“Preventive Medicine is the work which makes the least of compromised in the unbridled rhythms of the Guitartronica”
1 Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor (Stimulant) 6:01
2 Safe and Sound (Tranquilizer) 5:01
3 Delusions of Lunacy (Tonic) 4:09
4 Stiff Dose (Cialis) 6:21
(CD/DDL 21:32) (V.F.)
(Rock'n'Teutronica)
Here is an E.P. that created a lot of controversy. Produced in only 500 copies and without cover, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE was sold at a very high price (15 Euros plus postage). The discontent was such that Moonpop reduced the price to 13 Euros, which is still quite expensive for 1 EP of 20 minutes. This one mixes humor quite well, each title is preceded by a vocal sketch, to Guitartronica where Jerome Froese deepens his heavy structures a little more with good riffs and solos, good percussions and feverish chords which leap to wild rhythms. From Funk to electronic heavy rock through Tangerine Dream and static structures, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE will screw you into your chair, the headphones smoking by the strength of the rhythms.
Heavy and resonant guitar riffs smash our eardrums before Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor switches to a supple rhythm. A slightly funky / groovy beat embellished by sparkling chords that shimmer on a heavy bass and a good rhythm machine. The rhythm becomes heavier, devoured by a monstrous bass line and heavy riffs from a guitar which also spits out melodious chords. Wild, the percussions hammer a heavy rhythm without defenses in front of these attacks, while Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor escapes with a delicate melody. Safe and Sound is a ballad that begins by a hypnotic phase and arpeggios falling with a symmetrical hesitation. Each of them creates a pulsation that forges a long linear movement interspersed with a falling arpeggio. An intro wrapped in a veil of synth mist, while notes of acoustic guitar plunge into an ambient universe which stirs little by little with nervous chords. Chords which skip and intersect on an ascending line pounded by percussions with resonating tom-toms and fluttering sequences. It's a bewitching static structure with a muffled and stealthy rhythm where sound effects float among the choirs and where chords and sequences skip with a restrained frenzy among the guitar notes rolling in loops under the streaks and layers of a synth and guitar's mix. Delusions of Lunacy is a superb track which recalls the good years of TD and which begins with chords twirling with fury to fall into the skins of an infernal drum machine. A jerky structure that undulates like a neurotic strobe, Delusions of Lunacy is bitten by wild guitar and synth solos on a rhythm that has become ambivalent, and which plunges back into its furious introductory pace. It's a good title, just like the boiling Stiff Dose which plunges even further with a hyper jerky rhythm which pulsates furiously on spasmodic chords and drum rolls. Question of resting the eardrums, Stiff Dose takes refuge in a more balanced passage. But it's a brief lull since the steamroller that is the Guitartronica and the furious percussions tear the rhythm which finally finds asylum in the ethereal breaths of an angelic choir.
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE is the work that makes the least compromise in the unbridled rhythms of the Guitartronica. Jerome lets himself loose and offers us 3 furious tracks, and a strange interstellar ballad, where wild rhythms stand out from more or less ambient passages. A very good E.P., expensive I agree, which shows the great confidence and evolution of Jerome Froese.
Sylvain Lupari (September 28th, 2011) ***½**
Available at Jerome Froese Bandcamp