Progarchives review DVD

5 stars So, a week ago I reviewed the French Avant Prog band Jack Dupon latest release Tete De Chien. This time I decided to check also the DVD released a few months after the live CD.

Les Ronfleurs Dorment (2014) is a pair for the live album Tete De Chien (2014) and it was in later 2014. Recorded in December 2013 the DVD (like the CD) covers a concert based on their latest studio release (at the moment the band is mixing their new studio album), Jesus L’aventurier (2013). Out of the 6 tracks presented in the DVD 5 of them belong to that studio album. The exception being ‘Miaou’, a new short piece written to match this DVD.

The CD was just great to listen begin to end, but the DVD… ah the DVD! You actually watch the band being crazy, as they normally are! The short movie (just under 58 minutes) is a sight for the eyes! It is not a high budget DVD but it is well filmed, using a bunch of different camers and I think it captures well the band and the little stages they play!

Especially because bands like Jack Dupon are completely different and they become big monsters in a live enviroment. They play this pieces in a new way, if they seemes improvised in their studio versions you have something even more improsived here. And this DVD is a great way to capture this!

A must have for Avant Prog lovers!

Review by ProgShine

Progarchives, the ultimate progressive rock music website

TETE DE CHIEN  Jack Dupon  RIO/Avant-Prog


4 stars French Avant Prog band Jack Dupon is always a surprise! And so far it has been always a good surprise! Tête De Chien (2014) is a live album released by the band in July. You will also find the same release in DVD. Recorded in December 2013, Tête De Chien (2014) is a concert that is based on their latest release (at the time), Jésus L’aventurier (2013). Out of the 6 tracks presented in the live album 5 of them belong to that studio album. The exception being ‘Miaou’, a new piece written for this release that is actually just a short intro kinda of thing.

You may say: “Hey, if 5 out of 6 tracks are in their last studio album why bother with this live release?” Well, a fair question I would say, my thoughts on the topic exactly. But you see, bands like Jack Dupon are completely different monsters on a live enviroment. They play this pieces in a new way, if they seemes improvised in their studio versions you have something even more improsived here.

If you know the band I think you should get this release because of the power behind the live performance, if you’re not convinced then get the DVD version and watch Jack Dupon being the crazy character Jack Dupon is.

Jack Dupon is part of a revival of Avant Prog in France. For me the three big names being Jack Dupon itself, Rhùn and Mucho Tapioca. Out of France we also have the North American act miRthkon. Bands that rely in the Avant Prog genre without indulging themselves in no musicality whatsoever. They rely on a well balanced mix of crazyness with a musical approach to it and Jack Dupon is the top of the lot!!

ProgShine |4/5 |

ProgShine

JackDupon in a paperbook

Music in Belgium

Chez Music In Belgium, nous avons déjà eu l’occasion de parler des bienfaits de Jack Dupon et de son rock progressif dingo, à travers les albums L’échelle du désir (2008), Démon hardi (2010) et Bascule à vif (2012). Pour notre plus grand plaisir, revoici les Auvergnats fous avec un album supplémentaire, l’étrangement nommé “Jésus l’aventurier”. En effet, mis à part le portrait du pêcheur sur la couverture et le tas de poissons dessiné en pochette intérieure, ce qui peut faire penser à la pêche miraculeuse, l’évocation de Jésus n’apparaît nulle part dans les dix chansons de l’album.

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House of Prog

JACK DUPON is a French band that have been active for a good few number of years as recording artists as well as a fairly active live band. They have four studio albums and one live album to their name at the time of writing, of which “Jesus l’Aventurier” from 2013 is the most recent.

The current line-up of Jack Dupon consist of:
– Arnaud M’Doihoma / bass, vocals – Gregory Pozzoli / guitars, vocals – Thomas Larsen / drums, percussions, vocals – Philippe Prebet / guitars, vocals

– Can you tell us about when and how the band was formed?

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Guts of Darkness

Chronique

Attention, chaud devant, disque volant ! Ivre, fou, glouton, ché-per ! Froussards s’abstenir; dans ce grand-huit où volent plumes et éclats de mélodies évoquant derviches d’Asie et d’orient, il y a de quoi être pris de vertiges et de haut-le-cœur. Quel drôle d’accueil, déjà : une chorale lo-fi et pochetronnée jumelée par une guitare vue à travers une lentille fish-eye. Mon conseil : entamez direct par le plat de résistance, Raymond, pièce certes plus riche mais surtout furieusement dansante. Si la notion de tube à un sens dans le domaine, ô combien mal gardé, du rock in opposition moderne, alors c’en est un, et qui ne concède rien de sa folle expérimentation.
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Show review

Performance with GONG at Les Abattoirs – 27/10/2012

It’s a pity that it took the arrival of a group, now fully made up of Britons, to discover their [Jack Dupon] performance, but it is in your best interest to regard what is written in these pages.
Jack Dupon provided everyone with some progressive energy…funny and totally uncompromising, unabashedly groovy, with perfectly timed rhythmic breaks, controlled slide guitar and featuring the wild hair of their prolific bassist [and yes, the hair WAS extremely prolific].

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Sea of Tranquility

Jack Dupon: Demon Hardi

If I could use one word to describe the music of the French band Jack Dupon, it would be ‘strange’. This is avant progressive rock that lends itself well to the RIO movement. The music is very difficult to describe and is very eclectic so if you are into the avant-garde you should continue reading.

Not to be fooled, Jack Dupon is a band and not one individual. Hailing from France, the band includes Arnaud M’Doihoma (bass, vocals), Gregory Pozzoli (guitars, vocals), Thomas Larsen (drums, percussion, vocals) and Philippe Prebet (guitars, vocals). Their new album is called Demon Hardi and is the follow up to their debut released in 2008.

The main highlight of this disc for me is the guitar playing of Pozzoli and Prebet. While angular rhythms and discordant chords attack the listener from all possible angles there are also some pretty moments that break up the madness that is Jack Dupon. There is also a good dose of guitar infused psychedelia that works rather well in many of these songs. The one negative is the French sung vocals. They are just not very tuneful but I suppose they do suite the rather bizarre style of music. I believe a more melodic approach would have added that much more contrast to the jarring sounds found throughout the disc. That said, the humour of the band does shine through in the vocals and Frank Zappa has to be a major influence. The music of King Crimson would be another apt comparison, although not vocally.

The instrumental “Sombre traffic” is one of my favourites with an almost circus-like beginning, Eastern tinged guitar rhythms and a touch of the psychedelic. The guitar playing here is a highlight. More of that psychedelic ’70s influence can be found in the hard driving “Le château de l’éléphant” where the band’s playing is pretty mind-bending. The avant-prog of “Marmite” is another strong tune with razor edged guitar work adding to the quirky melody along with some tricky time sigs and various musical change ups.

The album’s last song is the eclectic “Oppression” featuring off kilter grooves and guitar styles ranging from Eastern to psychedelic to intense angular jamming. The band slows down the tempo to include more melodic guitar phrasings and a languid bass line which nicely contrasts the more frenetic passages.

Aside from the vocals, which will surely be an acquired taste, this is a very good album of Zappa influenced music which should garner much attention from the avant and RIO crowds. Musically, this is exciting stuff indeed.

Added: July 31st 2011
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
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