Anteater

Thanks tore, glad you like it. Lets baptize more ppl and start a Friends of Lucifer church that shall surpass Comus's Leaf Hound cult in numbers, muahahahah!!!

Dreams of domination aside, the very obscure album I am reviewing today should appeal to anyone who loves Frank Zappa, the Canterbury Scene, or Belgian waffles. Or all simultaneously, lulz.

Here we go then-


A band like Pazop brings up some interesting questions for the musically inclined, though their importance is more often than not secondary to the music itself. Is it better when the lyrics are concrete or left to the interpretation of the listener? Is it really art when the musicians themselves aren't taking themselves seriously to begin with?

You'd normally associate these sort of inquiries with Zappa, Beefheart, or of more well known Rock-In-Opposition bands who tried to do music which defied everybody elses definitions of the word. But even though nothing on this record is jaw-droppingly gamebreaking or crap like that, I can assure you guys that this here group Pazop is zany and fun enough to be deserving of the same questions. For one thing, they are Belgians playing the sort of keyboard driven jazzy flute-rock that was madly popular in Canterbury, Kent at the time, yet coupling it with a freakish lyrical style reminiscent of Don Van Vliet on Trout Mask Replica, yet still coming out as something completely different from either. Second, there is no guitar on this album. Not. One. Lick., which makes it that much more odd of just how well it rocks out.

Moving on: Breaking down these tracks is close to impossible. All sixteen songs are excursions into the more avant-garde side of jazz-rock which was touched upon by Matching Mole and National Health, but never fully taken in. You have flute, keyboards, violin, bass, and gruffy vocals which fit this quirky album like the tuxedo you bought on Prom Night, which you wouldn't think would make for a good sound but actually works wonders in further distinguishing them from other bands of the era. The structures are...not really there for the most part, which makes describing exactly how they are pretty futile. You just gotta hear it and make comparisons for yourselves.

Anyway, to put everything all so simply: When you get random lines like "Masterbation is the only good formation", you know you are listening to something very special and unique. Sad that there weren't more bands in the Canterbury Scene who tried an approach like this, but if that were the case, I wouldn't be reviewing this album right now: it stands apart from the rest, and that makes it worth a listen even if you don't intend to keep it in your collection.

In conclusion, Pazop is recommended to anyone who always wanted a bit of unconvential humour in their Caravan, but never got their wish. Or if you just like to be pleasantly surprised by the weird/offbeat. Either way, there's plenty of kicks to be had.


Here's a vid of track #4, What Is The Further Purpose, though the quality sucks. Do your bests to enjoy it anyway.

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