Rudy Trouvé is on Wikipedia's list of notable persons from Antwerp, a distinction earned by being a founder member of dEUS and for his numerous projects since leaving that band.
It is also claimed (albeit by his own press department) that he is "Belgium's most inventive guitarist and songwriter".
The guitar work featured on this album is either of the subdued acoustic or upbeat electric variety. The latter on 'Till The Next Time Around' and 'Carsong' has an Afro-pop flavour.
Vocally it is more anonymous with precious little variation on Trouvé's whispered, half spoken drawl.
Although credited to a septet this is essentially a solo project with guest musicians which, as the title suggests, comprises is a mix and match collection from the past four years.
The range of styles on offer is in keeping with a man who lists artists ranging from Chet Atkins to The Stooges among his influences.
The album includes twenty five tracks in under 49 minutes with eight being little more than fragments of sound no more than 30 seconds in length. The shortest is just nine seconds. These seem to be inserts for unnamed soundtracks and function here to give the feel of a sonic diary where longer entries are interspersed with brief sketches.
|
The longest track - Target Is Approaching - (just over 4 minutes), is also the most fully realised pop song with backing vocals in French and spring arrangement. Most of the remaining tracks sound like work abandoned or still in progress.
With a bit of gaffer tape here and there it just about holds together and has obviously been carefully sequenced to be listened to as a whole.
'Blue Eye' with a jangly guitar backing a lively phone conversation impasse between a Spanish man and a French woman is fun and provides a welcome break from the mostly melancholic tone.
More in this vein might have given the record wider appeal.
Instead it is likely to be of interest only to those familiar with Rudy Trouvé's other contributions to the world of Belgian experimental pop.
|
