René Lussier/Robbie Kuster

Listen to any two tunes on this14-track disc by Montreal experimental guitarist René Lussier and you’ll understand why he’s now celebrating a half century career. Backed by Swiss-born Montreal percussionist Robbie Kuster, Lussier, who also plays electric bass and daxophone and Kuster, who varies his percussion thrashing with hand saw whines and nail organ vibrations, bound from style to style with the same sophistication and energy.

The guitarist’s shaking flanges and fuzz tones brush up against drum pounding on “Rock 66”. Meanwhile “Rien d’aquis” mates Kuster’s patterning clips with simple reflective string picking; while “La Valise Du Vendred”i is a Québécois blues, featuring garbled mumbles and perfect bottleneck frails. Lussier even uses the wooden daxophone’s gaunt voice-like drones to scrape alongside saw reverb replicating the sounds suggested by “Guimbarde Et Brosse à Dents”.

Fiat Lux isn’t all fun and games. Some of the other Lussier original mark his POMO conversions that add C&W licks to an otherwise understated improv melody or use primitive whistling to humanize what stands out as a heavy metal attack.

Unbeatable technique mixed with humour also turn French folk composer Albert Larrieu’s “Biscuit – La Feuille D’Érable” into a Rock anthem with guitar feedback; and he uses simple harmonies to break down Ornette Coleman’s “Haven’t Been Where I Left” into a progressive child’s song with chiming guitar runs and zipping single notes.
There may be some music Lussier can’t distinctively transform, but it’s not here.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Jumeaux 2. Troc 3. Ayoye 4. Rien d’aquis 5.  Guimbarde Et Brosse à Dents Bidou 7. Sauvé 8. Clous Épinette 9. Figure 10. Rock 66 11. La Valise Du Vendredi 12. Fiat Lux 13. Haven’t Been Where I Left 14. Biscuit – La Feuille D’Érable

Personnel: René Lussier (guitar, bass, daxophone) and Robbie Kuster (drums, hand saw and nail organ)