I can see what you mean -- for me, these songs are in a cabaret tradition where the exact same 'demented laugh' or weird noise is called for at the exact same point, usually the punctuation at the end of a verse and if you're coming at this expecting 100% genuine demented freakout, you'll hear more than a tiny bit of artiface in her delivery. if they played these songs live, she'd obviously execute exactly the same noises in exactly the same places, far more like Cathy Berberian than Patty Waters or Joan LaBarbara or any other performer who records their free improvs. and on the 20 minute tracks where Ribeiro does tend towards free improv a bit more, her voice isn't exactly fluid or supple when she does some of the warbly low or screechy high sections, I've heard singers who are technically 'better' -- she can sound ridiculous even, but she does sound free and I believe her, there's something in the attitude here that absolutely works for me.
mainly though there's so much more going on here than just the freakouts, there's just as much beautifully composed and sung chanson as there is burning-brain-psychedelia and it's the balance between them that makes these first three albums.
these glitchy vinyl-ripped mp3's are not going to cut it, these need reissues, these records are fucking important
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 28 June 2007 18:53 (sixteen years ago) link
i listened to my first of her albums last night, Paix. very beautiful. way less freaky than i was expecting. i didn't hear any Patty Waters. what i heard was Franco Battiato, Lucio Battisti, Annette Peacock. tiny bit of Tim Buckley. i'm definitely interested in hearing more.
the first song definitely was very glitchy. was that the song (i'm assuming not since it ended after a minute and i never heard it again) or intentional?
― jaxon, Thursday, 28 June 2007 19:24 (sixteen years ago) link
had a conversation with Christina Carter about Ribeiro before a recent Charalambides show. she denied Catherine as an overt influence on her own music, admitting that she's an "indirect influence, if that." she then proceeded to belt out a piece, to Tom's guitar accompaniment, that could have been slipped onto either side of Ame Debout or Paix without raising eyebrows. hmm.
― Mr. Hal Jam, Thursday, 28 June 2007 19:30 (sixteen years ago) link
xpost
Paix and Le Rat débile et l'homme des champs are already less freaky than the ones I've been going on about, and they're great. If you find the earlier vocals contrived, you might prefer the laters. The people you name are pretty good compass points as well.
the Mutant Sounds mp3's are all pretty noisy, and some of them were badly mistagged -- when I retagged them myself using this site it seemed like they were complete. the rips for ame debout are particularly messed up, but at least they exist
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 28 June 2007 19:34 (sixteen years ago) link
i lied. i listed to Ame Debout, not Paix. that's the one w/the first track totally jacked w/glitches.
i'll listen to Paix soon.
― jaxon, Friday, 29 June 2007 01:59 (sixteen years ago) link
I just got the Le Rat Debile. First album I've checked out. Really fantastic stuff. She kinda reminds me of Grace Slick, actually. And the oscillating percussion and organ of the first track on side 1 and at the start of side 2 almost have the groove of some of Nino Nardini/Roger Roger's library stuff. Or until the drums and the organ come in. Some bits also kind of remind me of Bo Hansson.
― gnarly sceptre, Saturday, 30 June 2007 13:47 (sixteen years ago) link
http://www.amazon.com/Ame-Debout-Catherine-Riberio-Alpes/dp/B000RQF6MY/ref=sr_1_2/102-7355173-0347325?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1183506949&sr=1-2
one copy of ame debout for a not-unreasonable price, to get rid of those glitches. this guy actually has tons of overlooked gems in his for sale section. Robert Haigh "Waltz in Plain C" was the one I went for!
― oo, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 23:58 (sixteen years ago) link
that was fast.
― oo, Wednesday, 4 July 2007 00:52 (sixteen years ago) link
has anyone heard the 1980 album w/ alpes called La Deboussolle? it has a re-recording of "paix" (the song). these records keep popping up on ebay...
― creme1, Thursday, 12 July 2007 18:49 (sixteen years ago) link
I bought the 4CD longbox compiling 65-83
Box is wonderful, tons of great photos, unfortunately for me all liner notes are in French. First half of disc 1 has 12 songs from the mid-60's Ye-Ye Girl pop stuff, catchy uptempo, music sounds much like typical Ye-Ye Francois Hardy / Sylvie Vartan / the first Nico 7". very chipper and pretty. it is a total shock when it switches from the early singles to the first song on the 2bis album.
disc 3 compiles the next three original albums after Le Rat Debile -- still pretty spaced out -- sounds like I want to hear the rest of Libertiés and Le Temps de l'autre, where the band still sounds much like they do on Le Rat Debile.
on 1979's Passions they add the sax, fretless bass & jazz violin & start sounding like professional 80's jazz fusion. Which might be where a whole different audience gained interest, if you love those Jean-Luc Ponty records... her melodies & voice still outstanding but the backing musical style has shifted so much towards the average it begins to throw me. Musicianship outstanding on a technical level but no longer even remotely distinctive.
disc 4 has five tracks from La Deboussolle (the re-recording of "Paix" isn't one of them), in which crisp 80's drum production & the fretless bass become the loudest things in the mix. Some of the songwriting is strong enough, but so hard to take the backing music. I do like the 1982 song she co-wrote with Peter Gabriel "Dans le creux de ta nuit", non-fusoid anthem led by piano & odd synth.
the later stuff is so commercial I can now see why the early stuff stayed out of print -- like the Scritti Politti singles or the early Battiato albums, when an artist eventually breaks the pop charts it becomes difficult for a major to commit or even out-license the early mutant albums
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 12 July 2007 20:51 (sixteen years ago) link
So I search the archives to see who might have discussed this album I have just downloaded, Catherine Ribeiro and 2Bis. Nothing much to say so far, except that on first listen I mostly like this.
― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 26 October 2007 14:17 (sixteen years ago) link
I can't stop listening to her. especially the first two.
a lot of people have walked up to me and in hushed or screaming tones said 'my god have you heard catherine', thanks to Internet this has kind of turned out to be her year -- I wonder if she knows what's happening
― Milton Parker, Friday, 26 October 2007 18:46 (sixteen years ago) link
Hey look, the back cover of the gatefold vinyl has a lyric sheet
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 4 October 2008 03:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Jusqu'à ce que la force de t'aimer me manque(musique et paroles de Patrice Moullet)
Je voudrais pouvoir t'aimer deux ans, trois ans, dix ansT'aimer jusqu'à ce que la force de t'aimer me manqueQue le bonheur de t'aimer s'estompe,Afin que je puisse aimerQuelqu'un d'autre que toiQuelqu'autre chose que toi.
Aimer de nouveau, sans cesseAimer comme je t'aime en ce momentMalgréLa frustration de ta présence Malgré l'absence.Douloureuse souffrance inutileEt pourtant, combien nécessaireVitale à nos esprits de fous.
Quel gâchis que ce tant d'amour versé à d'autres que [toiMais, peut-être... quelle superbe résurrection de la vie.
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 4 October 2008 04:00 (fifteen years ago) link
Paix(Musique de Patrice Moullet - Paroles de Catherine Ribeiro)
Paix à celui qui hurle parce qu'il voit clairPaix à nos esprits malades, à nos cœurs éclatésPaix à nos membres fatigués, déchirésPaix à nos générations dégénéréesPaix aux grandes confusions de la misérePaix à celui qui cherche en se frappant la tête contre [des murs de bétonPaix au courroux de l'homme qui a faimPaix à la haine, á la rage des opprimésPaix à celui qui travaille de ses mainsPaix à cette nature qui nous a toujours donné lemeilleur d'elle-même et dont chaque homme quel [qu'il soit a besoinPaix à nos ventres - grands réservoirs de poubelles [académiquesPaix à vous mes amis, dont la tendresse m'est une [nécessitéPaix et respect de la vie de chacunPaix à la fascination du feu, paix au lever du jour á la [tombée de la nuitPaix à celui qui marche sur les routes jusqu'aux [horizons sans finPaix au cheval de labourPaix aux âmes mal-nées qui enfantent des cauchemarsPaix aux rivières, aux mers, aux océans qui accouchent [de poissons luisants de gas-oilPaix à toi ma mère, dont le sourire douloureux s'efface [auprès de tes enfantsPaix enfin à celui qui n'est plus et qui toute sa vie a trimé attendant des jours meilleurs.
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 4 October 2008 04:08 (fifteen years ago) link
gin or vodka?
― Dominique, Saturday, 4 October 2008 04:19 (fifteen years ago) link
ha ha, Ouzo
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 4 October 2008 04:29 (fifteen years ago) link
Un jour... la mortMusique de Patrice Moullet - Paroles de Catherine Ribeiro
Un jour, la Mort, cette grande femme démoniaqueM'invita dans sa fantastique demeureDepuis longtemps elle me guettait, m'épiaitUsant de ses dons, de ses charmes magiquesElle cambrait sa croupe félineFermait á demi ses paupières lourdes de sommeilAu-delà desquelles brillaient deux yeux de guet-apensLe souffle court, les lèvres entrouvertesElle murmurait : viens chez moi, viens, viens,Approche, viens t'enrouler dans mon reposMon repos - repos - repos - l'éternel repos.Alors, coupant mon emblème-cordon-ombilicalJ'absorbais trois tubes de somnifère réparateur.Ainsi commença le tourbillon de la décadenceSemblable à celui de la terre qui me portaitLes gouvernements-tueurs étaient toujours en placeLe napalm brûlait nos maisons et nos champsLes riches s'éclataient devant les classes laborieusesPartout ce n'était que tumulte, cris de guerreJe courais, cherchant à protéger les enfantsLes enfants, merde, pourquoi faire des enfantsLes écoles maternelles sautaient à la dynamiteLes châteaux de cartes espagnois s'écroulaientVictims de malformations congénitalesSeuls, restaient debout, victorieuxLes Elysées, les Maisons-Blanches, les KremlinsLes crèmes caramel, les crémes au chocolat -Dites-moi la Mort, Chère femme, Belle MortVous me serrez d'un peu trop près, trop fortJe ne suis pas vraiment lesbienne, savez-vous?Vos bras qui m'encerclent gênent ma respirationVotre parfum me donne la nausée -Dites-moi la Mort, Chére femme, Belle MortDe ce côte-ci de l'au-delàOù se trouve le chemin de l'Amour -Sur terre, je refusais le mensonge, la vanité d'ÉtreIci, les dactylographes tapent sur des bongosD'horribles rythmes qui foudroient mes entrailles - Dites-moi la Mort, Chère femme, Belle MortRenvoyez-moi de ce côté-là de la VieJe voudrais connaitre l'amour de Pierre-le-RécalcitrantJ'ai encore besoin de donner et de recevoirJ'ai besoin de me battre pour un autre mondeJe veux connaitre l'An 01 dont parlaient nos amisJe veux encore monter des bonshommes de neigeEn hiver, sur les toits blancs des usinesJe veux faire sauter les autoroutesEt me promener dans les hautes herbes des campagnesJe veux embrasser les garçons et les fillesA pleine bouche, baiser leurs lèvres chaudesJe veux m'enivrer de la salive de mon amourJe veux aimer et mourir de mort-NaturelleComme tout le monde, les deux pieds dans mes sabots -Redonnez-moi la Vie, la Mort, Belle MortEt je vous ferai un enfant
inside gatefold image: collage made from image of a sudzy woman bathing in a barrel answering a telephone mounted on the side of the barrel, looking over her shoulder at a grainy shot of a vietanemese mother wading through a muddy river with her children
'combien de temps encore pourrons-nous ajourner l'inevitable?' - Henry Miller, Le temps des assassins
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 4 October 2008 04:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Still no news of any Ribeiro reissues? Shameful!
― Webern conducts Berg (Call the Cops), Monday, 22 March 2010 15:40 (fourteen years ago) link
I kinda got the impression the old reissues (on Spalax) sat around for a loooong time, they're probably not in a hurry to reissue them again? If they're still in business.
― John Disk & The Fetus People (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Monday, 22 March 2010 16:23 (fourteen years ago) link
reissues were on Mantra. but, yeah, doubt it's a high priority for them.
― Mr. Hal Jam, Monday, 22 March 2010 19:18 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D76DnIEZMzM
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 7 January 2012 03:10 (twelve years ago) link
thanks for that@
― one dis leads to another (ian), Monday, 9 January 2012 21:34 (twelve years ago) link
been seeing this video linked a lot lately on FB and other places (not that i mind)
― donna rouge, Monday, 9 January 2012 21:43 (twelve years ago) link
looking forward to thishttp://musique.fnac.com/a4093592/Catherine-Ribeiro-N-2-Ame-debout-Paix-Le-rat-debile-et-l-homme-des-champs-Coffret-4-CD-CD-album
after having come across their music through these
http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/thebookofseth/catherine-ribeiro-alpes-paixhttp://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/thebookofseth/catherine-ribeiro-alpes-theme-en-bref-silen-voy-kathyhttp://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/thebookofseth/catherine-ribeiro-alpes-no-2
and a trio of livesets that went up on Dime a while back.
― Stevolende, Sunday, 8 April 2012 20:37 (twelve years ago) link
Box looks good. Shame not to have '2bis' on there.
How are those live sets? What dates?
― Milton Parker, Monday, 9 April 2012 15:55 (twelve years ago) link
I have me some:
Catherine RIBEIRO & Alpes -- 'Pop Club' 1972-74 (FM)Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes - Paris 1973-05-28 (FM)Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes - La Courneuve 1973-09-09 (aud)
All worth hearing I guess, but Paris takes the cake by some way.
― Lil' Kim Philby (Call the Cops), Tuesday, 10 April 2012 18:27 (twelve years ago) link
Think those are the same dates. Not listened to them in a while, meant to over the weekend but didn't get around to it.
From what I recall they were pretty good though.
― Stevolende, Tuesday, 10 April 2012 20:52 (twelve years ago) link
Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes - Paris 1972-02-03 (fm)
and
Catherine Ribeiro & Alpes - Paris 1973-05-28 (fm)
are up again on D!me, but I see that people are already clued in above. I'm excited to hear these!
― sleeve, Friday, 26 October 2012 23:48 (eleven years ago) link
you know what I'd never heard before last month?
http://www.discogs.com/Catherine-Ribeiro-Alpes-Theme-En-BrefSilen-Voy-Kathy/release/1690760
non-album 7" from 1970, released around the time of 'No. 2'
she wastes no time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhW52-LPcB0
― Milton Parker, Friday, 26 October 2012 23:56 (eleven years ago) link
There were another load of CR + Alpes sets upped to Dime over the last week. Mainly from 76-77 though. Plus reseeds of the '72-73 stuff.Haven't heard the late 70s stuff yet though.
― Stevolende, Saturday, 27 October 2012 19:55 (eleven years ago) link
I was a but disappointed by the box set since it came out very quiet & left me hoping it might spark interest from Esoteric or somebody.Good to have the lps though.
I thought I'd posted here after getting the box. But doesn't look like it, just on the lead up to. Wound up getting it through Amazon.fr only time I've used that branch.
― Stevolende, Saturday, 27 October 2012 19:58 (eleven years ago) link
From French television in 1972
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbK7ZUKZowY#t=11
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 31 December 2013 22:35 (ten years ago) link
closeup of the guitar percuphone @ 4:20. such a crazy invention it really helps to see it -- turns any guitar into an acoustic sequencer / arpeggiator. one of the things I love the most about their albums is that while the initial impact of their sound is psych / freeform, it's all being held doiwn by those relentless, driving plucked metric 8th notes, it is total techno
version of 'alpes 1' from ame debout in that video is not the album version at all, hope someone can liberate the full length version of that someday
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 31 December 2013 22:52 (ten years ago) link
yeah man that is an amazing fragment of 'alpes 1'. percuphone mixed way loud so you can hear (and watch) changing the chords / hitting different harmonics in tandem with the organ player. percuphone was frequently mixed way too low on the records, probably because it's so relentless but man it's nice and loud in these clips.
I did end up buying that box of the first four Alpes records. Mini sleeves are wonderful and sound is good. If it had the 2bis album it'd be perfect.
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 31 December 2013 23:02 (ten years ago) link
Wow, great find! Still not sure what exactly the percuphone is and how it works though, even after seeing it! It is to Alpes what the electric jug is to the 13th Floor Elevators.
― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Thursday, 2 January 2014 16:00 (ten years ago) link
Still not sure what exactly the percuphone is and how it works though
Glad I'm not the only one.
― _Rudipherous_, Thursday, 2 January 2014 16:10 (ten years ago) link
the initial impact of their sound is psych / freeform, it's all being held doiwn by those relentless, driving plucked metric 8th notes, it is total techno
Thanks MP for crystalizing why I'm obsessed with this band's sound
― bendy, Thursday, 2 January 2014 16:37 (ten years ago) link
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81iNPmlyxWL._SL1400_.jpg
first time the 2bis album has been released on cd?
also been noticing some recent lp reissues of the alpes albums, though not sure how legit they are.
― no lime tangier, Sunday, 8 May 2016 19:53 (eight years ago) link
i think maybe it was on CD in Japan? (as everything seems to be)
i had kind of forgotten about these records. they are great. i will listen to them again today.
― wizzz! (amateurist), Sunday, 8 May 2016 20:01 (eight years ago) link
American reissue of the first three! Vinyl only.
https://shop.mexicansummer.com/product/catherine-ribeiro-alpes/
Plus a nice little bonus from Circuit des Yeux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfzfN2TFjVE
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 July 2018 14:06 (five years ago) link
Glitch on my part, not *the* first three obv when you're starting with No. 2
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 July 2018 14:07 (five years ago) link
I was just looking up the reissues I'd seen reviewed in some of the monthlies and saw that box set Integrale des albumes originaux which I'd somehow missed hearing about.So was wondering what the sound was like.
I got the 4 lp box set back in 2012 and found it a bit quiet.
So wondered about this. I assume its decently remastered etc
― Stevolende, Monday, 15 October 2018 23:50 (five years ago) link
holy shit the guitar and organ work on Paix blows my mind
― Ross, Tuesday, 16 October 2018 16:00 (five years ago) link
I just listened through the bunch of lps they have on Spotify and the late 70s ones sound pretty good.THey have the first lp the one with Bis and then the 3 after Le Rat DebileLooking forward to hearing the box set. Hoping the sound is good, the material is pretty good throughout the 70s, not quite as sure about the 1980 one.
― Stevolende, Wednesday, 17 October 2018 14:33 (five years ago) link