IT IS QUITE LAZY
but at the same time it works and it actually doesn't matter all that much because the real winner is your ears.
-the portastylistic.........................................................................................
French pop confuses the heck out of me, yet The Penelope[s] charmed perfectly with Priceless Concrete Echoes. Perhaps now that confusion can just be intrigue.From the French fashion influence to the electronic ’80s edge of Depeche Mode, Axel Basquiat and Vincent Tremel don’t strictly adhere to the artists that released “Personal Jesus” and “Little 15″ to the masses, but the similar feel of experimentation and synth addled creations sits heavy.
The French duo have a lot going on in their album besides influences. Unlike the club scene that spits remixes and broken entendres, The Penelope[s] have risen above sheer reproduced tracks thanks to this experimental attitude. “Stuck In Lalaland” and “The Heat Goes On” both feature DJ Morpheus (Samy Birnbach) and both twist humdrum pop tunes into car-blasting feel good indie rock singles.
While the French lyrics hypnotically match the two-chord guitar loops in “Stuck In Lalaland” and the keyboard demo background of “The Heat Goes On”, both sound phenomenal, yet the ‘happiness’ of these tracks really begins the second each song hit the refrain. After coming to terms with the pop in their sound, shouting “Hey” or “Don’t be afarid now” becomes that uplifting experience in the day.
Along with DJ Morpheus, Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact) and Dierdre Dubois (Ekova) add to the diverse tracks that range from skittish Depeche Mode life odes to stolid Euro discotheques. For this, Priceless Concrete Echoes might not be the smoothest album out there, yet the synth-pop appeal stands out immediately, making a much better album than it would be otherwise.
For all the things that it is – as mentioned prior – there is one thing that Priceless Concrete Echoes isn’t – surprisingly different. Taking it as good or bad doesn’t really make a difference, because thankfully it isn’t the same old nondescript starlet or pretty boy hunkered down by overdubs and unneeded harmonies. In the genre of pop, it is a step above most, yet in the genre it appears to be emulating, it is not too much an innovative feat. Perhaps that was the goal all along. Long story short, Priceless Concrete Echoes is backed by immense talent and sure to serve as decent fill-space in one’s music library, if not forefront and center on their Top 25 Most Played playlist. We give it an A+ for effort.
Priceless Concrete Echoes released digitally on August 18 and will release in stores on September 29. For more on The Penelope[s], head to their website or MySpace.
The Penelope(s)
The Penelopes (or tHe pEneLOpe) is a French dance rock band consists of Axel Basquiat and Vincent T. They are based in Paris.
History
“After playing in both the rock and the electronic scenes and a few singles and remixes (especially for DJ Hell’s International DeeJay Gigolo Records), tHe pEneLOpe composed their first album The Arrogance of Simplicity in 2006, which was released under Vitalic’s label - Citizen Records.
The feature songs of the first album includes “Demian”, which is sung by the former singer Dierdre Dubois of Ekova (song referring to the Hermann Hesse eponymous book), and “In a Storm”, which features the former singer Samy Birnbach of the legendary Minimal Compact.
In 2008, the album has been re-released as a limited edition under the title: Choose: Arrogance, Simplicity or Both in Japan. It includes a remixed version of “Demian” by Black Strobe, a video of “Demian” directed by Danakil, “Gut Feeling”, a live version of a cover of Devo recorded in Paris, and “Rebellion”, originally interpreted by Arcade Fire. Another highlight of the album is “Je t’aime tant” (Elli et Jacno cover), where world renowned French writer Chloe Delaume sings duo with the Penelope, a song commissioned by French fashion designer agnès b. and was a part of the “Les Jeunes Gens Modernes” exhibition.”
it just fits!
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