baton rouge – fragments d’eux-mêmes LP

Description

Fragments D'Eux-Mêmes by BATON ROUGE

Comprised mainly of members of French screamo outfit Daitro, Baton Rouge is a different approach to Daitro’s more visceral assault, straightening out the tempo and delivering strong, concise songs that push through unflinchingly in Fragments D’eux Memes. These guitars are crunchy and impacting, like little bursts of energy that saw these tracks vividly, each grim melody erases any thought of bliss, and instead these emo-tinge punk tunes spark a tense, meloncholic drizzle. Tempos don’t vary: this thing is a one-way locomotive. A negative could be that it’s not varied enough, but technical prowess look elsewhere: Fragments D’eux Memes’ energy overburdens any lack of musical craftsmanship. That’s not to say these are sloppy songs; in fact, structurally, this is tight, tight stuff.

You can see them somewhere tucked away in a back-alley Paris bar, getting up on the stage to play their set and then getting the hell off. There’s no “thank you” at the end: Fragments D’eux Memes is an outlet for the wandering soul. Though the entire thing is sung in the native toungue, it still feels relatable, an album definately their own but screaming for a companion. “Ca Colle a La Peau”s off-kilter dissonance seems alienating at first but over time is warm and there. It’s easy to get lost in the vocal hooks here, but in doing so you’re missing out on some truly fine tunes. That’s probably why 14 minute closer “Collector Les Sons” seems like such a strange way to end things, though it fits right in until everything collapses in on itself. In fact, I’d say it pretty much embodies the record; fatigued and lonely, but passionate. Those guys from Daitro are doing what they love and doing it well.