Kid Bombardos

The best French rock band on the scene right now is Kid Bombardos. No questions. Don't try to sway BBBD otherwise, either -- this is a fact.

The quartet plays addictively catchy psych-pop/garage tunes that one can't help but compare to some of the Strokes' earlier stuff. They don't have the same sort of repetitive hooks -- they're a psych group at their core -- but they exude the same ambiance and are certainly minimalists in the same fashion that Julian et. al. are. The Strokes + Brian Jonestown Massacre or something along those lines would be a fair description, I think. Maybe some Velvet Underground in there, too.

Comparisons aside, these guys are really tough to pass up mostly for their sheer uniqueness. Unlike the bulk of French pop/rock groups, Kid Bombardos don't merely rely off duplication and replication to make catchy songs. French music, unfortunately, is too often tied to being "sexy," self-assured, and self-aware ... which just doesn't meld with what rock and garage and all that great stuff Americans and the Brits churn out. You've gotta be natural, right? This isn't a runway, this isn't a contemplative, forced medium! Kid Bombardos has chilled out more than most of their French musical compatriots ... which is a great thing. Good for them. Check out "I Round the Bend" below. It rocks.

Kid Bombardos - I Round the Bend