Run, the French are coming! Wait, it’s the French nevermind…
You know, I’ve visited France. Spent a pretty crazy weekend in Paris during college. Honestly, though, I wasn’t that impressed. Don’t get me wrong the place was fun and all, but I don’t know that it was any more fun than NYC or Atlanta or Dallas. But recently France has become a hotbed of musical activity that is much more impressive to me than the sights I saw as a youngling. In fact, there’s a brewing French invasion in rock music that may one day rival the British invasion of the 1960’s. Don’t believe me? Read on and be educated, jack!
Exhibit A: Phoenix
French rock group Phoenix released their 6th album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix in May 2009 to critical acclaim. They’ve been called France’s version of the Arcade Fire and their latest album garnered a prestigious 8.5 rating from Pitchfork. Phoenix began their careers playing Hank Williams and Prince covers on the French club circuit and cite ’80s American pop music as a primary influence. Recently, they were the subject of tribute videos on YouTube. Thier music is very eclectic, alternating from rock anthems to synth-pop, sometimes in the same song. And to round out thier art-rock credentials, lead singer Thomas Mars currently hooks up with film-maker, producer, and actress Sofia Coppola. Basically, folks, Phoenix is on the verge of blowing up in a Death Cab or Modest Mouse sort of way.
Exhibit B: Air
French electronica duo Air came into prominence following the release of their 1998 album Moon Safari, which was a critical darling. They were exposed to American audiences in 2000 when they recorded the soundtrack to the Sofia Coppola film The Virgin Suicides and then again in 2003 when they contributed to the sountrack to Lost in Translation. Since then, Air has been en vogue and the indie rock press is certainly on the lookout for their next album, set to drop in October, titled Love 2.
Exhibit C: Kid Bombardos
You’re not going to find a lot around the web about this Bordeaux quartet, but they’ve already opened for Vampire Weekend in thier short career. They play a pretty varied mix of musical styles and like Phoenix they record mostly in English. They’re poised for a breakout with their latest single "I Round the Bend" and don’t be surprised when you see them on the late-night circuit soon.
Exhibit D: Malajube
OK, so these guys aren’t technically from France, but they do sing in French so that counts for something, right? Malajube is from Montreal, Quebec and I just picked up their latest album, Labyrinthes, this past week and am in love with it. These guys definitely have range, their music moves from stadium rock to powerpop to complex art-rock forms effortlessly, sometimes within the same song. This band will challenge you musically but if you spend some time with them you’ll be thankful you did.
There are others we could discuss, but this should give you an idea of the flavor that is coming out of French rock these days. I hope we’ve introduced you to some interesting music that you’ll enjoy for some time to come. So round up some truffles, break out the French wine, and kick out the jams baby. Thanks for reading.
