Grime - Grime (1979)

French band GRIME was formed in the midd seventies, their name inspired by a Greek theater term. Their sole, self-titled album was self-released in 1979 in a limited run of 1000 copies, sold by the band at their concerts. French label Musea Records reissued this production on CD in 1991, including six bonus tracks from a live recording made in late 1981.
(progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6542)

I must admit, the Musea release of this compact disc, that almost doubles the original album's length by adding in live tracks, makes this album worthwhile. The original nine tracks, while not awful, are nothing special either. They are a mixture of many seventies styles, and seems to coalesce best when the band is playing mellow passages.
My main problem are some of the vocals. There seems to be this trend that pops up among avant garde minded bands of shouting at the listener. And Grime seemed to like to add a healthy dose of maniacal shouting and some burst of deranged laughter. None of it fits with the music.
Then there is the second half, the live tracks. Suddenly, this band shows it's value. The shouting is toned way down, and the music is played with an intensity that the studio portion doesn't come close to. And the songs are much more interesting. There is more adventurous compositions, with the pieces coming right to the edge or RIO.
I'd give two stars to the studio tracks, and four to the live tracks.
(progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6542) Review by Evolver

One of the more obscure French bands and albums. The only album from this band. Originally released in 1979 and rescued & re-released by Musea in 1991.
The music on this album comes across as a mix of Van Der Graaf Generator, King Crimson and Mona Lisa. Mostly the latter one. Their music has this typical lush French symph prog sound. But it also has King Crimson's complexity and eccentricity too. The rampant saxophone is very VDGG. But there is also some Magma like weirdness here too. The rhythms here are strange in a Fripp'ish way.
The vocals is both female and male. The instruments are the usual suspects, with the notably addition of the rampant saxophone.
The material here is very good. The lack of any real great tracks here are it's main problem and the reasons for my sparse use of stars. But this is an interesting album who unfortunate drowned in the amount of other good albums released at that time.
(progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6542) Review by toroddfuglesteg