DISQUE 9
DISQUE 9 - “DES INCURABLES” (1997)
This is one of those discs that I’m not surprised slipped through the cracks after it came out ten years ago. According to one review from a very un-updated music site called BabySue.com, the thing is a one-man effort from someone called Keith Fancy:
“Disque 9 sounds something like listening to two movies on cable while a radio is playing in the background and the refrigerator is on the blink. These are not songs in the traditional sense of the word. Mr. Fancy jumbles, distorts, and disassembles pieces of music in such a way that there really aren’t discipherable melodies or words. Instead, these songs are like fragments and snippets of songs all tied together in a most confusing manner. In the end, however, this obtuse little collection of ‘tunes’ doesn’t really sound like anything else I’ve heard of late…and for that alone, this gets high marks in the ‘land of the baby.’ Eerie and dream-like. Neat.”
The music here is sorta like my previous post of Dymaxion, although instead of skewered rock and pop melodies, the sample-based work here presents more of a nightmarish vision, with the track “The Dread and The Counting” serving as my personal favorite. It’s all like Scott Walker meets Jandek.
Now that I think about it, I’m not sure if the band name is actually Disque 9, or Des Incurables. Dont’cha love those kinds of music mysteries? Makes things seem a little more exciting.
February 6th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I actually bought this CD new ten years ago (I’m old!). The reason? Mary Timony sings on some of the tracks. So, yep, it’s actually a two person show (though Keith Fancy is the architect). I was a serious fan of Helium at the time (still am) and picked this up because of Ms. Timony’s involvement.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
That IS Mary Timony!! Holy Moly Guacamole!!!
I have all the helium and Mary T. stuff! i love her music with a passion!
This album, itself, is fuggin’ TRIPPY! Talk about bong-friendly music
Thanks ERC.
** Your anti-spam words kick butt!
February 7th, 2008 at 11:10 am
If I remember correctly Keith Fancy was in a Boston indie rock band called “Desk”, and I heard about it through a friend who worked at the studio where some of it was done. He compared it to another Boston band called “Foom” because (like Foom) they apparently used skipping records (although Foom somehow got their records to skip on beat). I believe the band/project was called “des incurables”, not “disque-9.”
Interesting to see Baby Sue referenced here too– the whole “Baby Sue thing” was a weird art/publicity project of a guy (in Georgia I think) from the band LMNOP, who at first made these insane Baby Sue comics that were beyond offensive, then branched out into making a small magazine in order to cash in of the promise of promo cds. I wonder whatever happened to him.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
WOW! I forgot about this record totally! Thank you!
April 11th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Fancy is one of the dudes behind Fanny Pack. I used to dj with him back when this was released. He’s still djing around New York City.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
This has proven to be one of my favorite albums I’ve heard from you. Thanks!