Théâtre Du Chêne Noir* – Aurora

Review from my Futura feature in Audion #46 (2002)...
I'd known Chene Noir for a long while, via their second and third albums, but had never encountered their debut until its CD reissue. The full band-name "Théâtre du Chène Noir d'Avignon" gave more clues as to what they were about, as a theatrical performance ensemble with their own integral musicians, they were unique for a French band, although arguably comparable in concept to German acts like Floh De Cologne, Bruhwarm, Oktober and such-like.
Aptly with a jazzier footing here than on later albums, Chene Noir's overriding character on all their album releases was always the prominence of female vocal narration and acting to music. This always gave the feeling, being poetic and atmospheric as something between the early Brigitte Fontaine albums and the surreal visionary works of Jean Cocteau, which is quite apt considering the subject matter of their albums. Aurora is surreal and understated, and works all the better if you treat the vocal elements as just another facet of the music, against the sombre winds, percussives, occasional tumults of percussion and screams. As an album, it is odd through and through and totally engaging, that is except for the very sombre Vivre which closes the album, with Pierre Surtel drifting off into the distance with a really haunting saxophone theme.