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Thread: FEATURED CD: Cos - Viva Boma

  1. #1
    Moderator Poisoned Youth's Avatar
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    FEATURED CD: Cos - Viva Boma

    Today's most excellent featured album is from 1976, Viva Boma, from the Belgian band Cos. Viva Boma has all the moves that a fan of jazz, prog, zeuhl, and canterbury can hope for - all blended, tastefully and maturely.



    Review from It's Psychedelic Baby
    From the depths of Zeuhl, Jazz, Progressive and Canterbury rock, Cos emerges and enchants with a hypnotic and cryptic language that asks to be deciphered, leaving the listener momentarily stranded, somewhere between Boma and Bomma, much like an opium smoker or the hippos on the river Boma, or both… Unique and truly Belgian, with a touch of defiant humour, yet with uncanny finesse, Cos rightfully delivers the word, often with no words at all, through a rich texture of pulsating and elastic bass lines, magical farsifa organ, intricate drums and percussion and the ever-present blistering duality of Shell and Son. Son who almost entirely discards language, using her voice much as a new instrument. Schell who reinvents language in his subtle punctuated guitar phrasing. With this album, we are given hints of something that parallels the creation of a new world. We are passengers of a ship that is heading to uncharted terrain, a place that belongs to Cos and to Cos alone, a place that feels like outer space, yet familiar and even comforting. A place from which one never returns as the same person.


    Last edited by Poisoned Youth; 06-19-2016 at 06:43 AM.
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    Member Zeuhlmate's Avatar
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    Good one - with Marc Hollander who founded Aksak Maboul.

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    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    Just got turned on to Cos fairly recently. I got this one and Postaeolian Train Robbery about a year, year and a half ago. I spun both quite a bit when I got them, but haven't revisited since. I definitely enjoyed both albums a lot, but details elude me. Definitely time to revisit both of these.

    Bill

  4. #4
    I'm here for the moosic NogbadTheBad's Avatar
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    Very nice album, should probably play it again soon.
    Ian

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  5. #5
    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    Great album. Love the music and the vocals.
    The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off

  6. #6
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    Good band and imo, their best album.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  7. #7
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sputnik View Post
    Just got turned on to Cos fairly recently. I got this one and Postaeolian Train Robbery about a year, year and a half ago. I spun both quite a bit when I got them, but haven't revisited since. I definitely enjoyed both albums a lot, but details elude me. Definitely time to revisit both of these.

    Bill
    this is their best effort (by a hair over the debut), IMHO. And their most visible in Belgium, courtesy of the hilarious (but thought bout as scandalous) artwork, about flemish grandmothers

    They had a thing for orangy album covers for their first three albums (never understood why Musea didn't use the priginal artwork for the debut)

    Their third still has moments but is quite flawed with some un-funky disco beats
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  8. #8
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    Gave Viva Boma a fresh spin last night. I liked it. It definitely has a Canterbury vibe, and at times strongly reminded me on National Health with those stratospheric vocals. It was not easy for me to get into the "flow" of the album. In fairness, I wasn't giving it 100% concentration, so some of the arrangements got away from me. But it also at times seems a bit scattered, which I sense may have been somewhat intentional. This is definitely one I need to give a full attention spin, so I'll bring it with me to the next rehearsal where I can listen to it in the car.

    Bill

  9. #9
    Member Phlakaton's Avatar
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    Great album. I shall play this now.

  10. #10
    Love this one and their debut!
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  11. #11
    Member nosebone's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sputnik View Post
    Gave Viva Boma a fresh spin last night. I liked it. It definitely has a Canterbury vibe, and at times strongly reminded me on National Health with those stratospheric vocals. It was not easy for me to get into the "flow" of the album. In fairness, I wasn't giving it 100% concentration, so some of the arrangements got away from me. But it also at times seems a bit scattered, which I sense may have been somewhat intentional. This is definitely one I need to give a full attention spin, so I'll bring it with me to the next rehearsal where I can listen to it in the car.

    Bill
    I re listened to it yesterday, and yes, scattered or "projecty" is good good way to put it.

    Similar in style/ mood to Aksak Maboul's- Onze Danses Pour Combattre le Migraine thanks to Marc Hollander.
    no tunes, no dynamics, no nosebone

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by spacefreak View Post
    Love this one and their debut!
    They're actually quite different, but both are great IMO.

    The Canterbury-influx in Belgian underground rock and jazzrock was quite pronounced with acts like Cos, Kandahar, Lagger Blues Machine, Pazop, Placebo, Abraxis etc.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
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  13. #13
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    I had a listen to Postaeolian Train Robbery last night. Have to say, on hearing the two almost back to back, I think I like this one better, but I think Viva Boma has potential to grow on me.

    The thing I liked about Postaeolian Train Robbery is that the songs seem to be better defined. They spend more time on themes and there seems to be more development within different songs. Some of the vocals on this one get a little "out there," and at time I think the lovely and talented Ms. Son is just plain out of tune... probably with some intent on her part, but it isn't always that much fun to listen to. These moments (of which there aren't that many) are offset by some great grooves with ever changing riffs and themes overlaid. Lots to listen to on this one.

    Glad I've "rediscovered" these, interesting listening. I'll get back to Viva Boma soon.

    Bill

  14. #14
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sputnik View Post
    I had a listen to Postaeolian Train Robbery last night. Have to say, on hearing the two almost back to back, I think I like this one better, but I think Viva Boma has potential to grow on me.

    The thing I liked about Postaeolian Train Robbery is that the songs seem to be better defined. They spend more time on themes and there seems to be more development within different songs. Some of the vocals on this one get a little "out there," and at time I think the lovely and talented Ms. Son is just plain out of tune... probably with some intent on her part, but it isn't always that much fun to listen to. These moments (of which there aren't that many) are offset by some great grooves with ever changing riffs and themes overlaid. Lots to listen to on this one.

    Glad I've "rediscovered" these, interesting listening. I'll get back to Viva Boma soon.

    Bill
    Just for the fact of it, this was their debut album's original album cover

    cos.jpg
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  15. #15
    I have only heard a few tracks from this (and the follow-up, the title of which eludes me for the moment) and don’t remember much about it, other than thinking it was good. Still only own the first and last* albums.

    *Pasiones, which has Ilona Chale stepping in on vocals, replacing Pascale Son. Good album, underrated, but it’s no PTR.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  16. #16
    Member mellotron storm's Avatar
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    This one and the first are masterpieces in my opinion.
    Marc and Daniel were big Magma, Zao and Henry Cow fans and I think it shows.
    The Farfisa organ and Rickenbaker bass were treated with fuzz and wah wah then put through a Dynacord Echo Chamber so they could reproduce the sounds at slow, normal or fast speeds. The guitar sounds were modified through an EMS synth which allowed them to double the melody and they used wah wah and more on the guitar.
    Such a creative band and Pascal Son is the icing on the cake really.
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