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Reviews

Kat Onoma — Far from the Pictures
(Chrysalis 833796 2, 1995, CD)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2016-06-16

Far from the Pictures Cover art

Kat Onoma, a French five-piece band that plays and sings angst laden music, released Far from the Pictures in May 1995. They are arty and sexy like Roxy Music but with an edge. Their music has the same energy and intensity as Joy Division but with an undercurrent of sexual tension that surfaces through Rodolphe Burger’s deep voice and recitation similar to Leonard Cohen. This energetic brooding atmosphere, perfect for the cyber dance scene of the 90s, continues onto the CD packaging. The jewel case is transparent deep lavender and the booklet contains photos of the band in somber shades of red. The fourteen songs deal with the stress and world weariness of Generation X. Kat Onoma even covers "Blue Velvet" and the children’s song "Bingo" processed through their poetical vision of contemporary culture. The strongest songs are "Artificial Life," "Video Chuck," and "Reality Show," with its sampled drum loop from Led Zeppelin’s "When the Levee Breaks." This intelligent and sophisticated music may not appeal to everyone, especially young teens. But don’t let that dissuade you; Far from the Pictures is some of the best music recorded in France today.

Filed under: New releases, 1995 releases

Related artist(s): Kat Onoma

 

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