Heavy Rotation: Week Ending October 30, 2009

01. “Skeleton Closet” by Holy State, (Holy Roar Records.2009)
02. Martin Carr – Ye Gods (and little fishes), (Sonny Boy Records.2009)
03. “Sea Within A Sea” by The Horrors, (XL.2009)
04. Jay Reatard – Watch Me Fall, (Matador.2009)
05. Radiohead – NOITALIPMOC/DAEHOIDAR, (personal mix.2008)
06. The Hunches – Yes. No. Shut It., (In the Red.2002)
07. “Think I Need It Too/November” by Echo & The Bunnymen (Ocean Rain.2009)
08. Malajube – Labyrinthes, (Dare To Care.2009)
09. Wavves – Wavvves, (Fat Possum.2009)
10. Heartbreak Stereo – Inspiration (Back From The Dead), (Boss Tuneage.2009)

Over the last two-three years, I fell in love with the Montreal Francophone scene. Mostly overlooked by the music press (Pitchfork led the way about Malajube in 2007 with a very positive review of Trompe-l'Oeil LP) due a certain Fire or something band bringing the attention to the English speaking bands. Earlier this year, Malajube released the follow-up to that critically acclaimed. Labyrinthes is a bit more laid back, slightly more straightforward, yet the bonkers changes are still there (just not saturating the record). This makes the outing a bit less immediate and more of a grower. There isn't a bad song here, the best are: “Porte Disparu” a jaunty song with some excellent dynamics and plenty of hooks, “Les Collemboles” is about a straightforward as Malajube gets (still the last minute-thirty is a raucous instrumental movement) “Le Tout-Puissant” is a complex track starts off gently moves to driving indie rock to art-jam-of-sorts and back to gentile melodious pop, and “333” a gorgeous piece of driving indie pop that treads heavily on the precipice of out-of-control (the best track on the LP). It doesn't matter if you comprehend French, the hooks are so apparent, that you pick up on them; the melodies so memorable, that they stick in your head.

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