Yet another discovery that I can’t believe has taken twenty years to cross my path.
Cheval de Frise were a French guitar and percussion duo operating at the turn of the millennium, trading in the kind of tight, angular guitar rock that was coming out of Chicago. But they give it a neat twist by being a duo and playing around one another in a way that finds the listener looking through the gaps, as well as marvelling in the paradoxical tightness and freedom.
Awkward, tremulous; the guitar’s cyclical movements and quick tempo hang on to the shivering, desperate drums, the odd tunings and the manic chord changes proving the guitar hard to follow at times, even for the drummer. Dashing from sublime tones to a severe harshness at the blink of an eye, the rhythm constantly switches and reverts with so much happening, it is a little dizzying; and that is just the opening track.There is a semi-classical feel to some of the guitar, but it doesn’t stay in place for long and you always notice the deceptive drums rolling throughout the dense guitar friction, an insistent progression, mildly repetitive with flailing cymbals. It feels as though the two are trying to outdo one another at times, and then the drummer just decides to lope off and try something else.
The thirteen tracks presented here are finished in under forty minutes, but there is something about the wild tempo and blizzard of times changing that draws you right into their universe. You might feel the off hint of Jesus Lizard here, or maybe Jon Fine‘s guitar playing with Bitch Magnet in the precision, subtlety and the desire to cram itself into your head.They try and squeeze as much as they can into a three-minute blast and there is no opportunity for the listener to rest as the next track fires up and we are off. The basic ingredients for each track are obviously the same, but they manage to fill each with intrigue and wild diversity.
The drumming feels deceptively simple, but it is everywhere that it needs to be, with good use of the cymbals to provide a wash of texture over the incisive guitar. Pretty repetition springs from nowhere, lulling the listener slightly before tipping you down the stairs and throwing the drums at you while the guitar lead is tangled around your neck. But this is what you want more than anything, the thrill of the shrieking fretboard, the odd divergence of guitar and drums as they try to find the quickest way to an unnatural conclusion.It is very hard to believe this is a duo; a kaleidoscope of quick-fire sound, jarring yet satisfying, a wonderful sense of unstoppable momentum from start to finish; and as soon as it is finished, you just want to press play again. Released on double vinyl or cassette, this is essential for those who admire the likes of Don Caballero or Polvo but also contemporaries like Billy Mahonie and Ganger. I am off for the vinyl right now.
-Mr Olivetti-
