Purr
Open Transport
Prohibited Records

The second album of Purr named Open Transport was released last month. This band was formed in march 1995 in Paris. The line-up has never changed from then: Thomas Mery (guitar, voice, sampler), Stéphane Bouvier (bass, sampler) and Jérôme Lorichon (drums, trumpet, organ) hide behind this strange and - unfortunately - not very well-known name.

Thomas Mery was already aware of this lack of media precence in 1997, when they released their first album named Whales Lead To The Deep Sea. In fact, Thomas thought that in a similar style, Ulan Bator is the only well-known band in France. It didn't matter that Purr toured in France, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium with groups like The Folk Implosion, Chokebore, June of 44, and the fact that they are the "spiritual boys" of Slint, Tortoise and Labradford.

After a few months, that first album received a great welcoming all over Europe and in 1998 they toured again, with Sophia (in Brussels) and Heliogabale (in Italy). Then, the three musicians decided to break up. They came back in studio in the beginning of this year, with Luke Sutherland (ex-Long Finn Killie). They record twelve new songs, which compose the new album, Open Transport.

If Purr favoured guitars and percussions for the first album, these new compositions are turning towards pop songs, with more electronic sounds and above all, solid lyrics. The half of them is sung in French, which is rare for this kind of music, generally better suited to English. Thomas Mery explains that the reason for this, among other things, is due to listening to the last albums of French singers like Dominique A and Alain Bashung. Finally, the post-rock influence is less present, these songs are closer to the pop-rock structure. There are only some repetitive instrumental loops left, for our greater happiness.

Finally, Purr has recorded, with this second album, a mature work, and the band waits only for the success.

Copyright © 2000 Patrick Dubail