high infidelity
| Format | CD |
| Country | Belgium |
| Recorded | 1999-2001 |
| Issued | 2001 |
| Label | Carbon 7 |
| Cat no. | C7-058 |
| Playing time | 48:03 |
| Reviewer | Rikard A Toftesund |
| PRESENT high infidelity |
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The date is May 2003, and Present is history. No more tormented fuzztones, the end of dungeon-rotting soundsmells, breakdown in the manic-mechanic repetitive machine hell of Monsieur Trigaux.
An I am a bit saddened. Roger Trigaux never completely succeeded in the revival of the project which had delivered the overwhelming Le Poison Qui Rend Fou, where the man proved that, after all, there was a superior artistic life after the sacred Univers Zero. In the decade 1992-2002, Present tried most anything, from gothic blues-prog and acid solo-oriented guitar rock, to pseudo-minimalism, without actually mastering any of it. Therefore, it is sort of both good and sad that the group’s final album – High Infidelity – should appear to be Trigaux’ most outstanding work since the mentioned milestone.
This review is indeed rather overdue. But when drummer Dave Kerman tells us that the release went almost unnoticed even among the usual enthusiasts, I am hit by a terrible perception; did Present go under because of the lack of press coverage and sales of High Infidelity?. Ugh! The album, Trigaux and the rest of the band certainly had deserved better.
The line-up on this record has been expanded from a quintet to an octet with the addition of cello, saxes and trumpet. Also, sound engineer Udi Koomran has been further integrated into the audiel façade, and altogether, the result is a lot more "active" sound which considerably increases the level of heavyness in the music. The opening track Souls For Sale lasts for 27 and a half minute and takes us from occasional exploitations of riffs and themes to finely tuned co-ordination of the wind section, and it hits you firmly in the guts. Suddenly we find ourselves in a vocal part, and for once the voices really shine in the music of Present, with French lyrics and discreet emphasizing of the words (Trigaux jr.). Various additions finally manage to sink the composition, after which Trigaux sr. takes on the role of the tormented, screaming, sold soul, which – to my surprise – works perfectly. The coda of the piece is various stripped variations on the themes.
Present always sought darkness, but through an esthaetic filter which also leaked black humour. Toward the very end of the second track, Strychnine For Christmas (see?), we can hear the voice of an irritated Kerman who complains about Reginald Trigaux’ imperfect pronunciation of his English text line: "Aach! It isn’t KNOWN – it’s NONE!!!" The comical part is of course not the fact that this incident happened in the studio, but that the group actually chooses to include it on the record! The last track is Rêve De Fer, one of these half dozy instrumentals which promises a crescendo that in the end only almost happens. Successful anyway.
High Infidelity meets our expectations to a much larger extent than the past three records by Mr. Trigaux and co., and stands as a worthy memorial stone.
© 2003 Tarkus Magazine