FIGURZ: Another Kid Comedy (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Behind the intriguing name of FIGURZ hides a trio from France who release this fall a concept album that should attract attention. Indeed, the young band is inspired by cinema to deliver "Another Kid Comedy", a most original film/album.

First originality, this film/album concept paints a dozen of pictures all linked by an expressive music, a kind of stoner tinged with pop. The sweetest tracks are reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys, like the moving 'June', an atmospheric ballad with intoxicating vocals. The more dynamic ones contain all the energy of White Stripes on 'Smuggler' or on 'The Kid' with its hypnotic groove. The more generic influence of the Beatles is felt on 'Jacob', a kind of 'Come Together' with an unstoppable riff. The band also allows itself some keyboards (the electro intro of 'Mustang') and reverb' effects such as the finale of 'Pearl' in the form of a barely disguised wink at 'One Of These Days'. As for 'Matchers', it would have found its place in a Tarantino's movie with its very sixties dandy rock guitar sounds.

Second originality, FIGURZ officiates with two guitarists, and no bass player on stage. Of course, Cédric Lux's guitar is tuned very low and his way of playing and the pedals he uses are very close to this instrument, but the particularity deserves to be underlined. And the result is more than convincing because if nobody tells you, not sure that many will notice it ('June', 'N26').

It takes a very balanced production to compensate for this paradox and the production of "Another Kid Comedy" is particularly well done. It leaves the necessary space for each instrument to express itself fully and the final mix gives a roundness that skillfully compensates for the stoner/pop mix, however a priori improbable, and transfigures it into a natural obviousness.

So it's a flawless opus? Not quite. And that's fortunate, you might say, because it leaves room for improvement. If the osmosis between the three musicians is one of the pillars of the album, as well as the production and the originality of the compositions, we can reproach this "Another Kid Comedy" with a slight breathlessness at the end and the compositions sometimes a little too similar. It should be said that with short titles (between 3 and 4 minutes), there is little room for instrumental digressions.

But the qualities of FIGURZ are elsewhere, in this skillful and very personal mixture of a very fine stoner rock and an effective and well written pop, in the relevance of the sonorities, the melodies, the riffs, in a convincing interpretation and in an intelligent writing. The three musicians lay the foundations of a strong musical identity and reward us with an addictive album. - Official website

FIGURZ

ANOTHER KID COMEDY

AUTRE LABEL

ROCK