One From the Vaults- Jean Cohen-Solal

It hasn't quite been a month since I've posted on here, but it's definitely not due to a lack of creative ideas. Lately, I have been listening to a wide variety of albums from 2010 as I gear up for the annual "Best Albums of the Year" list. Be on the lookout for this list when it officially drops in December. Until, then, I will whet your appetite with some of my favorite records from 2010 in an upcoming I Hear a New World podcast.

Also, for those of you who live in Portland, OR, get your ass to Dante's this Friday to check out Thee Oh Sees. What comes to my mind when listening to Thee Oh See's lates EP Warm Slime is an image of a speeding freight train as it violently careens off the tracks. This isnt too far from the feeling one gets when experiencing their live show. When they bring their catchy brand of psychedelic-garage rock to Dante's, you can bet that the whole place will be a sweaty mass of bodies frantically bobbing up and down to the sound of the tunes. Get there early to ensure that you get a good spot, and you can thank me later!

Now, on to this edition of One From the Vaults. I recently became exposed to Jean Cohen Solal's masterpiece of psychedelic jazz rock called Captain Tarthopom when trolling the endless archives of Rate Your Music. The reviews I read on this record were more than enticing enough to make me curious about it. I started out on my search for the record, and finally came across someone on Soulseek who seemed to have a diverse selection of rare music, and they just happened to have this record.

What I was about to hear was something that I don't think I've ever heard before. The flute was being used prominenently in every song, yet the sound of Jean's flute playing doesn't ever come across as a boring Jethro Tull knockoff. Instead he runs his flute through an array of echo effects and fuzz pedals evoking a sound that is reminiscent of the experimental side of Eddie Harris circa Silver Cycles. It also features some great organ, thumping basslines and an overall eclectic vibe that perfectly suits the sounds normally featured on Eclectic Grooves. Standouts include the darkly sinister sound that permeates throughout the groove of "Ludions", the playful self-titled track featuring a mystical flute circling around a repetitive trumpet line, sounding like a drunk marching band from New Orleans and the ten minute avant-garde epic "Memories D'un Ventricule" featuring an ambient intro that leads into a groove-heavy middle section that eventually ends with a marching band sound similar to the self-titled track. All in all, this album is a delectable delight for the ears.

Try it