PARISITE, formerly "Parisnormale: Paris Rocks." Renamed because that's who you are, right?
Indie-oriented music news, reviews, and commentary (including retro subcultures). Events calendar for rock and indie anglophones in Paris. Also occasional tip off about related indie and rock events: art openings/exhibits, street theatre, films, special bars and cafes, Revolutions.
Dance your way into December this Friday night Nov. 28 with Djay Indie Eclectique and Mr. T. An un-missable/incontournable night of New Wave: Old 80s New Wave vs. New 2000s New Wave.
What does that mean? THE WORLD'S GREATEST ELECTRO POP:
DEVO, DURAN DURAN, THE STRANGLERS, THE HUMAN LEAGUE...POLYSIC, TING TINGS, MGMT, MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS, OF MONTREAL, THE SOUNDS, HOT HOT HEAT...
Where? L'Orange Mecanique
72 Rue JP Timbaud, 75011
Metros Parmentier/St. Maur/Menilmontant
(though we might have a location change to the new, much bigger, dance-friendly UFO bar, same owners, a couple doors down toward Av. Parmentier. We'll post it on the door of Orange Mec if we do)
November Picks: Sigur Ros, Hot Chip, Joan as Policewoman, Noah and the Whale, Eli Paperboy Reed
Jayson Harsin writing for I V Y paris
It may be getting colder in late November, but Paris is burning (musically too). Allow the cheesy weather metaphors a reprieve for yet another sentence.
On November 15, Paris gets Iced. Iceland's Sigur Ros (featured left) has in recent years been the posterboy for post-rock. Weird, falsetto voices (in Icelandic) and lush interplanetary soundscapes mesmerize with electronic shimmys and drones, as well as high feedback guitar strumming. They give you the sense of orbiting the earth, becoming a human satellite, when you listen.
This year SR released their fifth full-length album, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (translation for the couple of readers nonfluent in Icelandic: With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly), which is slightly less wall-of-sound than past albums, containing short, airy pop songs like "Gobbldigook," and clearly distinguishable instruments. The more "tethered" selections of this album may merit the venue choice at the Zenith instead of the nearest IMAX theater. Zenith, 19h30 complet/full (check Craig's List, les Inrocks forum, or try scalpers for some spots).
Next check out the November 16 night of the Festival Les Inrocks at La Cigale. The lineup features Hot Chip, Cut Copy, Late of the Pier, Metronomy, and Kennedy. UK's Hot Chip is perhaps the buzzin'est act of the bunch. Their brand of electropop, catchier than techno thumps and loops, but contagiously danceable, won NME's best album of the year 2006, and their fourth album won album of the month for January 2008 by the influential Mixmag. Witness the video evidence:
On November 19 Brooklyn's Joan as Policewoman rolls into the Maroquinerie with sirens blaring. “Beauty is the new punk rock,” her myspace page somewhat pretentiously announces. Beauty may be relative, convulsive, ineffable, and/or a revolutionary ideal in a time Joan finds saturated with apathy and distrust, but her music is at least an honest chasing after that elusive ideal. The guitar work sometimes recalls the early Cure (such as “The Forest”) at others a nostalgic horn-backed lounge soul, while vocals even recall the silk-throated Madeleine Peyroux or Feist. A pastiche that has yet to arise in the indie world, Joan’s music exudes a fleeting innocence, usually found by dusting off scratchy vinyl. Witness exhibit number 2:
November 20's Inrocks Indie Club at La Maroquinerie features Noah and the Whale, who is tearing up the CMJ chart in the U.S. What is it those college kids dig in Noah? A catchy indie folk-pop, that features quirky vocals, never to have been corrupted by a voice lesson. Some songs are twangier than others, with a bit of violin in the mix. See for yourself.
On November 27 arguably the greatest new soul sensation returns to the Maroquinerie. Was here in the summer and blew a small Maroquinerie audience away in the middle of les vacances. Perfectly pickled soul vocals moved effortlessly between slow Sam Cooke-d croons and James Brownesey yelps, giving him the unchallenged title of best new indie artist of the retro soul genre (but hey, he could simply take Best New Indie Artist, period). He belted out songs that made the more casual soul fan blink, "Is this a Sam, uh, Cooke cover? Or stammer, "Was that Wilson P-P-Pickett?"
Alas, no, he treated the audience to few covers, but the fact that the Amy Winehouse-led soul revival even wonders about it suggests the Paperboy is the Shit.
This ain't no Blues Brothers cover band. And this ain't another Vanilla Ice. And the live performance is as lively as it should be: a demi-Black Baptist Sunday sermon. No minstrelsy. Just true love. This guy has been studying the soul tradition for years, singing along, letting the spirits stake out a claim in his head and heart.
Honorable Mentions: Wolf Parade, Nov 25, Le Trabendo (beautiful song writing, and equally beautiful, baleful vocals); Mercury Rev, 25 Nov. L'Elysee Montmartre (kings of '90s American indie pop, psychadelic distortion).
Picks: The Datsuns, The Fuzztones, The Wedding Present, Adam Green, A Place to Bury Strangers, Eli Paperboy Reed, and all bands that don't begin with "The" Have fun! --Jay H Note: most of these shows require tickets from digitick.com or fnac.com
3 Nov Built to Spill La Maroquinerie
5 The Swell Season (Bataclan)
6 Nov The Datsuns From New Zealand to UK, from battle of the bands champions to NME's ‘best live band' award, The Datsuns made a name for themselves around the new millennium. Their fourth-full length later, they are still selling out Europe. But what the F is garage rock these days? New Zealand's Datsuns are so described, but they aren't another organ-y Nuggets collection wannabe. They don't have the reverb that bands like the Raveonettes make a staple. And they like metal and hard rock too much to be ‘garage-punk'. There's a steady 2/4 drumming that you hear in a lot of the old-school punk. There's a tinge of metal guitar solo to it. And they throw in a stoner-friendly song like ‘Pins and Needles', with a slower, more psychadelic feel. What is it? A pinch of Agent Orange, Heart, the Donnas, and I don't even want to think what else. It's a transformative bitch's brew, Dr. Jekyll. Drink it down and get off your seat and jump around. La Maroquinerie
6 Nov The Fuzztones There are some bands that have been around forever and one just wishes they’d put themselves out of our misery, no matter how great they once were. Then there are those whose quality, to our great pleasure, is steadfast. Count the Fuzztones in the latter category, if you don’t mind that they’ve always been garage rock revivalists. The Fuzzers, born in NYC in ’81, have a Myspace page bragging “Gurus of Garage Grunge.” Not sure about grunge, but there’s a solid 60s garage sound that seems to weave morsels of the “Batman” theme into half of their songs. Clearly indebted to the Animals, Electric Prunes, and Hammond organs, but also psych-tinged rock like Hendrixx, and the bluesy rock of the Stones. Retro at its best. An intimate setting, too. Also playing, The Kepi Band (ex-.Groovie Ghoulies). 20h30, La Mecanique Ondulatoire
7 Nov The Wedding Present The “Weddoes,” as they became affectionately known in the UK, are seasoned indie popsters, having formed in the mid-80s in Leeds. They were early on championed by influential UK dj John Peel, for whom they recorded a prestigious Peel Session EP released in 1986. Numerous line up changes since then have left them with only one original member, David Gedge, who plugs along with a consistent guitar-based (indie ‘90s) sound. Some songs are much poppier than others. They’re touring their latest full-length El Rey, which came out last May. For fans of early Yo La Tengo, Superchunk, and Interpol. 19h30 Nouveau Casino, 19,80 euros
9 Nov Ron Sexsmith La Maroquinerie
10 Nov Adam Green New Yorker Adam Green with Kimya Dawson is Moldy Peaches, though he and Dawson both launched impressive solo careers in 2004 (before reuniting this year for another successful MP album). You've probably heard Dawson's quirky little sing-speak folk numbers on the JUNO film soundtrack, but when she's duet-ing on it, it's with Green as the MP's. Green's own knack for quirky lyrics and mortally catchy hooks combined with robust, almost croonerish baritone vocals have earned him packed mid-size venues, solid record sales, and dedicated fans across especially Northern Europe and the U.S. Songs like "Emily," "Jessica Simpson" (see video below), "Dance with Me"and more recently, "Morning after Midnight," have won over many a listener looking for a little humor and pop sunshine to restore some warmth into the cold world Bush and friends have wrought. Count this one among them. Alhambra theatre
12 Nov. A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS NYC's A Place to Bury Strangers are arguably the torchbearers of contemporary shoegazer-noise rock. Blurbs brag, ‘NYC's loudest band'. Maybe, but what's important to remember for this show, besides earplugs, is that while this reverb-loving bunch is part of a fine tradition stretching from Hasil Adkins, through the Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and the Raveonettes, they are above all a colossal hommage to the Jesus and Mary Chain. The other good news is that their play with psychadelia and electronica saves them from sounding like mere J&M imitators. It's melodic noise, if you don't mind the oxymoron. They're in Paris off a support tour for MGMT (who seems to have stupidly dumped them for this night). JH Nouveau Casino, 19h30, 19euros
12 Nov. Festival Des Inrocks at L'Olympia MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Alela Diane, Coming Soon Hot bill that hardly needs a plug here...Buttttttt, don't overlook the lesser known American indie-folk-singer Alela Diane. She's the real surprise on the bill. L'Olympia, 34euros, sold out (but there're of course always the scalpers)
13 Nov. Festival des Inrocks: Get Well Soon, Franz Ferdinand, Yo Majesty (rap) Get Well Soon may be the act most worth checking on this bill, no offense to Franz, which has already had its day in the sun. GWS are led by the classically trained German musician Konstantin Gropper, who creates a unique brand of cerebral indie horns-piano-accordian-electro pop-rock. Kind of like Nick Cave meets Calexico, with lyrics by Schopenhauer. Video here La Cigale
Nov. 14 The Dodos, The Ruby Suns Bound to be a very entertaining show for those who like their music cutting edge, experimental. What a perfect match, these two bands that have taken the indie thing in a world music, especially African, direction. The Dodos are a SF, California duo with a fondness for country finger pickin and foreign drummin'. The Rubies are Kiwis with an appetite for Kenyan rhythms and vocals. Oddly fresh. Compare to Animal Collective in terms of spirit. Video of Dodos here. Ruby Suns here. Point Ephemere
14 Nov. Festival des Inrocks at La Cigale The Ting Tings, Black Kids, Cajun Dance Party Tough Night. Ting Tings vs. Dodos/Ruby Suns. This is the bigger venue, less personal and stuff. But probably a damned good time too. Ting Tings bring high-energy super danceable electro pop. Black Kids are slightly more muted electropop with vocals that probably require a small bank transfer to Robert Smith after each concert--also quite catchy. Actually this entire bill is just death by catchy hooks. CDP reminds me a lot of the make-you-dance-on-hot-coals pop of Los Campesinos. The way much of this stuff quotes 80s Brit pop and New Wave while interspersing subtle 60s and 70s lounge and surf guitar hooks is indeed a treat to behold. La Cigale
14 Nov. Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard: Legends of Rocknroll These icons are doing a world tour, and even if they've got one slipper in the retirement home (their ages range from 63 to 72), maybe it would be worth it just to say you saw them. Remember, all these other shows we see and write about--they all derive from these guys. Again, too bad it overlaps with some other great bills on this night. Le Zenith
15 Nov. Sigur Ros As much as any other band in recent years, Iceland's Sigur Ros has been the posterboy for post-rock. Weird, falsetto voices (in Icelandic) and lush otherworldly soundscapes mesmerize with electronic shimmys and drones, as well as high feedback guitar strumming. They give you the sense of orbiting the earth, becoming a human satellite, when you listen. This year SR released their fifth full-length album, Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (translation for the couple of readers nonfluent in Icelandic: With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly), which is slightly less wall-of-sound than past albums, containing short, airy pop songs like "Gobbldigook," and clearly distinguishable instruments. The more "tethered" selections of this album may merit the venue choice at the Zenith instead of the nearest IMAX theater. Zenith, 19h30 complet/full (check Craig's List or try scalpers for some spots)
15 Nov. Festival des Inrocks at La Cigale Foals, Friendly Fires, SoKo, The Virgins, Seasick Steve, Wild Beast Same night as Sigur Ros. Who said life was fair. A helluva a bill.
16 Nov. Festival Les Inrocks at La Cigale Hot Chip, Cut Copy, Late of the Pier, Metronomy, Kennedy La Cigale
19 Nov. Joan as Policewoman JOAN AS POLICEWOMAN “Beauty is the new punk rock,” her myspace page somewhat pretentiously announces. Beauty may be relative, convulsive, ineffable, and/or a revolutionary aspiration in a time Joan finds saturated with apathy and distrust, and her music is at least an honest chasing after that elusive ideal. The guitar work sometimes recalls the early Cure (such as “The Forest”) at others a nostalgic horn-backed lounge soul, while vocals even recall the silk-throated Madeleine Peyroux or Feist. A pastiche that has yet to arise in the indie world, Joan’s music exudes a fleeting innocence, usually found by dusting off scratchy vinyl. La Maroquinerie
19 Nov. The Streets Elysee Montmartre
20 Nov. Inrock Indie Club at La Maroquinerie Noah and the Whale, Operahouse, Joseph Leon La Maroquinerie 19h30
20 Nov. The Yardbirds Old Skool, brothers and sisters. New Morning
21 Nov. Less Than Jake, Guttermouth Nice pop-ska-punk night . The next generation of Circle Jerks, Bad Religion, Rancid... La Maroquinerie
22 Nov. Fujiya & Miyagi, Candy Clash one word: Collarbone. La Maroquinerie
23 Nov. Ratatat Interesting electro-pop stuff. Compare to Midnight Juggernauts and the Sounds. Highly recommended, but sold out second night. Look for scalpers for second night. Try the second night Nouveau Casino
23 Nov. Death Cab For Cutie and Frightened Rabbit Bataclan
24 Nov. Ratatat: see above. second date, Noveau Casino (sold out)
24 Nov. Ben Folds Five Le Trabendo
25 Wolf Parade Le Trabendo
25 Nov. Mercury Rev L'Elysee Montmartre
26 Nov. Stereolab La Cigale
26 Nov. Blood Red Shoes Le Trabendo
27 Nov. Eli Paperboy Reed Was here in the summer. Wow! Check out my review here. La Maroquinerie
28 Nov. Djay Indie Eclectique and guests: Soiree Old Wave vs. New Wave: Djay INdie Eclectique, the only Djay that specializes in 90s-2000s indie rock, -pop, -electropop, -singersongwriter, will be doing his second tribute to 80s New Wave and pitting it against the New New Wave of Electropop/rock, such as MGMT, The Ting Tings, The Midnight Juggernauts, The Sounds, Shiny Toy Guns...Don't miss it! Orange Mecanique, 72 Rue JP Timbaud, M. Parmentier, 9pm-1h30am
29 Nov. Cold War Kids Bataclan
1 Dec. TV on the Radio Bataclan
2 Dec. Herman Dune L'Olympia
5 Dec. Friday: Djay Grand Duc du Kansas: Djay Grand Duc du Kansas (and more recently, Chicago) will be spinning his unique blend of early American roots music into a rock and soul tour that passes by Hank Williams Sr., JOhnny Cash, Wanda Jackson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, James Brown, The Ramones, Television, The New York Dolls, The Dead Kennedys, and ends in the present: The Raveonettes, The Belrays, The Detroit Cobras, The White Stripes...
8 Dec. The Black Angels Fine Psychadelic rock from this Austin, Tx outfit following in the footsteps of Spacemen 3 and the VU, among many others. L'Elysee Montmartre
