Music in my ears and eyes

One of my greatest pleasures is viewing music happening.  

Parisian Invasion

I’ve been dipping into the French honey pot a lot lately.

We’ve seen Daft Punk and Phoenix do quite well in recent years, including headline gigs at Lollapalooza in 2007 and 2010, respectively (and this collaboration at MSG).  Justice and Underground Railroad have made some (mostly good) noise, as well.  They also have Freedom for King Kong, who made this one really…cool…Okay, okay, I found a list of French artists online and thought the name sounded fun.  ANWAYS I’m interested to see what else The Land of Human Rights/Frogs has to offer.

One group that’s recently made an impression on me is Jamaica — and I think the bold-italics combo is the only way they’d want it.  Antoine Hilaire and Flo Lyonnet play ear-splitting guitar riffs, catchy beats, and exuberant themes, making them my Favorite French Band of the Moment.  Their debut album, ‘NO PROBLEM’, released in August 2010 and was produced by Xavier de Rosnay of Justice.  Despite being signed to electro-pop record label Ed Banger Records, the album was created with a “no synth” rule.

The playfully sardonic video to ‘I Think I Like U 2‘ features, as the band explains on their myspace site, “extremely impressive technologies like photography, drawing and such.”  Check it out!

You can also visit this music download site for free downloads of remixes done by Buffalo Bunch and…(look down)…

BREAKBOT.  Also signed by Ed Banger Records, DJ Thibaut Berland can make a beat.  Though he’s mostly into remixing others’ works, ‘Baby I’m Yours’ is an original sure to make you want to boogie (whatever that really means).  Please, please watch the video, too…it’s an experience!

While these bands haven’t yet earned much recognition in the US or UK,  Pony Pony Run Run is doing a lot in other European lands to make a name for themselves.  Coming out of Nantes in western France, this power-pop trio’s aptly-named 2008 album, ‘You Need Pony Pony Run Run’,  reached #78 in the French albums chart and is currently touring throughout northern continental Europe.  Be sure to listen to ‘Hey You’ at their myspace site.

Another trio of go-getters in the Beatles-inspired Revolver out of Paris.  Their music is mostly simple, but the band brings a host of influences together to create ‘chamber pop’.  While it’s difficult for them to sing in English, their site explains, “[Our] songs speak the international language of melody and wonder.’  All this band needs is some touring experience and time to hone their melodies before they make it big.  Music and band information can be found here.

Oh, you noticed that I used the French colors for the band names?  Actually, those are American colors.