Johnny Bardo. Basket Case. /digi-pack/

Johnny Bardo is a solo project, a sort of an alter ego of Louis Franck, the leader of Esthetic Education. A bright, interesting project – no doubt. You should listen to one or two tracks only to make sure: everything is made in a talented, delicious, high-quality way. The project found its realization after Louis' return from a trip to India. And if regarding the music no noticeable Indian influences can be heard here, in the emotional plan – maybe. So many positive sounds are here, so much of some simple, real joy that one even feels reluctant to take the disc out of the record player. One remembers involuntarily the light wave, which was once brought from those lands, for example, by The Beatles – but here the associations are only aesthetical and emotional ones, no music inheriting is meant. Louis Franck – or Johnny Bardo – creates freely and beautifully, I would not like to define his music with any available terms. This would limit perception – while it is advisable to perceive such music directly, without filters. Actually, as well as any music – but here the case is such when there is even no temptation of a filter. Honest creativity does not require from anybody honest, impartial attitude to it – it is able to simply and naturally cause affection as a response... All this leads to that "Basket Case" is an album of light joy. And consequently – let's be joyous)

Anton Jozhik Leyba (Hedgehog)