Search - Mon Frere :: Real Vampires (Dig)

Synth Dance Punk

Rick Michael Gebhardt | Rochester, MN | 12/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Call me vain, call me sexist, call me a pig, call whatever you want, but I'll go out on a limb and say that bands who manage to have hot, female lead singers usually find a way to separate themselves from the rest of their peers, simply because they have that hot female lead that can turn the head of horny little 15 year olds at concerts. Trust me, it works.



Mon Frere's Nouela Johnston might not be the hottest girl around, but her voice sure as hell is. It's her vocals, dancing over the dark synth dance punk background of the rest of the band that makes you want to listen to this EP over and over again unlike, say, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Nouela kills Karen O). Not too dissimilar from Karen O, Nouela has a very natural ebb and flow, but it feels much more matched to this style of music.



This style consists of a healthy electronic framework-the keys are definitely a main focus on this EP-complemented by a very angular, thick, and punchy dose of guitar, well paced drums, and even a few hand claps. At under 14 minutes in length, though, you seriously don't get enough material to satiate your Mon Frere cravings (trust me, you'll get them once you put this disc in), but that's why there's the repeat button on your cd player. Use it!



I dare you pick up this EP, set aside 14 minutes of your time, listen to it, and then walk away never thinking about this band again. It won't happen... one of the prime reasons being the chorus in "Up Circle" where Nouela croons "It's all double dutch". (Trust me, when it's sung it sounds way cooler than you simply reading it.) These songs are fun! The band is fun! The entire EP is fun! Wait... it's a little dark every now and again, but it's mostly fun. So there. Just go buy the damn thing, ok?"