Review: Le Concorde – Universe And Villa (2005)

This is as close to Emo as you’re going to get without it being Emo. Le Concorde mirrors the band Creeper Lagoon in terms of both sound and style. Although I site Creeper Lagoon as a similar band, I never really categorized them into a genre. I just called them alternative, but it doesn’t seem to apply to Le Concorde. The second track “Parallel Lives” has some retro 80s tones, and reminds me much of Devo (somehow… not sure). But being that the tunes are easy on the ears, then that would classify into pop-rock territory.

The opening track “People Mover” does well to introduce the album’s mood. The title alludes to the energy that the band wants to transfer from themselves to the audience through the album. But the chorus says to “slow down” because the band doesn’t want to get ahead of itself. Le Concorde only wants to hint at the magic and not reveal it fully until it’s ready. “Starting Revelations” is very Shins and Iron & Wine-like with soft acoustic guitars and soft vocals. It might seem that the band is merely trying to expand its genre, but then comes “Taxi In The Snow” which heads over The Postal Service’s lines. The electronic rhythms are haunting and it makes you ask where the band is headed. “It’s The Minor Chords That Kill You” furthers to confuse as it heads the band into glam rock’s pants. It’s not to say that these genre bending songs aren’t good, which they very much are. It just makes it hard to define the band to a genre. But the band comforts our confusion with its last track “I Hate Rock And Roll”. That answers our questions indeed and cements the band’s desire to be a pop band. This isn’t to say that the band wants to be the next Backstreet Boys. It says that that band is so musically diverse that to pigeonhole them to a genre would be to confine their talents. I think I’ll have to accept this decision, and hopefully the Backstreet Boys come soon to reclaim their throne.

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Track list:

1. People Mover
2. Parallel Lives
3. Archaeology Of Cruelty
4. Little Stabs At Happiness
5. Startling Revelations
6. Manhattan Chase
7. Taxi In the Snow
8. I Will Go To My Grave Wanting You To Love Me
9. In The Morning
10. Controlling
11. The Sound Of Your Name
12. It’s The Minor Chords That Kill You
13. I Hate Rock And Roll

NOTE: Article originally posted on Blogcritics.