French TV - After a Lengthy Silence (Reissue) (1987)

Despite their "French" name, the band is firmly rooted in the American avant-garde scene, and its longtime leader and chief ideologist is bassist Mike Sary.

"After a Lengthy Silence" is an entirely instrumental (except for occasional vocal effects), incredibly dense and eclectic work. The band's music is built on constant and abrupt tempo changes, broken structures, complex polyrhythms, and an abundance of instrumental parts, where heavy guitar riffs suddenly give way to jazzy brass passages.

As with other French TV releases, the musicians' distinctive, buffoonish sense of humor is clearly evident. This is evident both in the absurdist titles and in the structure of the tracks themselves—they are deliberately oversaturated with musical ideas, quotations, and abrupt sonic transitions, reminiscent of a frantic collage.

This album's sound straddles the line between Frank Zappa's insane compositional genius, the complex chamber structures of European avant-garde artists like Univers Zero and Hatfield and the North, and classic 70s American fusion.

The musicians utilize a wide range of instruments: in addition to the standard bass, drums, and keyboards, saxophone, clarinet, and flute are prominently featured, creating the feeling of a wild chamber jazz orchestra rather than a rock band.