It's tempting to call Rude one of Pierre Vervloesem's most straightforward albums. But it would be as meaningless as trying to agree on which album by Frank Zappa is his most simple. One thing is sure; in general, Rude features a more stripped-down, rock-on approach that certainly has to do with the fact that its basic tracks were all recorded in two days. Vervloesem sticks to an instrumental rock quartet and limits his overdubs to one or two in most tunes (Rue Wéry is one of a handful of blazing exceptions). For this new solo endeavor, the unsung guitar hero recruited old X-Legged Sally colleague Peter Vandenberghe on keyboards and a new rhythm section consisting of bassist Nicolas Dechêne and drummer Renaud Van Hooland. A 69-minute, 14-piece platter, Rude refuses to stand still. The listener is bounced back and forth between acutely difficult avant-prog, metal, jazz, reggae, and guitar-shredding rock roll. References to King Crimson, Doctor Nerve, Lukas Simonis, the omniscient Zappa and, surprisingly, Steamboat Switzerland are in order. Highlights include the doom-laden, organ-driven Titanic Again, where Vandenberghe does an astute impression of Steamboat's Dominik Blum; the very complex Greener (the longest piece at nine minutes); the horribly titled Pee Detector, and My Flemish Period, the latter an action-packed Zappa-esque tune with touches of dub and hardcore, if you can imagine that. Dechêne is a highly creative bassist, often opting for the less-frequented path, a perfect match for Vervloesem's guitar work. It is rare to find a guitarist who has a signature sound yet never seems to repeat himself and writes with an impressive resourcefulness. ~ François Couture, Rovi

1		Disquiet
2		Titanic Again
3		N 'Roll
4		Experimental Dentition
5		Born to Be White
6		Greener
7		My Flemish Period
8		Tubular Belge
9		Emile Zola's Jacuzzi
10		Canadair
11		Rue Wéry
12		Add God to Your Misery
13		Pee Detector
14		St. Guidon

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