Noir Desir

All I want to say now is listen to the album (standout tracks: Le vent nous portera [compare this "wind-song" with that Scorpions' one, Alex!), Des Armes, l'Apartement) and find/make out for yourself.

one extra note: Bertrand Cantat has performed live with Sixteen Horsepower, the result of which can be heard on the latter's live album Hoarse

You're absolutely right Alex, and thereby you've undone your "Scorpions reference" ;-)

Have you heard 16HP's latest (Folklore) yet? truly magnificent. dry sound, intense.

if you'd slightly rewrite your last sentence it would have been a perfect review of Folklore 'cause it is as you describe it, actually.

so, now you're interested: buy it! ;-)

...and Pascal Humbert of Passion Fodder is also a member of 16 Horsepower.

So I bought 666.667 Club - thought it was a bit of alright...

anyway, as everyone knows bernard cantat is in prison for beating his actress girlfriend to death. french 'gauchist' sabotages the effect of his influence on french activist youth and undermines his selfless campaign for the rights of 'les sans papiers' through heartless murder etc. etc.

anyway,

noir desir POX:

un jour en france
tostaky
le vent nous portera
lazy
lost
a l'envers a l'endroit
marlene
bouquet de nerfs
les ecorches
l'homme presse

Great band. What I wrote about their most recent album (or the most recent one I know about) is here:

http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0336,eddy,46703,22.html

I also include their excellent 1990 album Du Ciment Sous Les Plaines in my heavy metal book. I don't get the Stereolab or Neu comparisons at all. And I'd say they closer to Leather Nun than to the Scorpions.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8E5xPbm2v6E

excellent video (and song)

no, i don't hear scorpions. and stereolab, well...

Corny indie new wave fuxxors with a put-on harried "racing train desperados" rock 'tude. Used to be vaguely OK in live mode early on. WEAK

love these guys, crazy story though. it makes for some queasy listening

des Visages des Figures

Oi I got this as well. Only recently, tho.
Didnnae know nuthin about them and bought the CD because, well, noticed that Brigitte Fontain's name was written in tiny-weeny letters somewhere on the back of the case :)
A real enjoyable record.

Dude was released from prison. How charming.

"Dude"?

Entity. Personage.

yeesh, talk about good behavior.

interesting to say the least...

i got his name wrong upthread. bertrand not bernard

apparently the man has to lay low for a while. release with certain conditions

veuillez rendre l'ame (a qui elle appartient) is a fantastic album. a really sort of free-as-the-air western feel to it in many parts. some nice variety too. classic catchy tunes.

love

Jesus. Now his ex wife (who stayed with him even after he beat his mistress to death) has been found hanged, happened while he was asleep in another room.

Noir Désir splits.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5giOBRtV65YNinASGPnyOvin9GjHg?docId=CNG.8adf8961af3141a6107f531d04503be1.181

Cantat's current project Détroit (with Pascal Humbert of 16 Horsepower) is surprisingly excellent, moody dark folkish rock. They're playing here end of Nov and a couple of francophone friends urged me to check last years album Horizons out, it's a great record, in fact I'd easily rate it above both Noir Désir and 16 Horsepower.