Les Chaussettes 'Kate/Volcanoes'
(Punk Fox XOF004)

The Punk Fox label output so far recalls the golden days of Sub Pop, releasing high-quality records that carry the ethos of punk rock without slavishly adhering to its many unwritten rules. I have not yet heard anything from this label which could be considered patent and there is a real consistency in quality control.

This record from Les Chaussettes is no different. Here we are presented two cuts of angular garage-psych that take the chaotic approach of early Barret-era pop-chart Floyd and welds it to the stylistic smarts of Luscious Jackson if they had cut an album with Phil Spector when he was great.

Pressed on pink vinyl, it looks and sounds pretty awesome on my turntable. Lyrically, the song 'Kate' reminds of Lou Reed when he's on the rhyming couplets ("Kate, you look great/ I see you from afar, you and your guitar") and has a personal feel to it which is quite sweet.

'Volcanoes' may as well be instrumental for its sparse lyrical refrain ("Volcanoes, oozing") but is infectious in spite of it, with it's keyboard refrain and angelic harmonies that border on 1960's-era euro-pop (think of a harder rockin' outtake from the Brigitte Bardot Show').

 

Am I jumping the gun calling this the Punk Fox Singles Club? I hope I'm not, this is a fabulous continuation of their output and it's encouraging to see a label that really embraces individuality and artists with character.

Rich

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