The Brooklyn-based band French Kicks make pretty airy music of the post-punk variety. While there are bands that have pulled this sub-genre off somewhat successfully - Erasure in a big way and Air in a cult way, this five-piece hasn’t quite found a way to make magic with their own music. There’s a nice tone to their sound, but after giving their third full-length Two Thousand a listen, it gets hard to distinguish one track from the next. Even the strongest song on their disc and the most obvious pop tune, “So Far We Are” seems to be missing a few elements (i.e. a killer hook – instrumental or vocal) that could really make the tune take off.
Thankfully, “No Mean Time” is livened up with a splash of musical sunshine. Ironically, it is one of the few tracks that stand out from the rest, but yet its lyrics speak of being “so tired of standing out”. “Also Ran” is a pleasant enough song, but it evaporates from memory a few seconds after it ends. The wannabee upbeat track “Keep It Amazed” is weighted down by an awkward mix that pushes the drum beat way into the background. Maybe it was an artistic choice to use such a harsh distant beat, but it was the wrong one. Instead of grooving along to the track, listeners are more apt to spend their time wondering what it is about the song that distracts instead of attracts.
French Kicks are the type of band who have always had a solid foundation to build on. They know who they are as players and what kind of music they want to make. The challenge now is to break out of their comfortable mold and bring something new to the mix. |