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March 28, 2024, 10:38:24 AM

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Le SuperHomard (for fans of Stereolab, Saint Etienne, The Cardigans)

Started by Crabwalk, March 08, 2019, 02:38:48 PM

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Crabwalk



French band Le SuperHomard have just released their debut album Meadow Lane Park on Elefant Records and it's a lovely thing indeed. Nothing particularly innovative, but gorgeously produced and with cracking melodies that make it easier to overlook some of the 'familiar' elements to their sound.

If you have any love for the bands named in the thread title (or early Broadcast, The Soundcarriers or The High Llamas come to that) I'd recommend you give the album a listen. It's a delight from start to finish and perfect for soundtracking Spring.

Meadow Lane Park

Black Diamond

Kararoking

You might say it's a pastiche of a pastiche but unlike, say, Death and Vanilla, I think the sheer quality of the songs and arrangements allow you to look past their precedents.

Crabwalk

This is an example of why the 'What are you listening to?' thread had its place...

chveik

exactly!
it's really nice, but I don't have anything interesting to say about it. great band name too

edit: it reminds me a bit of another french band, Vanessa & the O's, which is more 'sunshine pop' oriented I suppose (weirdy the lead singer is credited as a guest vocalist in Scott Walker's The Drift!)

Till Next Sunday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSVkTKoaiKU

Neomod

Lovely stuff. Paper Girl is the perfect soundtrack to driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to Carmel with it's echoes of Bacharach.

Picked up the Maple Key album as well so thanks for the heads up.

Crabwalk

Do you like Fitness Forever, Neomod? 'Paper Girl' really reminds me of some of their stuff.

Neomod

Quote from: Crabwalk on March 10, 2019, 07:27:08 PM
Do you like Fitness Forever, Neomod? 'Paper Girl' really reminds me of some of their stuff.

I wasn't aware of them but have just had a listen. Some nice sunshine pop there. I have a couple of La Caza Azul albums and you can really hear that influence on Personal Train.


holyzombiejesus

Elefant are such a fun label, to the extent that I often want to own their releases that I don't even like. Papa Topo were my favourites for a while and I really like Neleonard too. Many of their bands are a bit samey (the "for fans of Stereolab, Saint Etienne, The Cardigans" thing applies to nearly everything they put out) but when they hit the bullseye, they get it so right. Such great design and production values too.


Crabwalk

Quote from: chveik on March 10, 2019, 01:27:56 AM
edit: it reminds me a bit of another french band, Vanessa & the O's, which is more 'sunshine pop' oriented I suppose (weirdy the lead singer is credited as a guest vocalist in Scott Walker's The Drift!)

Till Next Sunday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSVkTKoaiKU

That's really lovely, thanks for sharing. I'll explore further!

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 11, 2019, 02:14:40 PM
Elefant are such a fun label, to the extent that I often want to own their releases that I don't even like. Papa Topo were my favourites for a while and I really like Neleonard too. Many of their bands are a bit samey (the "for fans of Stereolab, Saint Etienne, The Cardigans" thing applies to nearly everything they put out) but when they hit the bullseye, they get it so right. Such great design and production values too.

Yes, the quality of the material has to be very high for me to get over how derivative and borderline twee much of their output is. But, as you say, when they hit the bullseye with the likes of Giorgio Tuma, Modular, Iko Cherie and the aforementioned Fitness Forever, they've put out some of my favourite records this century.

SteveDave

Elefant are the only record label I've been on where I've made any money. It helped I had a lady singing the songs instead of me but still.

Look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqgtv72oqnI

CHING! CHING! CHING!

Neomod

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 11, 2019, 02:14:40 PM
Elefant are such a fun label, to the extent that I often want to own their releases that I don't even like. Papa Topo were my favourites for a while and I really like Neleonard too. Many of their bands are a bit samey (the "for fans of Stereolab, Saint Etienne, The Cardigans" thing applies to nearly everything they put out) but when they hit the bullseye, they get it so right. Such great design and production values too.

One of the first Elefant bands I liked was La Bien Querida who don't really fit into that category but then I also liked Cola Jet Set who were a very poor example of that exact genre.

Woody from This is England on drums there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD1DP08gClo 

Brundle-Fly

I'm so glad there are people still caring about and making this sort of music.

Good find, Crabwalk. Did you ever like Mum & Dad?

https://boomkat.com/products/castle-heights

Crabwalk

Mum & Dad are new to me but I'll explore, thanks!

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on March 11, 2019, 07:06:32 PM
I'm so glad there are people still caring about and making this sort of music.

One thing I noted in the Le Superhomard album credits is that, like Fitness Forever, they self-produce in their own studio. You can hear in the record the richness of production, devotion to detail, and sheer time and effort which that obviously affords.

jobotic

The only thing i remember buying on Elefant (other than a Quickspace single) was an album by Nosotrash after hearing them on Peel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9B4ispfx7c

I loved a lot of stuff on Siesta. another Spanish label but that's old now and I don't think they exist anymore.

Neomod

Quote from: Neomod on March 11, 2019, 10:46:00 AM
I wasn't aware of them but have just had a listen. Some nice sunshine pop there. I have a couple of La Caza Azul albums and you can really hear that influence on Personal Train.

LIAR!

I did a mixtape back in 2013 with them on it*.




* Found in the Does Anybody Else...? thread.

Crabwalk

Ha, good stuff! What was the full tracklisting (if you can be arsed)?

Crabwalk

Quote from: Neomod on March 11, 2019, 10:46:00 AM
I wasn't aware of them but have just had a listen. Some nice sunshine pop there. I have a couple of La Caza Azul albums and you can really hear that influence on Personal Train.

The new La Casa Azul album was released yesterday on Elefant. I try afresh with them every time they release an album, as on paper they always sound right up my disco alley. But I always end up disappointed. The production never sounds either new enough or vintage enough, it just sits in this unappealing late 90s space. And I've yet to hear a great tune from them to make up for that. Compare their take on disco to Fitness Forever's on Tonight and the gulf in quality is gigantic.

I should probably have started this as an Elefant Records thread.

Neomod

Quote from: Crabwalk on March 23, 2019, 02:24:54 PM
The new La Casa Azul album was released yesterday on Elefant. I try afresh with them every time they release an album, as on paper they always sound right up my disco alley. But I always end up disappointed. The production never sounds either new enough or vintage enough, it just sits in this unappealing late 90s space. And I've yet to hear a great tune from them to make up for that. Compare their take on disco to Fitness Forever's on Tonight and the gulf in quality is gigantic.

I should probably have started this as an Elefant Records thread.

They (or he) are definitely a bit hit and miss for me. I like the poppiness (La Revolución Sexual is their Do the Hussle) but sometimes they can also sound like the theme to a spanish 'Give Us A Clue'.

Oh and no tracklist for the mixtape.

Crabwalk

Le Superhomard have just announced a 'stripped down' show at The French Institute in London next month. £7 a ticket, so might try and get to that.

https://www.institut-francais.org.uk/events-calendar/whats-on/music/music-rendezvous-with-le-superhomard/

According to the link, their set will be followed by a Q&A. For some reason.

Deyv

Great stuff, just bought the album. I'll listen to it a few times before giving the most rounded opinion I can, but I have a feeling I'm going to love it.

Another thing I love is the last track on Soft Regime's Hard Feelings album, "A Propos." They're on Elefant Records.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMLQqi1Bbc0
It's not mind-blowing or anything, but I tend to put it at the end of playlists. It just really cheers me up.

Fitness Forever are amazing, though, thanks again for introducing me to them, and this is a timely reminder for me to get their other albums. I shall get on that Tonight.

Crabwalk

Quote from: Deyv on March 26, 2019, 10:01:31 PM
Another thing I love is the last track on Soft Regime's Hard Feelings album, "A Propos." They're on Elefant Records.

Thanks for introducing me to them. I really like 'Johnny'.

QuoteFitness Forever are amazing, though, thanks again for introducing me to them, and this is a timely reminder for me to get their other albums. I shall get on that Tonight.

Enjoy! Bump the FF thread with any reactions...

jamiefairlie

Really loving this album, blatant Stereolab derivative and all. There's always a place for this kind of  60's futurism in my heart.

Sebastian Cobb

Speaking of Stereolab what's the script with this 2019 tour they're doing? I got excited and pulled the trigger on tickets. Is it the full line-up? I saw Sadier a month or so as part of the Celtic Connections festival. I thought they were on indefinite hiatus.

hummingofevil

Quote from: Sebastian Cobb on April 10, 2019, 03:32:52 PM
Speaking of Stereolab what's the script with this 2019 tour they're doing? I got excited and pulled the trigger on tickets. Is it the full line-up? I saw Sadier a month or so as part of the Celtic Connections festival. I thought they were on indefinite hiatus.

Gane, Sadier, Ramsey + some guys. They have reissued loads of their back catalogue and heard nothing about a new record so hopefully its a greatest hits type tour and not too much post Dots and Loops noodlewanking. Nothing better than a full on Lab rock out but nothing worse than an hour of noodlewank. I noticed that the support they got in London looks quite wanky so not sure if that is a good or bad sign.

I've never actually seen them live since Mary died so that will be weird anyway. I can totally see why they might not want to do it but I would love them to bite the bullet and bring in a replacement for her.

Sebastian Cobb

Yeah I bought the switched on reissues, they seemed well pressed so I should really get the next couple they've put out. I already have emperor on gold glitter vinyl, which is a favourite.

Crabwalk