Art Zoyd - Symphonie Pour le Jour ou Bruleront les Cites vinyl lp (due to size and weight, this price for the USA only. Outside of the USA, the price will be adjusted as needed)

Art Zoyd's early and great works have been unavailable for such a long time that it's too easy to forget what a strikingly original and amazing band they were in their prime. One of the original R.I.O bands (they joined in the second wave of bands, along with Art Bears and Aksak Maboul, if my fauling R.I.O.-memory serves me correctly), they also had early ties with Univers Zero, which are quite apparent on this album. This release was recorded shortly after Generation sans Futur in 1980 and originally issued on the legendary Atem label (along with Univers Zero, This Heat, Present and others). It features the largest size ensemble they would ever use; a pretty magnificent 7 piece band. This one confused people, because while it was their 3rd release that anyone outside of France knew about, it was actually a re-recording by the then current line-up of their first, long out of print album, originally recorded in 1976! (Incidentally, the title translates as "Symphony for the Day that Cities Will Burn" - cheerful, eh?). They used a unique and really odd instrumentation of violin, viola, trumpet, saxes, guitar and electric bass, with a tiny guest spot by Daniel Denis (percussion). Note that except for Daniel's (small) participation, there is no drummer involved, but the music is very rhythmically complex and also quite strong in that department. There are a lot of influences from 20th century music but they are definitely a rock band and this has great riffs and structures. This was the one that totally blew my mind when Gerard Nguyen (owner of Atem) played me a test pressing in 1980; it's a stunning achievement of rehearsal-intensive rock (all these albums are, but this one perhaps more than the others!) and it affected me in a way that happens only every now and then with a recording. Yeah, it's that unique and powerful. Packaged with new artwork, this lp is a very limited edition of 400 copies. Highly, highly recommended.