I've been waiting to hear Aussitôt Mort's first full-length since this spring. Montuenga's release kept getting pushed back, but at least three months after the intended date, it's finally here. Aussitôt Mort parted with their vocalist who appears on the 12" demo, so their songs have taken on a more instrumental quality. The songs lend themselves to minimal vocal accompaniment, but almost all of them still feature French lyrics. Level Plane's release of Montuenga, in conjunction with European label Purepainsugar is featured on black and orange vinyl and comes with the intriguing artwork of Mara Piccione. The upside down crucifix-laden cover art has obvious religious undertones, but who's to say exactly what they are except Piccione?
"Mort ! Mort ! Mort !" begins with lumbering weight. This song opens the album with force rather than speed. The heaviness of the beginning changes into an airy couple of minutes with cello, played by the band's friend Marc of Sugartown Cabaret (a band from Aussitôt Mort's hometown Caen, France), in the background. Upon comparing this song with any of Aussitôt Mort's previously released material, it's apparent that the band's style has gravitated away from its similar-sounding previous band, Amanda Woodward. The music has become spacier and the guitars even have more delay.
"Une Heure Plus Tard," which was released by the band before Montuenga was finished, features some of the catchiest guitar work that I've heard in a long time. A delayed effect used on the high-pitched notes gives the song a really entrancing quality. In the same way, the instrumental "Huit" explores different guitar effects that create almost hypnotizing sounds. The guitarists truly know how to write parts that intermingle well with one another.
"Le Kid de la Plage" features acoustic guitar and the twinkling of a glockenspiel or vibraphone in its beginning. With about two minutes left in the song, the band starts experimenting with howling guitar effects. The song slowly trails out with psychedelic pick-scraping and ends after having traversed several styles and sounds.
Two years after their first release on Level Plane, Aussitôt Mort is still somewhat overlooked. Because the band has yet to tour the U.S.,the only real exposure Aussitôt Mort has gotten in the U.S. has been due to word of mouth and a few songs posted online. The change in the band's line-up required some kind of musical transformation; however, the remaining members of Aussitôt Mort prove that four can sound just as loud as - if not louder than - five. Montuenga deserves your attention.
See also
Amanda Woodward, Sugartown Cabaret
