Poly Styrene, Generation Indigo

Future Noise Music
March 2011

Once described by Billboard as the “archetype for the modern-day feminist”, Poly Styrene was the unforgettable front woman of punk pioneers Xray Spex and is renowned for her discordant vocals and ball busting witticisms. Thirty years on from the band’s shambling, musical rebellion and this iconic female figure of Brit punk is back. With the help of uber producer Martin Glover (AKA Youth from Killing Joke), Generation Indigo is Styrene’s latest solo effort and is a kaleidoscopic view into music genres as the singer strives to move away from old punk tricks.

Worry not loyal fans, there is still some of X Ray Spex‘s signature sounds here. ‘No Rockefeller’ is a sauntering summer number contemplating issues of race while a Spex style sax plays out over Styrene’s smooth vocals. Similarly, ‘Code Pink Dub’s’ offbeat guitar strums and driving bass lines are reminiscent of her fellow 70s sirens, The Slits with Styrene’s reggae rap and pulsing beats.

By contrast, new single, ‘Virtual Boyfriend’, is a step into the modern age for Styrene commenting on the dating troubles of a 2000 teen – “we haven’t seen each other at all, text or a missed call, myspace friend that’s all…” The track, (co-incidentally picked as Video of the Week on 6 music’s Nemone’s show in light of its release last week) is laden with sparkling synths and and 80′s cyber vocals, not too dissimilar to electro duo, Robots In Disguise.

A hearty release to consume, Generation Indigo clearly serves up an exotic range of styles and at some points, you can’t help but wish the ambitious front woman had stuck with just one. The moments of genius lie in Styrene’s ability to hark back effortlessly to those ska sprinkled sounds of the 70′s rather than the album’s chirpy pop hits about her love of rubber soles and coloured canvases that all seems a little contrived.

Poly Styrene once sang the infamous line ‘”People think little girls should be seen and not heard” – thanks to this release, a whole new generation (Indigo or not) can still hear her strong female voice.

*originally posted on thegirlsare

INTRODUCING - Coasting

*originally posted on thegirlsare

New York bands are cool. C’mon, there’s no denying this. From the nonchalant swagger of The Strokes to their punk predecessors, The Ramones, the Big Apple is responsible for a plethora of hipsters who all know their way around a great melody. Coasting are no exception to this, despite their small geographical placement a few miles or so west in the NY borough of Brooklyn. But as the Sex and The City starlet, Carrie Bradshaw proudly states ‘Brooklyn is the New Manhattan’, yah?

Geography aside, Coasting are comprised of Fiona Campbell (drums) and Madison Farmer (guitar). The band’s sound is an eclectic and invigorating mix of everything from surf rock to riot grrrl greatness to a lo-fi ambiance not too dissimilar to NME darlings, Warpaint. An obvious comparison in style for Campbell’s primal drums is Sleater Kinney‘s Janet Weiss and this is not a likeness doled out on a mere whim. Hell no, Campbell can drum. The intense and frenzied tom rolls of ‘Same Old Same Old‘ are reminiscent of Weiss’ spine tingling tom work on Sleater Kinney single, ’Entertain’. Campbell’s ‘other’ band, Vivian Girls, would make for another lazy reference but there’s a spray of surf in Coasting’s sound and even a sense of twee pop in their bitter-sweet girl group vocals.

The all girl duo met while working for DIY godfather Todd P building stages, taking door money and tending makeshift bars late into the evening. There’s certainly an undercurrent of his DIY approach to their recordings and song writing structures too. The group’s method of composition is centred on hanging out, jamming and intuitively running with what sounds right. With tracks titles, like ’Snoozefest’ and ’Hots for Teachers’, this pair ultimately excel in youthful exuberance and FUN. Their Cramps-esque guitars stylings are soaked in New York grunge cool but also, from over the waters, angsty grunge strums that are not a far cry from Male Bonding‘s similarly raw riffs.

Both the Dalston trio and Coasting share a sound that makes for a welcome retreat to yonder days of abrasive drones and slacker pop hits and that’s certainly a sound worth riding the wave of…

 

Paper Dollhouse, A Box Painted Black

*originally posted on thegirlsare

Many lead singers take the plunge into solo careers and all with varying degrees of results. After the release of Stevie Nick‘s solo album, following her extensive career in Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stone deemed her “The reigning Queen of Rock and Roll”. Courtney Love could’ve only wished for the same reaction to her solo offering, America’s Sweetheart which instead, only saw her ‘reform’ Hole as a guise for her, ultimately, solo endeavours.

Paper Dollhouse is the work of Astrud Steehouder, vocalist and guitarist in London three piece The Rayographs. A Box Painted Black is her debut album and sees Steehouder following the footsteps of Nicks and co and stepping out on her own. Inspired by surreal and Gothic moving pictures like Czech classic, Valerie and her Week of Wonders and band name donor, Paperhouse, Steehouder has created a transgressive collection of folk tinged songs dense with intensity and draped in a brooding backdrop.

Track ‘Loved You More Than Ever’ is a dark and bewildering art performance piece which yearns for a cascade of flickering images to be shown during its swirling vocal progressions and Steehouder’s meandering monologue. It seems only apt then to hear that Paper Dollhouse has recently been working with photographer and writer Nina Bosnic in a live capacity using a variety of sonic and visual techniques including an old slide projector, a Dictaphone and prismatic imagery, to create a show as haunting as it is bare.

Similarly, track ‘Black Oak Tree’ deserves to play out on the edit credits of a classic western movie, with its sombre and Cash-esque Blues riffs and lyrics such as “words carved into the dirt track, so long”. Like the raw and initial demos of Dry that Polly Harvey spun out way back in 1992, A Box Painted Black is a collection of songs bound in emotive tonality as well as a fresh nativity.

As Steehouder says herself, it is “music for scenes in films that haven’t yet happened – but when they do, she is sure to be at the forefront of this cinematic new wave approach.

INTRODUCING: KITO

With acts like James Blake, Chase and Status and even Miss Spears playing homage to electronica beats in her recent release, dubstep is rife in charts. In a genre that has long been dominated by almost entirely male producers, the dub scene is having somewhat of a facelift and one visage at the fore front of this change is Australian dubstep artist/producer, Kito.

Read the introducing piece on dubstep down under, here : http://thegirlsare.com/

Ladyfest Paris 2011!!!

Esben and The Witch @ Point Ephémère, 28.02.11

Brighton is a city renowned for spawning an impressive array of starlets, from the father of electronic dance, Fatboy Slim to the recent rock duo, Blood Red Shoes. Who knew, alongside these indie delights, this sunny seaside shore had something as potent as Esben and The Witch brewing. Tonight’s show at Point Ephémère is the band’s final day of their European tour and as the ominous smoke fills the stage like the theatrical welcoming of a villain, Esben and The Witch greet Paris with their eerie drone.

Read the review of their live show, here : http://thegirlsare.wordpress.com/2011/02/28/review-esben-the-witch/#more-7679

*Photo by Cheri Amour

The Joy Formidable @ Fleche d'Or - 25.02.11

The Joy Formidable first released their début single ‘Austere’ in 2008, a year when (alarmingly) Canadian crooners Nickleback climbed to the top of the charts once more. In light of this, The Joy Formidable‘s expansive and ethereal sounds were a beacon of light in a sea of otherwise mundane indie. Three years on and Chad Kroegar and co. have just announced plans for their seventh, yes seventh, release. Yet, there is something to be said for a gradual career building and, with their début album The Big Roar finally released just last month, The Joy Formidable certainly prove that slow and steady really does win the race. I was lucky enough to catch up with the Welsh trio before their sold out show in Paris last week to talk about influences, a possible Febreeze sponsorship and incorporating cannons into their stage show…

Read the full interview here : http://thegirlsare.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/conversational-the-joy-formidable/#more-7512

*Photo by Cheri Amour

Thomas Tantrum,The Birdsong EP

*originally posted on thegirlsare

A surprise shift in direction makes for a welcome return. Thomas Tantrum are back and there's not a hissy fit in sight....

Chances are you will have already heard of Thomas Tantrum. The band, who list Lily Allen as one of their dazzling celeb fans, originally released their first EP in 2008 and made households everywhere sing along to the bands bratty whine of “I wanna talk”, like some kind of teen, well…tantrum. Three years on from their hazy days splashed over the pages of Artrocker and NME, where are they now, you might ask?

New release, Birdsong is the bands latest offering and, as the group bounce back with Cure like guitar jangle, it’s clear a lot has changed for this Southampton four piece in the time they’ve been missing from the spotlight. Gone are the tired rhymes and almost-cringe worthy-rap spats of former tracks like ‘What, What, What’, with its almost Kate Nash accented narrative. Instead, the bands front woman, Megan Thomas’ graceful vocals saunter through the whirling soundscapes with the same shining brilliance as Juanita Stein. Title track, ‘Face the Music’, shows that the band have done just that and seemed to have grown up, not only lyrically but musically too. Now, rather than sounding like some frat party hissy fit, they have the rhythmic swagger and reverb delicacies of bands like The Howling Bells and NME darlings, Warpaint.

The EP’s closer is an epic and empowering piano led ballad and something one could never have guessed would be the product of these former Talk Talk mobile starlets. As the ethereal guitar lines kick in, the track soars into a colossal chorus of ”you’ve been caught” and Thomas Tantrum truly have, in all their new (and improved) glory. Original demands of ”a drum roll when they step outside” may have appeared obnoxious before but, following this EP, only seems just.

Thomas Tantrum‘s new album is set for release this year.

L'Orient des Femmes, vu par Christian Lacroix @ Musée Quai Branley

I am having somewhat of a cultural cluster of blogs [it's not all just about sweaty gigs and concert halls in the city of light, you know!?] and with a plethora of fantastic exhibitions currently on in Paris, it seems only fitting for une blogueusee, comme moi, to expose them.

Christian Lacroix is another fashion house name that you will, no doubt, have heard of. He has boutiques all over the world from Paris to London to Japan and is famed for his Haute Couture which celebrated 20 years on the catwalk just a few years ago. More importantly, he designed a possible gown for the ultimate wedding [no, not the Royals] but Ms Carrie Bradshaw who idly posed in one designer dream after the other for a Vogue style fashion shoot in Sex and The City, The Movie...

Saucy TV series tangents aside and to a more inteellectual reference ...I have been reading a fantastic book over the festive period [no doubt, every Expats survival guide – Almost French by the most talented Sarah Turnball] which actually shed some light on Lacroix for me and, in fact, bears a whole chapter dedicated to a meeting with said designer. In the book, Lacroix talks about the French and how 'elegance française' has been lost. He goes on to add that 'in the past the French had innate taste, refined and personal. Now style is much more petit bourgeois, with the petty rules and silly rivalry of this class'.

As the artistic director of this exhibition, Christian Lacroix's 'L'Orient des Femmes' has certainly broken free of these so-called rules and, instead, harks back to the ancient traditions of some of the most talented seamstresses in the East and skills that are ultimately, being forgotten. Over 150 outfits and sets from the Near-East are assembled inside the contemporary, quay side building of the Musée Quai Branley conveying a strong sense of tradition and ancestral savoir faire.

Christian Lacroix, who dreamed of being a curator in his youth, pays homage to these oriental women and to an art that has been long standing for many years and should be celebrated for its meticulous and opulent designs featured in this exhibiton. You might not see these threads on Ab Fab but Lacroix has certainly done it again showcasing his talent for textiles but also, his hidden aspirations as a curator in his own right.

'L'Orient des Femmes', vu par Christian Lacroix runs until 15/05/2011.

www.christian-lacroix.fr

Betty and The Werewolves @ L’International, 29.01.11

*originally posted on thegirlsare

When pondering werewolves, I’d like to think we all hark back to the sketchy (but admittedly, brilliant) hirsute figure of Michael J. Fox in ‘Teen Wolf’. Just like the final scene in the 80′s cult classic where Michael triumphs in the basketball match sans transformation, it is with the same feeling of elation and enthusiasm that one should watch this band. Hailing from London, Betty and The Werewolves are a sparkly and sprightly mix of pop-panache and even boast an inspired track about the wonders of plastic. Despite their lack of eco friendly ethics, one can’t help but love this quirky bunch.

Gay-fully performing to a packed out crowd at L’International tonight, just off Paris’ bustling and vibrant Rue Obkerkampf, the band skip into former single, ‘Euston Station’, which, lead singer Laura proclaims in perfect French, is their “preferred stop on the London Underground”. Betty and The Werewolves have the upbeat tenacity of Letters to Cleo and the sweet vocals of the (frankly, underrated) Lush, particularly on moody track ‘The Party’, with drum-stomp and haunting backing harmonies. Latest single, ‘Paper Thin’ is met with whoops from the Parisians (a rarity, I tell thee), as the band saunter into warm, reverb-drenched tones, reminiscent of hazy days by the seaside as a child eating 99′s on the pier.

Ultimately, Betty and The Werewolves are like a timeless edition of Bunty: with soft spots for both David Cassidy and brightly coloured plastics, and a lyrical honesty that is both endearing and refreshing: “You ask me about The Libertines, who the fuck are they? I only know what happened in the sixties”.

 

Photograph courtesy of Michela Cuccagna @ Sound of Violence.

'Voyage En Capital', Louis Vuitton & Paris @ Musée Carnavalet

You will probably recognise his work from all the iconic luggage, trunks and trinkets often adorned with the trademark monogram of symbols across their leather fronts. He is one of the leading international fashion houses, has commissioned numerous luxury pieces for everyone from Miss France to The Darjeeling Limited and is one of the most counterfeited brands in the world [he even managed to have a spat with pop princess Britney Spears after one of his so-called-designs popped up in her video...]

Louis Vuitton brings his historical collection of works to Musée Carnavalet this February. Nestled in the bustling quartier of the Marais, Musée Carnavalet is comprised of long standing Hôtel de Carnavalet which is famed for housing Madame de Sévigné and where the Marquise herself penned her famous letters.

The area inside the ornate building has been transformed by the curators of the exhibition in order to bring the Vuitton history to life in both its layout and its pieces. The old street sign from the shop has been perfectly preserved in all its bottle green, glass glory. A charming wallpaper of an illustrative picture of Paris and the Vuittons various workshops and locations serves as both an informative, as well as a novel, approach to showcasing the companies history. An enormous club shape has been carved into the wall at the very beginning of the exhibition that visiters are invited to step through, in an almost Alice in Wonderland down-the-rabbit-hole scenario as we are plunged further into world of Mr Vuitton and his elaborate array of chic travel goods.

On leaving the expo, one is faced with many questions. Who knew, that during the 1930s, one lucky girl could house four Barbie dolls and all their delightful accessories in a specially accommodated Louis Vuitton bag? Did that bed really come out of that trunk? I can fit over thirty two pairs of shoes in this one...does it come in red? Louis Vuitton's Voyage en Capital is certainly a journey. From the Belle Epoque of the 19^th Century to his more novel creations for the Red Cross, Louis Vuitton's acclaimed travel accessories are still rife, not only in the capital but all over the world.

Just don't go buying any counterfeits of the stuff, or you'll have Louis to answer to...

Louis Vuittons 'Voyage en Capital' runs until the end of this month.

www.louisvuitton.com

We Are Enfant Terrible - Wild Child

*originally posted on thegirslare

Already a hit song for both The Doors and Iggy Pop, rest assured this is no euro trash parody from We Are Enfant Terrible. ‘Wild Child’ is like the scuzzy electro soundtrack to the latest Skins episode or a drrrtier Le Tigre playing out a track from their This Island remixes. It’s hardly surprising then, with such a sound, the band’s first gig was opening for Peaches.

Rather fittingly, the video for ‘Wild Child’ does feature infants in a hazy, vintage home movie style as well as interspersed band shots filmed under some kind of home-made fort (as one only does during their childhood). A far cry from what their name might suggest, We Are Enfant Terrible are a heady mixture of stabbing synths, distorted drum samples and purring Parisian vocals from Miss Clo Floret. At last a French act worth celebrating, tchin-tchin!

         

www.myspace.com/weareenfantterrible

MELISSA AUF DER MAUR!!

Admittedly, the festive period has led to a rather lax approach in writings [from the Right Bank or anywhere for that matter!]. However, heading home to Old Blighty for Noel rather than staying au rive droite, it seemed only fair to wait to pen my insightful tit bits once back here in gay Paris...that and frankly, I was far too busy sipping on tea served in china cups and eating copious amounts of Quality Street.

In need of somewhat of a spring clean as well, I am yet to update with some of my latest, and frankly unbelievable, goings on courtesy of thegirlsare!!

The month of December saw the legendary Melissa Auf der Maur play at Le Trabendo here in Paris celebrating her new record, 'Out Of Our Minds', six years after her debut solo effort. I was lucky enough to meet up with the flame haired reine of bass just before the show to discuss being your own manager, disliking bass players and mosaics of Japanese food.

Read the full interview with the Canadian queen, herself here:

http://thegirlsare.wordpress.com/2011/01/11/conversational-melissa-auf-der-maur/#more-6109

[and as if Melissa could have been any more of a humbling and sweet soul, we even got a tweet for the interview from her!!]

THANKS TO A LOVELY FELLOW RED @THEGIRLSARE FOR GOOD CONVERSATION.. http://bit.ly/gm1iTi 10:32 PM Jan 22nd via TweetDeck

Download the single, ‘Out Of Our Minds’ now.

http://twitter.com/xmadmx

http://xmadmx.com/

Rendez-Vous 003 : Highway To Yelle

*originally posted the girls are

If first impressions are anything to go by then French electro popsters Yelle certainly catch the eye. From their frontwoman’s colourful command over a style that rivals even fancy-dress-savvy-starlet Lady Gaga, to their tour-de-force pounding drums and jump-start synths, this group are truly making waves. So, with a top five chart hit in France and huge success following a recent tour in North America under their shiny pop belts, surely it’s only a matter of time before London’s Calling?

Chéri Amour: OK so for those at the girls are who are new fans of the band, how did Yelle come about? How would you describe your sound?
Grand Marnier (La batterie. Production. Kinky): Ah, ‘the sound’. I guess the sound would probably be labelled ‘electro pop music’. We like modern music, we like dance beats and we like melodies so it’s a bunch of that. Catchy too because we are from the FM generation!

CA: Your debut album, Pop Up, (released in 2006), was a huge success over here in France, particularly with the track Je Te Voir which reached the top five. Would you say there are many good electro bands currently in France?
Tepr: (Synths. Programmes. Fun) Yes, definitely. There is a scene. There is a scene following Phoenix a little bit. There are a lot of rock/pop bands singing in English here in France too that are doing really well for themselves; bands like Jamaica, Fortune, Pony Pony Run Run.
Grand M: But with regards to electronic music, there are all those people like Ed Banga’s ‘Crusade’ and Kitsune.

CA: But, maybe not what you guys have established – this kind of pop meets electro?Julie (La chanteuse. Sequins. Dance): We sing in French too so that makes us stand out from these kinds of groups.
Grand M: So, we don’t have any musical family here. We are alone. (tiny violin…) No, it’s nice though.

CA: When you were figuring out what you wanted to do musically, were you inspired by your French pop predecessors like Lio or Daft Punk?
Grand M: It’s not a direct influence as you can’t compare our sound to Daft Punk.
Tepr : When we were 15, we were mainly listening to rock bands and Daft Punk‘s first album, Homework, really opened our eyes to dance and that type of music. Homework is full of hooks so I guess, in that sense, it influences us.

 

 

CA: What do you think of the revival in recent years of the French electronic scene? Do you feel like you fit into that?
Grand M: Yes, because of journalists. The scene and the movement is quite separate for us though, really. We are a band living in Brittany, France. We are alone… in the countryside. We are not in a scene of underground dance music or anything there.

CA: There isn’t a scene in Brittany?
Grand M: There’s a scene for cows…!

CA: In 2008, you performed an overseas tour in North America and performed at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. What was that like?
Tepr: It was the beginning of something incredible in the US. We did Coachella and then we had proposals for so many more gigs after that.

CA: You played quite high on the bill that day, didn’t you?
Tepr: Yes, it was a really good slot at 9pm on the Saturday night.
Julie: We were actually playing at the same time as Portishead on the other stage.

CA: What was the reaction in America with all your songs being in French: was this a problem?
Tepr: We still can’t figure out why but the language difference doesn’t seem to be a problem.
Grand M: It’s funny to see people actually moving their mouths, trying to sing along to the words. I mean it’s something that we used to do ourselves when we were listening to those American rock bands when we were 15. It’s all about the energy and the direct feelings, I think.

 

CA: You’re all very involved in making the music – the production as well as writing. Tell us how this works…
Grand M: Actually I mainly write the songs but do produce some of them. Julie is writing together with me. With Tepr, we also produce some of the tracks alongside one another but he produces by himself too.

CA: Do you think it’s important, this collective almost DIY approach to music? Producing your own records etc?
Grand M: It’s the best way to do work with what you have. We produce all the records ourselves so we can really make the most of things. We don’t have any deadlines. Also, mixing the album, we have the opportunity to try different things. Sometimes it’s difficult when you maybe want to create a bigger sound from the production but it’s more real when you do everything by yourselves.

CA: What is the process like translating your sound from the studio to a live performance?
Tepr: It’s another job but we like it.
Julie: It’s different!
Grand M: Mostly, regarding the drums (as I play live drums on stage and when we make the records), it’s more produced. When I write a rhythm, I might play it but I won’t record it like that. I will record and edit.
Tepr: It’s a big challenge for us. People can feel when it is fake so we are always thinking about this. We finish an album and look at that as one challenge and then move onto the next; translating that into a live performance. We have to adapt all the songs from the album.
Grand M: It’s like a digi-set live but it’s just another process to us.

CA: You are currently working on your second album, Safari Disco Club, set for release in March 2011, oui? How is that all going?
Grand M: Yes, it’s due out in March with a new single out in mid-January. The recording is all done, in fact. We are just waiting for a few changes on the mastering and then we are going to shoot the artwork for it next week. We are working on the music video too. We’re facing all these other exciting challenges now; both live and the music videos.

CA: Do you have tours planned surrounding the release of the new record? Will you be coming back to Paris?

Julie: Yes, in April.
Grand M: And we’re going to open for Katy Perry.
Tepr: We are doing the UK dates with her.
Grand M: That’s an exclusive!

CA: So on the KP topic, you guys were lucky enough to be approached to remix her track Hot and Cold? How was that?
Julie: It was quite hard as we were in the US and didn’t have the facilities of our studio, so had to record it in a bedroom.
Tepr: Grand Marnier and I didn’t meet her but Julie did. At the time, we had such a limited time to record the track, like three days. We recorded the vocals under a blanket.

CA: Obviously, Julie, something you have in common with Katy is your quirky outfits and fashion sense on stage: do you think style is important part to the band?
Julie: I think it is important. It’s certainly part of the fun! For this album, we are working with Jean-Paul Lespagnard who we have already worked with on the Ce Jeu video. He’s a really nice guy. Plus, he is really into our music and gets involved in the whole idea.
Tepr: We like to feel that the people around us are really into the band and what we are doing.
Grand M: Not just into the name dropping.
Tepr: It’s cool to work with Jean-Paul as he is a young designer and he has a passion for life. He’s crazy!

CA: So, what’s next for Yelle, any other projects or collaborations that you can talk about?
Grand M: We don’t have time at the moment really with the new album coming out.
Tepr: We did The Crookers song, Cooler Couleur, last year and Julie did a cover for the Nouvelle Vague album.
Julie: For the new one, it just came out a few weeks ago (Nouvelle Vague, Couleurs sur Paris; a journey into post punk and new wave French classics).

CA: Which current bands do you rate?

Grand M: Miike Snow, White Rabbit.
Julie: Robyn (Ed - co-incidentally, another fab femme the band have worked with)
Tepr: Dead Mouse.

 

CA: What would your death row dinner be?(initially there is some confusion translating this idea…the last supper. Subject realised, the band are full of potential cuisine ideas)
Tepr: Avocado.
Grand M: Profiteroles with chocolate.
Julie: Something probably from Brittany, like Crepes.
Tepr: Perhaps, we could make this into some kind of three course meal. For starters, we could do Avocado salad….
Grand M: You know, I would really like to try (gestures at his own arm…)

CA: So, main course… human flesh?
Grand M: Maybe, my own sperm too. Flute of sperm.

CA: Describe Yelle in 5 words.
Tepr: Fun.
Grand M: Pretty.
Tepr: Kinky.
Julie: Dance.
Tepr: Is that 4? One more? Hmm, avocado?
Grand M: I think Avocado is good. It’s a vegetable with a fun shape. Good colour. And tasty.

Naturally. With a fun composition, good colourings and the ability to cook up tasty bite size pop hits, Yelle are the brightest vegetable in the electro pop patch. As the band prepare for tonight’s show at Fleche d’Or, I am informed that Rory Phillips, the headline act for ce soir, can’t make it due to the snow. So, does this mean a three hour theatre style set for Yelle with a intermission and ice cream? “If we are all alone on the bill, I think we will just spin some records after. Maybe even some Katy Perry”.

Yelle‘s new album, Safari Disco Club, is out in March 2011; until then tickets for their shows supporting Katy Perry on her UK tour in March are on sale now and I, for one, am penning that one down for Papa Noel. Electro-ho-ho!

Plastiscines @ La Cigale, 27.11.10

*originally posted on thegirlsare

 

Tonight’s show at La Cigale is the final date in the Plastiscines recent ‘Bitch’ Tour, and judging by the throng of devoted fans as well as many of the bands family and friends (later gushed about in the group’s on stage thank-yous), there’s more to these girls than just their formidable faces and figures. These French sisters are doing it for themselves; and in hot-pants, to boot.

Dubbed as the ‘bébé rockers’, being one of several current Parisian teenage bands, from the moment Plastiscines strut out on stage, one can only gaze in awe at their energetic exuberance: legs flailing, hair tossing and heads banging, the band crash into their set with Sex Pistols venom yet maintain their perfectly executed appearance of ‘rock chic’, as if presented in the latest cult fashion shoot. It’s not surprising then that Editor-in-chief of pop culture mag NYLON, in fact founded NYLON Records and signed the Plastiscines as its first act, after seeing them on the cover of French fashion and style magazine Citizen K.

Lit up on La Cigale’s glamorous and majestic stage like some hot guitar wielding Charlie’s Angels, their slender silhouettes are framed by the impressive light show of flashing strobes. Track Loser is met with an impressive and zealous crowd call and response while Myspace favourites,’Pas Avec Toi and Barcelona (both tracks taken from the group’s new album) demonstrate the bands ability to thrash out tight hooks and nifty fretwork, akin to the super cool nonchalance of The Long Blondes or the hearty backing harmonies of their punk rock predecessors, The Donnas .

One criticism to the set list ce soir would be the not-so-inventive, or indeed necessary, covers of both You’re No Good (first a hit for Linda Ronstadt and not to be mistaken for either the Van Halen or Aswad interpretation] as well as the 60′s classic, Be My Baby. Neither of these rather tired and uninspiring revivals compare to the bands own material which oozes class and confidence.

The girls saunter off after their double (yes, double) encore to a raucous, and more than deserved, final applause. With a glittering array of talent and charm as well as a powerful on-stage prowess, Plasticines truly represent a new rock elite.  Mon dieu, save these queens.

www.myspace.com/plastiscine

Ms Jones @ Café de Paris, 28.11.10

*originally posted on thegirlsare

 

 
Just down the road from the famed Nouveau Casino, Café de Paris is nestled amongst the heart of this capital’s café culture. Head towards the dimly lit back room and a haughty old theatre stage, with some strategically placed ambient lighting and the benefits of an original stained glass ceiling, is transformed into the perfect setting to immerse oneself in a sea of sombre sound waves.

You won’t find much on Ms Jones if you look her up online. Her Myspace is sparse with only mere song samples to go on and no Wikipedia account in her honour either (a resource so easily used as an, albeit not entirely accurate, preface to a band nowadays) Yet, perhaps, this is Ms Jones‘ intention and simply the only elements she needs rather than some crudely constructed online biography like so many of her peers.

Her approach is raw and sometimes a little unconventional (with some eccentric tuning towards the end of the set) yet there is something endearing about the way she exposes herself so wholly and vividly to tonight’s audience. Like Kristin Hersch‘s  haunting opening chords and timid bleats upon the track Sno Cat, the sadness in the room is palpable.

However, for a reviewer that’s more of a wild cat than a sno cat, the performance is ultimately a little bleak; the fragility in her singing is, at times, almost too painful to watch. There are some impressive collaborations though during the set with both friend, Phillip Lamb and fellow performer on the bill tonight, Richard Robert who, as an aside, is a remarkably talented guitar player and linguist – entertaining us with songs in three different languages, no less!

Perhaps, someone should pen that Wikipedia page for Ms Jones after all, if for nothing more than to build upon the bones of this stripped bare songstress. A fan of Hirsh’s delicate discordance and Patti Smith‘s more tender testaments? This petite françaises quivering anguish is certainly for you.

Listen for yourself, here :
www.myspace.com/heloisesque

Rendez Vous 002 - John and Jehn and Friends, Soirée @ Fleche d'Or, 09.11.10

 *originally posted on thegirlsare

 

With their new recording, Down Our Streets out this month, John and Jehn are back on familiar soil after making quite a name for themselves in Old Blighty over the last four years. Finding the time to chat before their soirée tonight at Fleche d’Or in Paris, we muse over their new [and clearly popular!] line of home-made merchandise, Jehn’s lesser known movie fame and pitch all things Brit against its French counter parts. So, have they ditched their café crème’s for cream teas and their oysters for eels, or are they still flying the flag for their Republic?

Read the full interview with the dazzling duo, here :

http://thegirlsare.wordpress.com/category/features/conversational/

Rendez-Vous 001: The Rambling Wheels

A ramble in the Swiss Alps...

Dressed up like some kind of hip, Swiss Hives, The Rambling Wheels certainly make a good first impression with their sharp suits and coiffured hair but is there more to this band than just top 'tasches and a good tailor? With the cold of winter nipping at their Furry Tales [co-incidentally the name of their most recent recording], The Rambling Wheels get cosy and cuddle up for a little rendez-vous as we talk about their countries fine time pieces, the great Surrealist Salvador Dali and the joys of the Rubix Cube. Lets get these Wheels in motion!

Chéri Amour: You've been a very busy band this summer playing a multitude of shows and festivals in Europe, how has that all been this going?

The Rambling Wheels: Very well! We’ve been busy touring mostly in Switzerland and France and had the chance to play in some great and important festivals. Besides the tour, we also recorded our new album between July and August... so we were on the road on week-ends and in the studio during the week !

CA: Having recently moved to Paris myself, there a few things that I am already missing from old Blighty [namely Tetley teabags, twixes and pork pies] can you name three essential items you always take on tour with you when you leave snowy Switzerland?

TRW: What we miss the most when we’re abroad is chocolate and cheese...OK, this might sound like a cliché but it’s true! Watches are easy to take with though so we’re always on time !

CA: As for the music scene in your homeland, all female 70s punk band, Kleenex became the first Swiss Wave export hit, reaching the UK Charts and nabbing a contract with [the still celebrated today] Rough Trade Records but what is the music scene like in Switzerland now?

TRW: There are a lot of very good bands in Switzerland, but it’s still very hard for them to get known abroad.... What is special in Switzerland is that we are kind of 3 countries in one ! There are a lot of musical and cultural differences between the French, Italian and German parts. We’re confident about the future of Swiss music though; things are moving now and some artists could really reach an international level, people like Sophie Hunger or Young Gods.

CA: I am sure you have often been compared to bands like The Hives and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion for your hot riffs and rock and roll swank but how would you describe yourselves and what would you say are your influences as a band?

TRW: Yes, we’ve already been compared to the Hives, probably because of the stage outfits and some sharp punk riffs... but we consider ourselves more like an electro-rock band, with a proper identity. We were influenced by 60’s and rock’n’roll music at the beginning and are now moving to something more new-wave, with electro-sound and synthesizers.

CA: As readers of my blog will know, you are a very well dressed bunch of fellows, indeed, and sport both impressive haircuts and facial hair. Would you say that the look and style of The Rambling Wheels is an important aspect of the band?

TRW: Yes, of course. We always considered the band image part of the whole project. We like developing a strong visual identity and, of course, moustaches, outfits and naked cats [check out the bands myspace for this] catch the audience’s attention!

CA: Who had the better moustache, Salvador Dali or Friedrich Nietzsche?

TRW: Salvador Dali

CA: Your album 'Furry Tales' was released last November, are there plans for more recorded Rambling Wheels material soon?

TRW: As we mentioned, we’ve been busy recording a new album this summer in between touring which will be released in March 2011 in Switzerland ! We hope that a release will follow in France close to that date.

CA: We Are Scientists actually did a series of comedy lectures alongside their last release, would you ever consider doing anything similar?

TRW: We like shooting lots of funny videos, like acoustic sessions in the lake or wherever. One day we’ll have more time to make all our dreams come true; who know we might even shoot a Rambling Wheels’ movie ?!

CA: Finally, according to your biography, The Rambling Wheels play rock and roll with real soul but in a game of rock, paper, scissors who would win?

TRW: We prefer playing Rubik’s cube or chess, sorry about that....

A band full of style, wit and clearly a grasp on a good game or two, The Rambling Wheels seem to have cracked the colourful cubed conundrum. Surely it's only a matter of time before they crack Europe too?

Check out the band and get all the latest tour dates at www.theramblingwheels.ch