French, Frith, Kaiser, Thompson
Invisible Means

French, Frith, Kaiser e Thompson is an interesting musical project that resulted in two works: "Live, Love, Larf & Loaf" from '87 and this "Invisible Means" from '90.

I don't want to elaborate too much on introducing the musicians, but a few mentions are necessary; both Frith and Kaiser and Thompson are guitarists, all skilled improvisers from different musical backgrounds, Frith from a certain avant-rock that spread as a non-linear movement after the big bang of Henry Cow, Thompson from the folk rock of Fairport Convention (which I absolutely don't know) and Kaiser, a respected musician who, however, does not boast the career of the first two. The latter, however, should have a lot of money being the nephew of one of the most important American industrialists; indeed, he is the one producing the album.

In this work, Frith leaves the guitars to the other two and picks up the bass to form a substantial and original rhythmic base together with French, yes, him, the "Drumbo" as he was nicknamed by Cpt. Beefheart, with his very personal style.

We are not, however, facing a too austere work, the song form is not disintegrated, but originally enriched. The downside I found the album generally, not very homogeneous, as alongside a simple blues of the title track or the folk with an Irish flavor of "Loch Lomond", the cold and cerebral compositions of Frith and Kaiser clash quite a bit.

"Invisible Means" is a well-curated work, curious and also original. Some may also appreciate its heterogeneity which can sometimes be an antidote to stylistic flattening; that’s not the case here, creative insights are not lacking, both in the instrumental compositions and in the more easily assimilable sung ones. However, if the four had managed to blend together more without isolating themselves in compositions like in watertight compartments, if they had tried to mix more the compositional and performative styles, perhaps they would have produced a much more successful work. Sure, it's easy to say, and perhaps I'm wrong, it may be that mixing too many colors leaves a bland earth tone, or maybe it's just an excuse to be able to say that this "Invisible Means" didn't appeal to me much.