Detailed Reviews [Present - 1993 - "COD Performance"]

Prolusion. Above all, it must be said that Roger Trigaux did never change the name of the band, and "COD Performance" is the third output by Present, and not the eponymous Present COD Performance album as it is represented in the Gibraltar Encyclopedia of Progressive Rock. Originally, it saw the light of day eight years after the band's second album, "Le Poison qui Rend Fou" (1985), and definitely opened up a new page in Present's creation.

Synopsis. "COD Performance" is the only Present album where the line-up features only the main mastermind behind the band, Roger Trigaux, and his son Reginald, and not the entire band. Formally, the album consists of three long tracks, the second of which is an instrumental piece (see track list above). However, there are no pauses between compositions, and it's impossible to fix the beginning of the second and third of them without looking at the CD player's display. Furthermore, all the arrangements on the album are in the state of constant and logical development, and each composition here is actually the part of the same monolithic epic. "COD Performance" is an album of a completely uniform stylistics representing nothing else but a unique acoustic RIO with elements of electric RIO and guitar Art-Rock. Even though there is little in common between this music and that on any of the other Present albums, all the central hallmarks of the band's creation: high complexity, dark and mysterious atmosphere, the intensity and depth of arrangements, etc are more than merely evident here. While the heavy guitar riffs and the parts of percussion are featured on any of the three compositions on "COD Performance", most of the arrangements here are nevertheless based on the interplay between either two acoustic guitars or acoustic and electric guitar. And you won't be able to imagine what an amazingly rich sound this highly profound and interesting album has until you hear it. The vocals by both Roger and Reginald (lyrics are in English) are present only in the beginning of "COD Performance" and closer to the end of it, though they're great and greatly fit this outstandingly original music. While singing is a rare thing concerning such a specific genre as RIO, the presence of vocals and vocalizes on this album looks more than simply defensible, as they always meet surrounding musical events.

Conclusion. "COD Performance" is a fantastic masterpiece. In my honest opinion, it is much better than any of the later albums by the band and, along with "Le Poison qui Rend Fou", is one of Present's two best albums to date. Also, this is one of the most original albums ever released in the history of Prog and is certainly the most unique RIO-related album of all time. If you didn't get a chance to hear and purchase "COD Performance" before, try a link to the Musea website below. Perhaps there still are a few copies of the CD in the label's online store, MusiCDirect.

VM: June 11, 2003