I’ve been having a blast listening to the latest self-titled album from Rennes, France’s Kaviar Special. The French band actually sings in English and they blend garage, pop, and surf all into one giant rock ‘n’ roll mix. This is an album surely for the slimy at heart. Fans of Black Lips, Atlantic Thrills, Hunx and His Punx, and Jacuzzi Boys will really dig this. My favorite cuts are “Dating A Slut,” “Paradise,” “#1,” and “Summer.” Shit, I wish I had heard this album in the summertime, because I know exactly how Kaviar Special feels when they repeatedly sing “I Wish that summer never ends!” Seriously, these dudes really don’t want summer to end haha. Well, at least we have the good tunes and each other.
I can’t recommend this band and this album enough. Kaviar Special’s debut LP is co-released by Azbin Records/Howlin Banana Records. You can order it here: http://azbinrecords.fr/
Band: Lovely Feathers
Label: Equator
Release: 2006
1. “Pope John Paul” – A+
2. “In the Valley” – A+
3. “I Really Like You” – A
4. “Frantic” – A+
5. “Wrong Choice” – A+
6. “Mildly Decorated” – A+
7. “Photocorners” – A+
8. “The Only Appalachian” – A
9. “Ooh You Shocked Me” – A
10. “E Man Sorrow” – A+
11. “Rod Stewart” – A++
12. “Breakfast Cake” – A+
13. “Lion Eats The Wildebeest” – A+
Comments: Talk about a fun album! Lovely Feathers are overflowing with energy and power-pop charisma. It’s sort of synth-pop meets straight up garage-pop. A fun combination! Although it looks like I am worshiping this album or what have you, I am not. It’s damn good, though. If I was doing a normal review for this, it’d probably end up as a best album of the year candidate, not to mention one of the best albums of the decade. There is nothing epic about this one. What you hear is what you get. Fast, quirky, pseudo-dance numbers. “Rod Stewart” sort of exemplifies the spirit of this album. Heavy and catchy. Unfortunately, haters might decline to take this album seriously. That’s unfortunate for them, because sometimes sappy is much needed in music. Most of the tracks on here are multi-layered. So inevitably some parts are catchier and better than others. But I tell you that the catchy parts are really really really catchy.
Final Grade: 96 (A)
Boston based shows/fests – DIY, punk, noise
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 