A Sordid Poppy
The Holy Sides [1991-1992]
A Sordid
Poppy is the kind of obscure band that fans would like to keep
secret. So the best thing we can do is speak about it, and you can
feel lucky and keep the secret too! This French Cold-Wave band was
active in the beginning of the 90’s, its discography according to
Discogs consists of a self-released cassette in 1991, and an EP
released by Factotum Records in 1995. Thanks to Coldwave specialist
label Brouillard Définitif, the 1991 cassette, “Dehiscence”, is
available on CD, together with “The Red Cloud Sessions” and a
bonus track. The compilation was released in 2008 and is called “The
Holy Sides [1991-1992]”.
A Sordid
Poppy takes its name from Siouxsie and the Banshees’ and Babel 17’s
songs, so it gives an idea of their influences and sound: sharp
guitars and deep driven basslines sound from the first post-punk
years, synths and monoton vocals from the French Coldwave golden
years. They are not from the first wave of Cold so it is fair to say
that they have been influenced by earlier bands such as Asylum Party
and other cult bands. What about this compilation then? I recommend
it for any Coldwave fan, it is a real pleasure to (re)discover such
an obscure and desperate music. Songs like “The Old Face”,
“Walking across” or the blood-chilling “From Asylum with Love”
are songs of despair and madness, poetic and cold, grey and blurred.
Time to get back to the early 90’s and share the Sordid Poppy
secret.
Guillaume Renard
