Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Trop Tard - Ils Etaient 9 Dans L'Obscurité LP


Thanks to Capa Nostra for this stupendous album. Finally I got the chance to listen to this. One of the best cold wave stuff I've heard from France.
Most bands from France are known for the -sometimes excessive- use of synths but Trop Tard (means 'Too Late') stayed far away from that. Only bass, guitar and a drum machine. On the French New Wave site, they state that the band had 3 members, even one on drums but I think the album was made by 2 guys.
And yes, Joy Division is the main influence but Trop Tard created something of their own with it. I really like the guitar work on the album. And the vocals are full of 'ennui'.
Seems that Trop Tard released a bunch of tapes as well. Probably impossible to find. Even the LP hardly turns up for sale. Think it was released in the mid-80's (1985-86).

Ils Etaient 9 Dans L'Obscurité LP (self released-F 001-198?)
1. Les Choses Qu'On Oublie Pas
2. Quelque Chose A Dire
3. Les Anges D'Aujourd'hui
4. Oublier La Vérité
5. La Chose
6. Maman
7. Trop Longtemps
8. Les Rêves De Peur
9. Oublier
10. Je M'Ennui
11. L'Analyse
12. Abandonné
13. Mort D'Une Ame

Link Removed. Buy the reissue on Infrastition!

41 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:26 PM

    Hi!
    I have another tape called "Photodramme" from 1987. If you are interested send me a message: coldfinger@free.fr .

    ReplyDelete
  2. This has been on my want list for a long time, as is the cassette.

    Thanks for putting it on here, I only had a CD-R with no track names.

    I'd love to have someone give the cassette the same treatment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:43 AM

    does anyone know what year this album was released?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous12:14 PM

    on vinyl collector website i learned that it was released in 1987:
    http://www.vinyl-collector.com/records/lp/2842-Trop%20tard--Ils%20%C3%A9taient%209%20dans%20l'obscurit%C3%A9-private%20%20F001/
    it certainly sounds more 1982 than 1987, but a good record nevertheless!
    thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds awesome- speaking of French wave; looks like Complot Bronswick has put out a new 2CD set which has been long awaited:

    http://www.musicnonstop.co.uk/product-view.php?productid=18975

    ReplyDelete
  6. Checked that vinyl-collector site. A copy for sale for 130 euro!!
    Infrastition does a great job on re-releasing those French cold wave bands. Still need to get a few of these.

    ReplyDelete
  7. i've been all about coldwave on Systems of Romance lately... let me know if there's any bands you want me to dig something up on. i need to pick up a lot of the reissues on Infrastition myself, but they're terribly expensive to import to the US.

    otherwise- haven't heard this one, so hooray!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous11:26 PM

    Hi Vincent!
    Very glad you liked Trop Tard album, is a great collectible band..but as you said, their whole discography is almost impossible to find.

    Greetings.

    ReplyDelete
  9. speaking of yr request list, i have that look back in anger caprice record uploaded here:

    http://systemsofromance.blogspot.com/2007/11/look-back-in-anger.html

    unless you're looking for the real thing, of course.

    also, i have the entire opera de nuit discography (two singles + 1 lp, i believe) on my computer, will post on them soon, if you're interested!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very interested in the Opéra De Nuit. Never heard them but I'm curious.
    About Look Back In Anger: it's the Caprice/Mannequin 7" I'm looking for. Posted the mini-album (with Flowers 12") myself sometime last year.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous6:09 PM

    This was a good album, but.... the music could have definitely used a little more variation. Almost every track sounded just like the one before. This band definitely could play, but needed to break from the monotone. I heard about two different sounds in the whole 13 tracks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. i love this...

    thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great stuff. Really like that circuitous guitar. Would love to hear more by this band.

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  14. this is fantastic and has been on heavy rotation ever since downloading it. thank you very much.

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  15. Anonymous1:08 AM

    Does anyone have a lyric sheet that they could scan? Or if any one of you know the lyrics please post them!

    Much appreciated, awesome album, thanks for the upload.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I believe this download is not working properly. If you would repost it I would appreciate it.
    I love this blog and thank you very much for putting the time and effort in.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Yes you're right. Seems it would take more than 6 hours. I'll re-up soon!

    ReplyDelete
  18. New link! Hope it goes well now. Enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous12:45 AM

    merci, merci, merci. j'adorais ce groupe pendant mon adolescence.je cherchais à le réécouter depuis presque 16 ans. introuvable et collector.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous3:36 AM

    Thanks! Nearly impossible to find.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous11:35 PM

    TROP TARD info follow the link !!!
    http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=355432889

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous11:41 PM

    http://www.myspace.com/troptardsupportpage

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous1:41 PM

    Hello, I'm the builder of the Trop Tard myspace support page, I've some news, Philippe the bassist wants to release a posthumous Disc, enjoy!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hello Flo, great page you made and good news you bring. I'm in contact with Philippe as well :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous4:27 AM

    great :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous9:14 PM

    Reminds me a lot of Psychocandy era Jesus & Mary Chain

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous6:46 PM

    It's not really certain, but the release should take out in November on the Infrastition Label(Maybe you know ;))! And I put an interview for Photodrame K7 from Espoirs Ephémères fanzine (in french only:/) in pictures of the myspace page. Have a good Evening!

    Flo.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous12:26 PM

    ;-(
    Link is dosnt work

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anonymous1:38 PM

    SRY, but it still dosent work... ;o(

    ReplyDelete
  30. It's a temporary problem. Check back a bit later.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous7:13 PM

    Oh Jah! It works.... Thanx!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous6:38 PM

    I'm really liking this a lot. Thank you for introducing me to this band.

    ReplyDelete
  33. having quite a few issues getting this to unarchive

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi Keith, just downloaded and unarchived this file myself without any trouble. Don't know what could've gone wrong. Maybe try again?

    ReplyDelete
  35. hey curious guy,
    do you have an email i can reach you at? looks like a friend of mine is planning a reissue of this record and is looking for high quality .wav files of this album. would you be able to supply them? i have a copy of the record sitting here myself, but it's got a bunch of crackle and pop on it!

    let me know how to get in touch, or you can contact me at thespanglemaker@gmail.com. hope you can help!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous6:14 PM

    if anyone's interested, there's a copy for sale on discogs:

    http://www.discogs.com/Trop-Tard-Ils-Etaient-9-Dans-LObscurit%C3%A9/release/640594

    ReplyDelete
  37. Increible hombre!!!!
    Muchas Gracias!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous12:58 PM

    my own vinyl rip (FLAC version)
    cheers
    v.v
    http://viviane-morrison.tumblr.com/post/21205666018/trop-tard-ils-etaient-9-dans-lobscurite-vinyl-rip

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous1:55 PM

    Hi, now on CD in France ! ;o) Parzifal... http://www.infrastition.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=53&Itemid=1&lang=fr&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1

    ReplyDelete
  40. I removed the link. People should buy a copy!

    ReplyDelete