I normally prefer to spread things out more these days, but when it rains, it pours. Three great friends have just passed on some incredible coldwave tapes that I’m just itching to share, so the next three posts will feature their generous donations. First up, Stéphane has donated a rip of the two previously unshared Mémoires d’Automne tapes, 1993’s Gloria Victis and 1995’s self-titled cassette. I’ve also included a series of compilation-only tracks, including some alternate and live versions of the tracks that appear here. These tracks originally appeared across the Exterieur Nuit, L’Appel De La Muse (volume 5), and Looking For a Life to Lose compilations, and should complete the discography. 1996’s Cliché cassette will not be included here, partially because it has been uploaded elsewhere. More importantly, a vinyl reissue of this seminal tape will be released in just a few weeks on Meidosem Records. Click here for a preview and some pre-order details.
For those unfamiliar, Mémoires d’Automne were a three piece band from France, active in the 1990s and continuing the French/Belgian style of guitar-driven, melancholic post-punk. Of course, any regular here should be well versed in this sound by now, but for any newcomers, this is highly recommended for fans of Nuit D’Octobre, Sombre Septembre, Odessa, Asylum Party, Lucie Cries, Formes Nouvelles, and more well known bands like And Also the Trees & early Cure.
There’s a lot of excellent material here, so best to get to it:
Mémoires d’Automne- Gloria Victis K7 (1993)
1. Le Secret
2. A La Gloire Des Vaincus
3. Fatalité
4. Open Scars
5. L’Impossible Oubli
6. Finalité Absurde
Mémoires d’Automne- Mémoires d’Automne K7 (1995)
1. The Triumph of Time
2. Autumn Day
VA- L’Appel De La Muse, Vol. 5 (1995)
10. Fatalité
VA- Looking For a Life to Lose K7 (1995)
4. L’Impossible Oubli
17. Trauma
VA- Evanescente CD-R (1998)
10. Inmate Song (Early Reflexion – Mix)
VA- Exterieur Nuit (2000)
5. Dance of the Nothing
10. Blurred Pictures (Live Theatre De Roanne, April 1997)
You can also find an alternate version of ‘Autumn Day’ (titled ‘Time of the End’) on 2007’s Ruines & Vanités compilation, which is still available to order online. Thanks to Sorrow Vomit from Kentucky Fried Wave for donating the v/a tracks and again to Stéphane for the cassette rips!