Think of One - Trafico

Name: Think of One
Album: Trafico
Year: 2006
Style: Afro Beat, Funk, Samba, Jazz
Similar Bands: Stereolab, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, Sergio Mendez
"One-Word" Review: Energetic Jazzy Big World Band
Based Out Of: Antwerp, Belgium
Label: Crammed Discs, Ryko

Cover, Back & Fold Out

Inner Pics, CD Tray, CD, Liner Notes, Booklet Cover and Back

Lyrics

Lyrics

Lyrics

Lyrics

Lyrics

Trafico (2006)

1. Essa Mesa 4:55 (single)
2. Samba Belga 4:47
3. Tirar Onda 3:35
4. Trafico 4:08
5. Tahina 4:39
6. Aai 4:59 (single)
7. Maria Chegou 4:39
8. Flor d'Agua 4:13
9. Feira de Mangaio 4:17
10. Maracatu Misterioso 6:10
11. Coracao de Papel 4:16
12. Tirar Onda (Chorinho) 3:14

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• David Bovee - Guitar, Vox, Keys, Producer, Photos (Flat Earth Society, SWAN, Ansatz Der Maschine, DAAU, Fes, Josse De Pauw, Orquestra Frevo do Mundo)
• Eric Morel - Sax (Flat Earth Society, Shakara United, Virginia Woolf, D'Stephanie, Zita Swoon, Arno, Fes, Josse De Pauw, Arno, Crayon Sun, Rise & Fall of an Individual, DJ Aldolino)
• Roel Poriau - Trumpet, Bugle, Producer, Recording Engineer, Recording, Editing, Mixing (Antwerp Gipsy Ska Orkesrtra, Flat Earth Society, Flowers for Breakfast, Flemming, Daau, Myrddin, Lady Angelina, Les Blauw, Rum Baristas, Gansan)
• Tomas De Smet - Bass, Keys, Photos (Front Cafe Band, King Dalton, Les Blauw, Moondog Jr, Zita Swoon, Broken Circle Breakdown Bluegrass Band, Kiss My Jazz, Magnus, Myrddin, dEUS, Het Zesde Metaal, Birds that Change Colour, Crayon Sun, 
• Dona Cils do Coco - Vox
• Hugo Carranca - Drums, Percussion (Sheik Tosado)
• Peter Vanderberg - Hammond Organ (Alain Cupper Quartet, Caca, Flat Earth Society, Monsoon, Orchestra Exotica, Shakara United, Too Noisy Fish, Universe Zero, X-Legged Sally, nAncy, Sharko, Pierre Vervloesem, FES, Payskens & Van Hoeck, Josse De Pauw, Katja Vandl, My TV is Dead, Bruno Vansina, Goudi, Das Kapital, 
• Bruno Van Sina - Baritone Sax
• Marc Meeuwissen - Trombone (Flat Earth Society, Monza, Marie Dauine, FES, Belgian Afro beat Association, Peter Vermeersch, The National, Shakara United)
• Stefaan Blancke - Trombone  (Bar8, Capsule, Flat Earth Society, Sharaka United, Chitlin Fooks, Arno, Josse De Pauw, Jempy En Bongo, Franco Saint De Bakker, Antwerp Gipsy Ska Orkestra)
• Michael Weilacher - Marimba, Vibraphone (Ictus, MDuo, Karel Goeyvaerts, Paulo Chagas, Champ D'Action, Volker Staub, Bherman, Vanishing Pictures, Guy De Bievre, Dirk Wachtelaer, COIN, Kris Dane, Heaven And, Riccardo Nova, Luciano Berio, Mike PattonJonathan Harvey, Mark Andre, Automat, Warble, Somnambulist)
• Ricardo Lourenco - Violao 
• Sergio Lemos - Cuica (Linda Martini)
• Fernanda Boechat - Vox 
• Sheyla Vidal - Vox
• Ale Oliviera - Vox, Photos 
• Carolina de Renesse - Vox
• Lucie de Renesse - Vox
• Pitcho Bovee - Sounds
• Bert Van Roy - Recording Engineer, Mixing
• Yann Arnaud - Mixing
• Chris Harrison - Mixing
• Andre Oliveira - Mixing
• Vincent Kenis - Mixing, Mastering
• Karel De Backer - Mastering
• Tom Hautekiet - Artwork
• Rob Walbers - Photos
• Mary Gatis - Photos
• Hannah Gorjaczkowska - Art Direction

Unknown-ness: Never heard of them when i got this, and i'm not even that sure when i got it...it might have been at a Tower Records listening booth and i liked it, but i don't remember the circumstances. For the longest time, i thought the band name & album title were reversed, and that they were a Hispanic / Mexican band from So Cal. But based on the liner notes, i don't think that's true at all.

Album Review: Apparently they are a nomad-like band, who travel to different places and cultures to absorb the music and work with musicians of that area to create multi-cultural albums, in this case, Brasil. Other cultures they studied were Moroccan, Inuit, and Congolese. They even toured around Europe in a van that could convert into a sound stage for outdoor or spurt-of-the-moment shows, and have won awards for best World / Boundary Crossing Music.

The songs contain a large amount of brass and jazzy swing. Most are very energetic songs to make you move, like a Samba. One quieter songs add a little reggae vibe, and another adds a jazzy french Stereolab sort of song (Aai)

Stand Out Track: Aai

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Neon Judgement (The) - Blood & Thunder

Name: The Neon Judgement
Album: Blood & Thunder
Year: 1989
Style: Cold Wave, Industrial, EDM/EBM
Similar Bands: Borghesia, Ed Schrader's Music Beat, KMFDM, Front 242, Cabaret Voltaire, Nitzer Ebb
"One-Word" Review: Electric Propeganda Cow Punk
Based Out Of: Brussles, Belgium
Label: Play It Again Sam Records, Waxtrax

Cover, Sleeve, Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

Blood & Thunder (1989)

1. Facing Pictures 5:27
2. 1313 4:44 (single)
3. Damned I Love You 4:41
4. Games of Love 4:06 (single) /
5. Don't Wish Me Luck 3:58
6. This City 4:36
7. Ritual of Earth 5:43
8. Le Suicide Beau Serge 7:18

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Jean-Marie Aerts - Producer, Slide Guitar, Percussion, Bass (Lala, Louisette, Luk Vankessel & Spirit, Specimen & the Rizikoos, TC Matic, more)
• Luc Van Acker - Producer, Guitar, Backing Vox (Arbeid Adelt!, Danceable Weird Shit, MLYTTKK, Noise Abroad, primitive Race, Revolting Cocks, Spinegrinder, Three Angry Poles, more)
• Dirk Da Davo - Vox, Guitar, Samples, Synths, Korg DDD1, Bass, Percussion (Neon Electronics, Implant, Dave Inox, If It Moves, Vandal X )
• TB Frank - Guitar, Vox, Korg DDD1, Bass, Synths (Aimless Device, Neon Electrics)
• Beatrice - Backing Vox 
• Fats (Mark Devroy) - Harp
• Stoy Stoffelen - Hi Hat, Drums (De Ritme Kings, Lenny & De Wespen, Luk Vankessel & Spirit, Machitun De Chile, Specimen & the Rizikoos, The Centimeters, The Millionaires, Raymond van het Groenewoud, Big Bill, Snaar, Urbanus Van Anus, JM Troisfontaine, Garden, Chirojeugd, Walter Verdin, Jan De Wilse, Jean Blaute, De Kreet, Pas De Deux, Roland, Kazzen, Anne Mie Gills, De Nieuwe Snaar, Dr Feestkapoentjes, Hugo Matthysen, Koen Crucke, Kamagurka, Won Ton Ton, De Kreuners, Tom Wolf, Bart Kaell, Johan Verminnen, The Choice, Suske En Wiske, Bart Van den Bossche, JMX, K's Choice, Yevgueni, Raf Coppens, Aroma Di Amore, Wreed & Plezant, De Grugblavers, Stef Gie & Chris)
• Christian Ramon - Remastering
• Michel Dierickx - Engineer
• Ferre Baelen - Bass (Afro Erotica, Aimless Device, Air of Gloom, Edwards & Armani, inocube, Lala, Le Mystere, Little Little, Panthera, Partisan, Revenge 88, Rossi, Sleepwalker, Stagebeast, TC Matic, Trance Trax, Two Thumbs, Von Coburg & Armani, Zsa Zsa "La Boum", Tjens Couter, Sonia Dufour, Jo Lemaire, Ginger Morris, Niki Mono, Kamiel Kafka & Co, Arno)
• JP Everaerts - Engineer
• Jean Le Belge - Percussion, Bass, Vox 
• Daniel Muffat - Congas (Patrick Nuissier, Johan Verminnen, Vaya Con Dios)
• Wim Wenders - Sleeve Pics 
• Hugues De Wurstemberger - Inner Sleeve Pics
• Stephan Barbery - Sleeve Design

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band, but from the bleak photo and an americana mid-western landscape. I can only imagine this will be a sort of western sweeping soundscape record. The packaging reminds me of the band Lone Justice for some reason. 

Album Review: The album does begin with a harmonica, but the synth drum beats added in give it a sterile western vibe. The vocals have an authoritarian Eastern European delivery to them, not unlike Ed Schrader. Some of the tracks are a little dancier, but still with that cold propaganda appeal. The band consists of two members, who have programmed mechanical cold dance tracks since the early 80's, and are somewhat considered to be pioneers in the EBM genre. The album before this one was their first break into the US market. Their last effort (as of 2020) was in 2012.

Stand Out Track: Facing Pictures

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T.C. Matic - L'Apache

Name: T.C. Matic

Album: L'Apache

Year: 1982

Style: EuroRock, Industrial, Post-Pumk

Similar Bands: Killing Joke, Gang Of Four, KMFDM, Borghesia, 

One Word Review: Barren Aggressive Propaganda Machines. 

Based Out Of: Brussels, Belgium

Label: EMI Belgium

 L'Apache - Cover, Sleeve, Record

L'Apache - Back, Sleeve, Record

L'Apache (1982)

1. Middle Class and Blue Eyes 3:16
2. Que Pasa 2:45
3. Touch Me 2:59
4. Rip-Off Poppoff 2:40
5. Mon Ami Louis 2:23
6. Just Another Joke 2:50
7. Le Java 3:30
8. I'm Not Gonna Listen 3:46
9. Les Zazous 2:53
10. Stay Scared Stay Alive 3:04
11. La-Bas 3:31

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Danny Willems - Cover

Jan Bultheel  Cover

Jean-Marie Aerts - Executive Producer, Writer, Guitar (Jo Lemaire, Urban Dance Squad, Plastic Bertrand, Big Bill, Johan Verminnen, Sonia Dufour, The Neon Judgement, Arno)

Arno Hintjens - Writer, Vox (Tjens-Couter, Freckleface, Sonia Dufour, Charels and the European White Trash Blues Connection, Machiavel)

Ferre Baelen  - Bass (Tjens-Couter, Sonia Dufour, The Neon Judgement, Arno)

Rudy Cloet- Drums (Tjens-Couter, Sonia Dufour, Arno, Yasmine)

Serge Feys - Keys (Tjens-Couter, Sonia Dufour, Arno, Noordkaap, The Candy Men, The Bollock Brothers)

Christian Ramon - Engineer

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of this band...or is it one artist? Not sure. Picked it up, and hopefully will not regret it, as it looks like it might be tedious jazzy lite-rock, with overproduced synths and an uber-smooth sheen. I probably should have left this to sit in the bin, but since I was just starting out (this is an early record I picked up) and I'd never heard of it, I bought it for a dollar or so.

Album Review: TC Matic was a band from Brussles, Belgium, and experimented in an odd mix of styles and genres from American rock and new wave to industrial, blues and avant garde styles. They made four albums from 1980-1986, and some minor hits came from other albums, but not this one. Singer Arno has gone one to be quite the prolific solo artist, usually joined by one or more TC Matic members. His stage presence has been known to be intense and diverse, since he sung in English, French, Dutch, Italian German, and his Ostend dialect.

“Middle Class and Blue Eyes” has a synthetic, nervous pulsing bass and keyboard beat. Then the Gang of Four style guitar plays its hook of individual notes. The vocal cadence has a bit of a German or industrial monotone authoritarian speech. The instrumental breakdown has a prog-like, perhaps a little Middle Eastern guitar section.

“Que Pasa” is sparse, a bit like a Tom Waits song at first. Just individual bass notes and skittering drums. The vocals are very declarative, and still follow the stern declaration. It is quite industrial in production

“Touch Me” has a bit of a Gang Of Four, chugging, shuffling tempo, with a little Clash as well. It features a weird squeaky synth effect, and odd off-note chime effect as the vocals yearn as they shout the title during the chorus.

“Rip-Off Poppoff” feels like a post apocalypse theme. It is barren, cold, and features drum machine claps and power chords that resemble metal grinding machines rather than a guitar. The vocals shout again, like propaganda brainwashing.

“Mon Ami Louis” starts with crystalline synth effects, and what it would sound like if KMFDM covered Clash songs with grinding guitars, simple drum machine style beat, and other new wave melodies. The chorus is brainwashingly repetitive.

“Just Another Joke” begins with tinkling on the upper ends of the guitar, and bombastic drums. The shouting, broken vocals begin over an almost hipster-island guitar melody. But the chorus is bolder, and makes me think of a Rocky 4 Russian training montage. For the instrumental breakdown, the sunny guitar line is layered under sizzling electric vibrations.

“Le Java” has a driving deep bass rhythm driving the song, with bold drums and mockery style vocals. The guitar is more poppy for this song, almost sounding like a Nintendo/Mega Man level

“I'm Not Gonna Listen” is heavy and complex, with off-note chords and angry shouting vocals. The vocals and a sparkly synth trade focus for the chorus. The vocals sound like they are just devolving into reactionary noises. Soaring guitars drag the song along, but do not cross paths with the vocals.

“Les Zazous” is a combination of classical/chamber rock with post punk drum and bass. The vocals are trying to maintain a grasp on control, like Einar from the Sugarcubes. In the instrumental section near the end, a piano plays a familiar-yet-suspicious melody

“Stay Scared Stay Alive” has a drum machine like beat to start the song off, and whiny “wakka” guitar. The vocals are not as brash and chaotic as before, and here remind me a little of Rodney A. from the Dead Milkmen, particularly in the chorus.

“La-Bas” is motivated along by an alarm/metronome marching beat and rumbling guitars. The song is dark, with the way the guitars echo, as if played in a dark, empty warehouse. The vocals are strained as they try to reach the microphone aggressively. Maybe a little like some of Nine Inch Nails material, maybe? 

Stand Out Track - Touch Me

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La Muerte - Death Race 2000

Name: La Muerte
Album: Death Race 2000
Year: 1989
Style: HardCore, ScreamCore, Metal.
Similar Bands: Kukl, Megadeath, Helmet, Fantomas (musically), Melvins, Sepultura
"One-Word" Review: "Kill Your Melodic Face"
Based Out Of: Brussels, Belgium & Spain
Label: Play It Again Sam Records USA, Waxtrax,

Death Race 2000 - Cover, Sleeve Photo

Death Race 2000 - Back, Sleeve Info

Death Race 2000 - Record

Death Race 2000 (1989)

1. I Would Die Faster 4:07
2. Black God White Devil 4:41
3. Ecoute Cette Priere 3:26
4. Make it Easy 3:21
5. Shoot You In the Back 4:52/
6. Death Race 2000 5:19
7. Burst My Soul 4:04
8. Killing Is My Business 3:59
9. Scared Flame 7:14

Album Rating (1-10): 5.5

Members & Other Bands:
Paul Delnoy - Producer (Qui)
Marc Borgers - Cover Computer Painting, Pictures
Marie Beaunom - Tech Assistance
Hugues Wurstenberger - Photo Assistant
Marc du Marais - Screams

Dee-J. - Distortion (Ether, 3 Angry Poles)
Paul "Dunlop" Delnoy - Vibrobass
Michel De Greef - Drums

Unknown-ness: I've never heard of these guys before, but I like the cover art of a T-Rex caught at what I believe to be the extinction of the dinosaurs. The pictures of the back make me think that the band will be some kind of industrial punk music, and the motivation behind the album title could back that up.

Album Review: “I Would Die Faster” begins with a driving dark drum and bass beat, and low growl-singing, which reminds me of Bjork’s older band Kukl. The power guitar riffs and growls all over the place add accent to the lyrics. The singing has advanced to higher pitched scream-talking. The song keeps up the driving rhythm with the unchanging bass and drum beat and power single chord of the rhythm guitar.
“Black God White Devil” sounds like it might actually be a heavy pop number. The vocals are angry spoken words with a slight growl. This reminds me a little of Megadeath. The song is very steady and does not stray from the formula that you encounter at the get go. There is a power guitar instrumental section, but it returns to the predictable guitar hook driven verse. Even the chorus does not change too much from the main song structure, although it does incorporate a different dual tone shouting vocal for the chorus. “Ecoute Cette Priere” has howling guitars and vibrating weirdness to start off. Then growling angry vocals shout, but do not follow the driving music melody. Like spoken work poetry set to unrelated music. It is dark and has a lot of built up aggression. Musically, it reminds me of a nice combination of Faith No More and Helmet.“Make it Easy” starts off with a sleazy metal guitar hook, but has barely audible deep growling vocals. The song has a very bold presence. The chorus is a yelling of the title over and over again in rhythm with the melody“Shoot You In the Back” begins with a country western influenced slow guitar. Like a western showdown, it drags on slowly with determination. The vocals are grueling and grating. This song, musically, reminds me of Tomahawk. But the vocals detract from the potency of the song. It should be mellow and focused, but the shouts seem careless.

“Death Race 2000” has a head down, stomp progression. The start and stopping of the music, while carried along by the bass line reminds me of the song “War Pigs.” The vocals are barely more than a hushed whispering, but there is still tension in the hisses and syllables of the whispers. The song breaks form and releases an aggressive rush of vocals and music before adding what sound like heavy orchestral strings to accent the underlying melody.“Burst My Soul” is fast paced from the get go. It drives and rumbles on. The vocals are barely there, which let the catchy melody take the main stage. There is a breakdown after 2:20 where the music stops and metallic guitar string screeches echo. Then 20 sec later, the song picks back up with the driving chorus.“Killing Is My Business” starts with cop cars and some kind of hot pursuit audio sample. Then repetitive driving music begins and shouting lyrics with no music basis begins. The chorus is a nice change up with depth and a nice hook but the vocals just scream. The song ends with the music fading out and the hot pursuit sound clips finish up the song in dramatic fashion.“Scared Flame” begins with a dark off-timed bass line and cowboy electric, echoing steel guitar and a steady drum beat are added. The rough vocals are filled with aggression, and shout at the listener. The music rolls on, unaffected, as if it’s playing to its own audience, and the vocals are just layered overtop. The vocal and music do actually overlap in the middle of the song, and remind me of the limited stuff I’ve heard from Sepultura. The song relaxes in the end and calms down to a single tone echoing for a few seconds.

Stand Out Track: "Burst My Soul"

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