Originally released on Reconditioned Records in 2002, The Frenchie Perlis Organization presents "circus 66 / picardi style."  The debut album by the once-defunct, now-reformed [and presently, again, defunct] FPO hearkens back to a time when the post-rock landscape was saturated with everyone's interpretation of Tortoise's debut record, and this was Perlis' entry.  But where Tortoise used marimbas, vibraphones, drums, bass, and guitars, Perlis brought the hurt with spoken word vocals, slap bass, nylon guitars, nickel-wound ear piercers, and hand drums.  Some would say they missed Tortoise's point.  They would be right, because as much as Tortoise is important to the lineage of Perlis, their influence isn't that apparent. This album is a collection of stunning poetry laid bare over soundscapes that reminisce jazz one moment and the most macabre indie rock at others.  A great headphone record that really gets in your head, if you let it. -Zappy McZipper, 2005

BACK TO ITEM PAGE