MORE RECENT PRESS!

Album of the week - PUNK-ROCK’S COOL THING - Gierak’s French vocals and the band’s punk-rocking sound prove to be a powerful mix ... Feedback, fuzz, power chords open the album. L.. The combination of French vocals, creative and expert musicianship interwoven with punk-rock gives Mademoiselle K that certain je ne sais quoi. - The Advertiser

Combine equal parts indie-rock and Nouvelle Chanson, and Mademoiselle K is the utterly delirious result. Jamais La Paix is raw indie-rock with a European twist – a must-listen. For Fans of : Camille, Radiohead - Reverb Magazine - Four stars

Gierak delivers an album of rock-infused chanson, swapping the accordions for some thrashy guitars ... Gierak has a lovely sense of dynamics, so even the album’s most, erm, ballsy rock numbers (such as the title track) are tempered with softer moments. - Rave Magazine - Three stars

Le Vent La Fureur (‘The Wind The Fury’) kick-starts the album, placing it instantly in overdrive.. . More than the sum of its parts, it’s an explosive and immediate track. Title track Jamais La Paix wears its angsty punk-rock influences prominently, with Gierak screaming “Il pleut, c’est/c’est dieu qui pisse, c’est dieu” (“it is raining, it is/it’s God who pisses, it’s God.”) However Jamais La Paix is not a one trick affair, Maman XY (‘Mum XY’) is a tender and affecting track, not dissimilar to early Yeah Yeah Yeahs and lead single Grave (‘Serious’) is proudly radio-ready with its infectious and bass driven beat. Enjoliveur (‘Hubcap’) is the catchiest track ever penned about one of the more boring automotive parts out there... A surprisingly boisterous and compelling listen. Beat Magazine

Sometimes Mademoiselle K’s singer/songwriter/presence Katerine Gierak plays around with sound layers the way countrywoman Emilie Simon does and at other times she even picks at an emotional scab or two... Think of it as more ike a French spin on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs crossed with a bit of the Brooklyn art-and-punk scene. The attitude is easily discerned and in several songs, such as Pas Des Carres, the songwriting quality matches the ‘tood. - Sydney Morning Herald - Three stars

Grave Clip !

RECENT PRESS QUOTES

RECENT PRESS

“The French breakout story of 2009 is Mademoiselle K… Think Karen O meets early ‘80s Chrissy Hynde”

“explosive and immediate… a surprisingly boisterous and compelling listen.”

“Maman XY (‘Mum XY’) is a tender and affecting track, not dissimilar to early Yeah Yeah Yeahs and lead single Grave (‘Serious’) is proudly radio-ready with its infectious and bass driven beat.” Beat Magazine 08/09

"...Ten seconds into the single I realise they’re right. They are France’s coolest rock band.” Drum Perth 07/09

"Katerine Gierak’s snarling Gallic purr having the desired effect even before you hear the translation. Tu descends, indeed." Drum Media 07/09
"It’s a big call, but Katerine Gierak, frontwoman of French rockers Mademoiselle K, could just be the Karen O of France... they’re both charismatic performers with vocal deliveries that range from quiet and pensive to wild and sexy to angry and passionate..." Time Off Magazine 07/09

Forte Magazine Album Review

Forte Magazine Album Review
August 2009
Mademoiselle K
Jamais La Paix - Craving Records 2009

I think it’s pretty fair to say things just sound better in French and there is nothing sexier than a breathy, husky voice put to some awesome hooks and cool punky beats. If you too subscribe to this theory of French = sexy well Mademoiselle K’s latest record Jamais La Paix (Never in Peace) is a must have for your collection.

Lead vocalist Katerine Gierak has been described as the French incarnation of Chrissie Hynde and it’s clear to see why with her at times blasé disinterest juxtaposed against her at times fierce convictions and moments of almost scary aggression. It is this intriguing contrast of light and dark that makes Jamais La Paix such an intense pleasure to listen to.

With tracks such as ‘Grave’ (Serious) and ‘Alors je Dessine’ (So I Draw) the exceptional instrumental talents of the French outfit are more than evident as are some cool pop elements that make these tracks all the more commercially digestible – without being too commercial or too cliché . Title track ‘Jamais La Paix’ is probably the best indication of Katerine’s vocal talent and clearly fascinating character – I’ve got no idea what she is singing about but judging by her tone I am not going to disagree with her!

Jamais La Paix is like the ultimate mood music for passionate punk rockers who require some fiery tunes to set the scene without resorting to Marvin Gaye or Snow Patrol for a lovemakin’ soundtrack! And well if you are lacking in the passion departments this album is guaranteed to put you in the mood for some faire l'amour avec with perhaps a fierce punk edge ;)

Album review in Time Off magazine!

Jamais La Paix - Album Review
(Craving/EMI)

It’s a big call, but Katerine Gierak, frontwoman of French rockers Mademoiselle K, could just be the Karen O of France. Firstly, they look kind of similar – the 25-year-old Parisian has the same hairstyle and killer eye for fashion as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist. Secondly, they’re both charismatic performers with vocal deliveries that range from quiet and pensive to wild and sexy to angry and passionate.

Gierak is a diverse songwriter and her band’s music is hard to pigeonhole. While big, loud, chaotic punk rock is their specialty, they’re prone to throwing in danceable grooves or some dark, moody ambience just to keep things interesting. Unless you speak French, you won’t have a clue what any of the songs are about, and we all know those dodgy translation websites aren’t
much help. But if any of these tracks lose their intensity because of the language barrier, then they must have been pretty damn intense to begin with.

Stand-out tracks on Jamais La Paix, the group’s second album, include the melodic ‘A.S.D.’, the powerful yet achingly fragile ‘Maman XY’, the indie disco of ‘Grave And Enjoliveur’, the psychedelic post-rock of ‘En Smoking’ and the drawn-out rock balladry of closing track ‘Espace’.

At first, the French vocals do hinder the memorability of these tracks. You get the sense they’d be catchier in English. It’s hard to get lyrics stuck in your head when you don’t have a clue what they are, and the vocals just sound like another instrument. But don’t let that put you off: give it time, and this record will grow on you like the mould on your housemate’s week-old sandwich.

3 ½ stars - Daniel Wynne

Check Mademoiselle K out LIVE

Check out Mademoiselle K out LIVE at L'Hambra in Paris.... smokin...!

New Single Reviews - GRAVE

"Don’t laugh, this is serious. As in Grave means ‘serious’ in, er, foreign. But seriously folks (I’ll stop now...), Mme K is a French rock band pretty obviously taking cues from The Pretenders circa 1982. Not a bad thing, with the nation applauding the return of sprayed-on leather pants and the skinny tie as shirt. With production by a former Green Day cohort this has an international outlook, with the eponymous Katerine Gierak’s snarling Gallic purr having the desired effect even before you hear the translation. Tu descends, indeed." Drum Media (Syd) July 7 issue 965, Singles by Ross Clelland

"The media release for this single is headlined ‘France’s Coolest Rock Band’. A gutsy call by the band’s publicist. Like most music journalists in this country, I feel that headlines like this are just begging me to write something acerbic, to prick their pomposity and cut them thoroughly down to size. Sadly, ten seconds into the single I realise they’re right. They are France’s coolest rock band. Journalism fail." Drum Perth 9 July Issue 144, Single Review by Jaymes Brown