdness are firmly in place. This time the band sounds particularly vital, the compositions particularly inspired and the experimentation sounds natural. The result is the best sort of avant-garde rock'n'roll, that isn't merely juxtaposition of intriguing, weird tones. But also includes a special kind of transcendence.

Take the opening piece "Kundalini Tremolos". It clearly is their best hypno-psychedelic epic track since the 1973 classic "Krautrock" from their fourth album. Therefore, Faust can still up themselves. Thus their activity for the last 15 years is not merely a nostalgia trip. Even as old and vintage performers, Faust is still a vital avant-rock act.

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