Dale Cooper and the Dictaphones - Metamanoir

  by Andy Cassidy

published: 28 / 1 / 2012

---

One of the greatest disappointments of my adult life was the final episode of 'Twin Peaks'. For nearly twenty years now I’ve dedicated much more time than I ought to have imagining how the myriad unsolved plots would play out. Alas, my wondering was in vain, and, sadly, I’ll never know if Audrey and Catherine died in the bank or if Cooper ever managed to rid himself of Killer Bob and find Annie. I had not heard of the Dale Cooper Quartet until very recently, but when I saw their name, I immediately knew that I would love them and I was right. Taking their name from Kyle MacLachlan’s character in the aforementioned 'Twin Peaks' (“The Dictaphones” refers to Dale Cooper’s habit of recording a diary using a Dictaphone), the band’s latest release (their second LP) is a work of atmospheric majesty and the first true masterpiece of Dark Jazz. Inspired equally by 1950’s cool (think Miles Davis’ 'Kind of Blue' or 'L'ascenseur pour l' échafaud') and the eerie, unsettling qualities of a David Lynch film, 'Métamanoir' takes the listener on a dark journey of twists and turns where an almost supernatural presence lurks menacingly around every corner. Opening track 'Une Petit Cellier' sets the tone wonderfully. At once relaxed and edgy, it borrows heavily from Angelo Badalamenti. The lugubrious pace of the track brings a dreamlike quality to the piece, a sense of unreality and detachment. With its cool jazz drumming and twanging guitar, the album’s second track 'Eux Exquis Acrostole' could be lifted directly from Badalamenti’s 'Twin Peaks' score. The song features an accomplished vocal by Ronan McErlaine, and with a repetitive, cyclical lyric (“Your American freedom isn’t worth a dime”) which lends the song a chant-like quality. At eleven minutes, one might think that the track would become tiresome, but its hypnotic nature kept me hooked and on edge throughout. The highlight of the album for me is the wonderful vocal of long-time Yann Tiersen collaborator Gaëlle Kerrien – her voice has an ethereal crispness, which blends magnificently with them music. As anyone who has read any of my previous reviews will know, I’m not usually given to hyperbole, but, in this instance, I shall make an exception. I feel as though I have been waiting for this album for a long, long time. Track after track, texture upon texture, 'Métamanoir' is everything I’m looking for in an LP. I would say, however, that it may not be to everyone’s taste – in particular, it’s certainly not something I’d recommend to someone looking for an upbeat album – but the craft and execution of the (admittedly wonderful) material is superlative. I love this album, and I predict that it will be a large segment of my musical life for years to come. Not a party record, but an absolute cracker nonetheless.

Track Listing:-

1 Une petit cellier
2 Eux exquis acrostole
3 Ma insaisissable abri
4 Sa prodigieux hermitage
5 Le implacable gentilhommière
6 Elle agréable rendez-vous de chasse
7 Mon tragique chartreuse
8 La terrible palais
9 Il mélodieux manoir

Band Links:-

https://dalecooperquartet.bandcamp.com/
http://denovali.com/dalecooper/

Label Links:-

http://denovali.com
https://www.facebook.com/denovalirecords
https://twitter.com/denovali
https://www.youtube.com/user/denovalirecords

Post A Comment

---

Comment

Name

your name

Location

ie London, UK

Submit

Check box to submit

Adam Coxon
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson

Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart

Malcolm Carter
Marie Hazelwood
Mark Rowland
Nick Dent-Robinson
Nicky Crewe
Nige Nudds
Philamonjaro
Richard Lewis
Shirley Procter
Spencer Robertshaw
Steev Burgess
Steve Kinrade

Steve Miles
Tommy Gunnarsson
Zena Grieg