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The Kaiser Fucks the New French Rock
This compilation is a showcase of contemporary French rock and roll. My first impression from it is that France has just discovered an up and coming band called The Stooges. All the bands featured play dirty, fuzzy garage rock to varying degrees of quality. The Kaiser Fucks the New French Rock demonstrates two things: the French are capable of rocking out and any band can play this style of music but only a few truly rock.
Nova Express
Opening the proceedings are The Holy Curse who (like most of the bands here) sound like they came straight from Detroit. Of the four tracks by them “Let’s Go Surfin’” is the best, where the drums sound like there are four drummers playing in perfect time and the chirpy chorus jars with the aggressive verses wonderfully. They are followed by Jerry Spider Gang who occupy a bizarre middle ground between Black Flag and Iron Maiden. I’m not sure if I think it’s great or cheesy but I’m veering more towards cheesy. Ashtones are one of the weaker acts on the compilation; mostly due to their singer’s absolutely desperate voice. Their cover of The Stooges’ “Search and Destroy” is criminal.
The only band on the disc that I am in anyway familiar with is Dimi Dero Inc. from Paris. Their sound seems to be getting progressively darker with discordant overdriven guitars and an urgency that keeps the songs moving. They are the most French sounding band thanks to lead singer Dimi’s thick accent. It is unique comparing to most of the other bands who all sound about as French as someone born in Paris, Texas. Most importantly his voice suits the music. On “Damn” his voice croaks and rolls before unleashing a powerful outburst backed by paint stripping guitar. The three tracks here are the peak of the compilation.
Cowboys From Outerspace are both as absurd as their names suggests but also are well capable of some serious rocking. I’d rate them as being second best after Dimi Dero Inc. “Kaiser Surfer” is all melodramatic spoken word vocals and carnival organ but the following track “Waiting for your Love” is a short but blistering song. The absurdity quickly returns with their ridiculous cover of “Suspicious Minds.” Basly’s French accent just sounds wrong (yet oh so right) singing Elvis.
The remaining acts on the album aren’t as interesting. The three Flying Over tracks all merge into one. The Waterguns are musically bubblegum punk that would be right at home on the latest teen spoof movie although their singer Jet Boy comes from the same school as the singer from the aforementioned Ashtones. Electric Karma are given only one track and it’s a shame because the trippy “Death in Paradise” was a pleasant ending to the album.
The Kaiser Fucks the new French Rock doesn’t make me book flights for France to join in any musical revolutions but at least makes me feel confident that there’s more to French music than airy electronic artists. There are some duds on the CD but that’s part of the fun with compilations. The better tracks have got me interested in getting more from more than one of these bands.
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