T21* – Works

1989 was a big year for Trisomie 21. Indeed, the band was allowed to release 2 albums within the same year, both being very idiosyncratic of the band in a sort of way.

Works was the first. A definitely more accessible piece of work than Chapter IV, even if it sounds unmistakably sheer T21. The second album released almost at the same time was Plays The Pictures, a kind of soundtrack to a movie you would direct on your own.

From the very beginning, The Golden Age is a great introduction to a poppier T21 [sic]. You directly embark on a journey that will lead you to its final track, Another Move i.e. a New Order-ish track reworking of Moving By You. In between, there are lots of sonic surprises: inspiring instrumentals, images of imaginary war and possible peace, the magic of love, the impossibility to communicate efficiently, treason and too much technology over authenticity, the latter being something only this weird band from the north of France can create. Great guitar solos abound (Bruno Objoie handles it), a welcome novelty in T21's sound at the dawn of the eighties (Depeche Mode will do the same a year later on Violator, with rhythm guitars only). Harbours and Stations may be the ultimate example of this new alteration in their sound. Except for the track Messenger, the whole album leaves the listener in awe before the danceable and introspective quality of the songs, if we may call them so.

You can't but wonder where and how these guys find and experiment their ideas, for this is a brilliant album connecting older fans with new ones to come.

PS: the CD version includes a great live rendition of Joh'Burg and The War Outside as an instrumental soundtrack to an imaginary war... and peace.

My copy has a white Label on side 1. Side 2 is like the picture above.