Album Review: The Penelope[s] – Priceless Concrete Echoes
Rating: 7.8/10
French pop confuses the heck out of me, yet The Penelope[s] charmed perfectly with Priceless Concrete Echoes. Perhaps now that confusion can just be intrigue.
From the French fashion influence to the electronic ’80s edge of Depeche Mode, Axel Basquiat and Vincent Tremel don’t strictly adhere to the artists that released “Personal Jesus” and “Little 15″ to the masses, but the similar feel of experimentation and synth addled creations sits heavy.
The French duo have a lot going on in their album besides influences. Unlike the club scene that spits remixes and broken entendres, The Penelope[s] have risen above sheer reproduced tracks thanks to this experimental attitude. “Stuck In Lalaland” and “The Heat Goes On” both feature DJ Morpheus (Samy Birnbach) and both twist humdrum pop tunes into car-blasting feel good indie rock singles.
While the French lyrics hypnotically match the two-chord guitar loops in “Stuck In Lalaland” and the keyboard demo background of “The Heat Goes On”, both sound phenomenal, yet the ‘happiness’ of these tracks really begins the second each song hit the refrain. After coming to terms with the pop in their sound, shouting “Hey” or “Don’t be afarid now” becomes that uplifting experience in the day.
Along with DJ Morpheus, Malka Spigel (Minimal Compact) and Dierdre Dubois (Ekova) add to the diverse tracks that range from skittish Depeche Mode life odes to stolid Euro discotheques. For this, Priceless Concrete Echoes might not be the smoothest album out there, yet the synth-pop appeal stands out immediately, making a much better album than it would be otherwise.
Priceless Concrete Echoes released digitally on August 18 and will release in stores on September 29. For more on The Penelope[s], head to their website or MySpace.
MP3: The Penelope[s] – Stuck in Lalaland (feat. Morpheus) (buy)
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