Detailed Reviews [Ptose - 1984/2005 - "Ognoble Limaces"]

Prolusion. Here is the French band PTOSE and the CD reissue of their only official release (LP "Ignoble Limaces", 1984), complemented with seven tracks from one of their cassette albums ("Night of the Reptiles", 1983).

Analysis. There were a few identical compositions on each of the albums, and all of them were included in the CD for some reason. The material represents Post Punk with very few progressive features, displaying the band's ignorance in composition and their helplessness in everything that concerns harmonic constructions. Lionel Jarlan's English is heavily accented, and his singing is just a buffoonery. Like most of the other songs, Eat Your Fish is built around a couple of primitive melodies, the 'lyrics' being just one phrase: "Eat your fish, eat your fish, my son", running all through the track. The monotony reaches its apotheosis on the 7-minute La Nuit des Sauriens, which features only one musical theme, repeated endlessly, just maniacally, and without any variations, not counting the acceleration of the tempo on the track's second half. The picture remains nearly unchangeable on most of the rest of the material. A few tracks contain some brief solos, but only What Was It is notable for more or less interesting decision in the arrangement. Overall, it was sheer torture to listen to this CD.

Conclusion. True humorists are serious while making the audience laugh, but these guys just enjoy themselves. This stuff is a combination of monotony and clownery, and I really wonder why some people consider Ptose a cult band.

VM: Agst 23, 2005