Frenchy’s Fracas

Heheh, birthday boy FrEg, called me up to ask me what band did the 80s classic The Whole Of The Moon and that jogged a lot of trivia in my mind. One of the lead members of the band started a band called World Party and I still remember one specific track/video: Revolution. In the video you see a then unknown backing singer who got my attention with her crew cut shortened coiffure. Later on she went to have a global hit with her cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares To You.. Still with me? The girl was of course, Sinead O’Connor (weird lil’ pixie) and the band that FrEg was asking about was called The Waterboys.
I do like these little braindumps!

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General Description
Artist/Band: The Pepsils
Year: 2006

Grabbing attention by the balls..
 
How I Got Into This Music
FrEg
It was my turn to pick an artist from MySpace. I’ve searched for Dutch bands with interesting influences and the Pepsils had a huge mix of such. (Pamela Anderson? Yea, uh-huh)
But seriously, how would a band influenced by e.g. Japan, N.I.N, Scritti Politti, Kravitz, Bowie, Prince, Pink Floyd and Trevor Horn sound like?
Hieronymus Fox
OK, here we go….
A suggestion by FrEg this time. Another Dutch band and only 81 profile views..?? Welll…. fresh out of the egg! Mjammie!

The Tracks:

Pam
FrEg
Love the intro! Starts with a Groove is in the heart like bass loop, nice breaks and Apollo 440 guitar riffs. The verse and rest of the song is more straight-forward, although still tight, which I like. Recommended that you listen to this! (more than once ;-))
Hieronymus Fox
What’s this? Groove is in the Heart (Deeelite) is getting raped by Candy (Iggy), the Prodigy, Bow Wow Wow and the Creeps?
Helll..! A raw guitar/synthesizer sound, funky beat… After some listening I see some hit potential. Could easily be a song being played on 3FM….
frenchy!
Envigorating, catchy, energetic. Very recognisable, I’m adding Elastica’s Ready To Go in the mix..

Johnny Absolute Impossible
FrEg
A tight guitar riff and straight rock song that kicks off right away. Small minus: The break to the repeat of the chorus can be worked out better; it’s sounds too cheap as it is now. Overall: good sing along and (almost) radio ready.
Hieronymus Fox
Sounds like a late seventies/early eighties punk song. When you start getting bored, fortunately the chorus brings in the necessary freshness. Bring in the pooltable and the beer and I am happy! But that intro….. it sounds very familiair…very… Classic Rock? Help me out y’all! Chicago?
frenchy!
Ah, the Ramones intro, kinda beach pop rock. Strongest point of this track: it’s one that I’d like to hear live!

Seven Years
FrEg
This song fits in the style of the previous two. The overall feeling of the previous number is starting to echo into this one: Where are the influences of N.I.N, N.E.R.D, Pink Floyd?
It’s too electronic rock. Nothing wrong with it, but not where I stay tuned to too long…
Hieronymus Fox
Mhhhh this one is … Kind of an early Edge (U2) guitar sound and…. Smashing Pumpkins..? Typical Kink FM Jan Douwe Kroeske stuff? And… guys… no rapping anymore… please?
frenchy!
80’s intro (Gary Numan, Buggles) cyperpunk guitars and keyboards. Chorus is a little gem of retro-music, evoking a memory set that never really happened.

Sleeper
FrEg
It’s a plus that the fourth published song distinguishes itself from the previous ones. So the Pepsils are not a one trick pony
It has a layered build-up that is worked out well. Dark style verses that works itself to a double tempo Prodigy climax…
….and then with a short needle scratch back again to half tempo for the next verse . Hmmm, o-kay… and forward again to a climax, but then an abrupt ending, short silence and repeat of the chorus?!? Come on guys, those breaks are too harsh and should be worked out better.
Hieronymus Fox
Ha ha ha, I was starting to write down the following: “Without the uptempo beat the singing does not work for me anymore…” and then suddenly this damn Prodigy boost jumps in! Helloooooo..!! Are you still there? Superb ending of this song….
frenchy!
Weirdness intro, me like! There’s a definite Ween/Bowie thing going on here. But the track’s multiple buildups kinda lead to nowhere. The Linkin Park part is just that. NMCOT.

Conclusion
FrEg
Promising sound that’s catchy, but the production still needs some work to keep your attention. So let the Trevor Horn influence shine though more and I certainly will come back to listen again.
Hieronymus Fox
The guitarsound is a little rough (on the treble that is) for me. Furthermore the singer gets a little irritating after a while. I am not saying he is a bad singer or something; but there is little variation in his voice. It’s a bit monotonous.
The sound of the band isn’t really original (except for Sleeper perhaps). It keeps reminding me of other bands and songs. On the other hand…. who said you should be original in music…. And the name is pretty original!
It took some hearing sessions to convince me, but thumbs up: 3/5
Good luck guys! And eeeh… consider adding Fisher Z to your influences too
frenchy!
Honestly? Like their stuff, not something I’ll be listening to, but they’re definitely making interesting music. Their biggest problem: everybody (in this case: the three of us) recognises a lot of other people’s music, but no specific style of their own - 3/5

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General Description
Artist/Band: C-mon & Kypski
Album Title: Where The Wild Things Are
Year: 2006

Quiltmasters of Sound (in training)
 
How I Got Into This Music
Hieronymus Fox suggested we listen to this band (gotta change the setup of this post coz this part’s not making any sense..)

The Tracks:

Bumpy Road
FrEg
In-your-face intro - like it. Nice uptempo groove, mixed with Wall of Sound heaviness - like the bass.
The singing offers a strange contrast against the heavy mix of sounds. Nice bridge.
Hieronymus Fox
The single. Kinda when Junkie XL meets Fatboy Slim. The voice-overs are funny at the beginning, but start to annoy me during the song. I am missing a “flow” which makes the song a little boring, I think. Reminds me more of a TV Comedy tune.
frenchy!
Yes, I get the irony, yes, I really do, don’t worry.. Nice 70’s feel combined with scratch-n-breaks. Please notice the great guitar sample in the background! It’s mostly a patchwork track of styles and samples, refreshing and yet a bit tedious!

Chemical Mixture
FrEg
Like the intro even more than Bumpy road’s. Sounds like a cross mix of Aphex Twin break beats meet Chemical Brothers. Lots of tweaks, bells and whistles - in the end it’s too much, especially the scratching. This heavy sequencer based techno is not quite my kinda music
Hieronymus Fox
The start of this song is promising: raw old school hip hop beats meet electrosounds… When they start “freaking” in the song I start losing interest a little. It reminds me more of a DJ battle than a song. 3 minutes of Chemical Mixture is really my limit!
frenchy!
Great sample and scratch work. The track’s sooooo retro (in a great way!)

Attention
FrEg
Kinda easier to digest: more to dance to than on the previous tracks. Starts of in reggae style while ending in acid dance and the ending is too abrupt
Hieronymus Fox
Mhhhh…. “Survival” (a Grandmaster Flash classic) opening and then…. It’s when reggae meets drum’n bass. Where have I heard that before? Despite funny voice samples, this could have been that specific song from Goldie’s first album or the 1998 Freestylers’ album you mostly… skipped…
frenchy!
Afrika Bambaataa and Kraftwerk are back, still with a 00’s cheap ripped-off feeling. That female vocal sample’s from Eric B and Rakim’s Paid In Full. Nice but not shockingly great.

Chocolate
FrEg
Techno goes India - choice of instruments is good, but I don’t get the link between title and music (should’ve listened more closely, FrEg - frenchy!)
Hieronymus Fox
Freaky synth bass, nice acoustics. But still… it doesn’t work for me.
frenchy!
I love the guitar and that funky snake charmer horn!

Conclusion
FrEg
In every song, you hear that it’s well crafted and thought through. The mix of styles is all over the place which makes it harder for me to form a strong opinion about this band. All-in-all the balance is going towards positive so give it a serious try yourself!
3/5
Hieronymus Fox
First of all, respect for the attempt of crossing music borders (again), but the search for new and surprising is annoying me. Every moment is used for “new” twists in the songs. Where’s the soul? For Fatboy Slim it worked. The chosen instruments and sounds should be sufficient for almost half of it. The songs I have listened to, made me think of a collage [...] and this starts to annoy me every time halfway the song.
Sorry guys…. I am not going to buy your album, but I am curious for your next one.
frenchy!
It’s different in the same way you describe a girl as having a great personality. Thing is, it really isn’t about the looks, it’s about the sound and that’s where the band kinda falls short. I wouldn’t mind seeing them live though, they sure as hell have a great energy!

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General Description
Artist/Band: Azevedo Silva
Album Title: Clarabóia
Year: 2006

Moody..
 
How I Got Into This Music
It kinda found me.. I got a mail from the artist if I was interested in listening to his demo tracks at myspace and if I wanted to consider writing a review. Ego-wise, I’m guessing about a gazillion bloggers were contacted about this demo, but I kinda like the approach: no multi-billion record company sales machine, just a mail and a profile at myspace. Ok, works for me.
I thought it’d be interesting to change the setup of the review by asking two friends of mine to listen to the three tracks and send me their opinion. So this review is a done by a three man committee (Hmm.. maybe next time, some female opinions?)

The Tracks:

O Início

FrEg
1st impression: if you like this type of music (I got a CD of Billy McLaughlin at home) then it’s okay.
Conclusion: get’s a bit monotonous, more variations would be nice
Hieronymus Fox
Melodic. The guitar is somewhat too loud and that is why is starts getting on my nerves after a couple of times. After some post production, I think it would be a nice tune for a Peter Coyote kind of melancholic road movie.
frenchy!
Love the intro, it’s full of promise. Spacey effects on the background remind me of a track by Ween. Like the whole atmosphere.

Deserto

FrEg
1st impression: Slow, but echo on vocals works for the atmosphere and enhances it too.
Conclusion: needs a more fuller sounding vocals, maybe without the echo?
Hieronymus Fox
This is too depressing for me. Reminds me of the dark side of the Seattle sound. Again I think the guitars is too loud, vocals too low.
frenchy!
Nope, not going anywhere, this song.

Cianeto de Potássio

FrEg
1st impression: More moodiness, like it better than the first track. The vocals could be a bit stronger, since they seem to lose out to the guitar.
Conclusion: Still a bit monotonous.., more variations would be nice
Hieronymus Fox
Whereas this reminds me a little too much of Radiohead this song has potential after some post producion and…. work more on the vocals.
frenchy!
Yep, the grunge thing is in full effect.

Conclusion
FrEg
It’s a demo, so rough takes are okay. Like the themes for the songs but they do need more variation/depth/enhancements.
Hieronymus Fox
First off, I have to be honest in saying this type of music isn’t really my cup of tea. (which is why I asked him — frenchy!)
So that’s why I’m not too thrilled about it all.
frenchy!
Loved the first track, like the style, wondering how the music and the artist will evolve.
Well, there it is.. It’s all very experimental and new for me, this way of reviewing (the layout’s not working for me). I’ve had to edit/cut some comments because they were too long or possible a bit too harsh ;). And I tried to keep in mind that this artist isn’t on the mainstream pop charts earning big bucks and already into his second marriage with another soon-to-be-has-been model wannebe-serious-actress. So maybe soon, this really will happen and I can tell everyone that I reviewed his work before he became famous, heheh..
Seriously, lemme know what you think about the tracks and the review..

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