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
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
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
"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
Go in the draw to win an Epiphone guitar
To celebrate the release of France’s coolest rock band in Australia, Mademoiselle K, Craving Records and Epiphone are proud to join together to offer you the chance to win an Epiphone Les Paul guitar. (You must be a resident of Australia to win).
N.B. Actual prize may vary in colour or finish depending on availability.
To go in the draw, enter your details in the form below, which will automatically add you to the Mademoiselle K mailing list (you can unsubscribe at any time).
Winner announced September 10th.
Enter NOW!
About Epiphone:
Recognized worldwide as a leader in musical instrument design, quality and innovation since 1873, the Epiphone Company produces every major type of fretted instrument including electric and acoustic guitars, mandolins and banjos as well as amplifiers. One of Gibson’s most formidable competitors through the first half of the 20th century, Epiphone was acquired by Gibson Guitar in 1957. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Epiphone is part of the Gibson family of brands. For more information on Epiphone go to www.epiphone.com
N.B. Actual prize may vary in colour or finish depending on availability.To go in the draw, enter your details in the form below, which will automatically add you to the Mademoiselle K mailing list (you can unsubscribe at any time).
Winner announced September 10th.
Enter NOW!
About Epiphone:
Recognized worldwide as a leader in musical instrument design, quality and innovation since 1873, the Epiphone Company produces every major type of fretted instrument including electric and acoustic guitars, mandolins and banjos as well as amplifiers. One of Gibson’s most formidable competitors through the first half of the 20th century, Epiphone was acquired by Gibson Guitar in 1957. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Epiphone is part of the Gibson family of brands. For more information on Epiphone go to www.epiphone.com
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