Nouvelle Vague - Bande A Part

For the few of you who are not yet familiar with Nouvelle Vague, here's a basic explanation. They're a covers band. Fortunately they're an incredibly impressive covers band who've captured the hearts of hipsters and hopeless French romantics the world over. Their covers of Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine and Dead Kennedys have earned them one hell of a cult following and today their new album "Bande A Part" was released in sections of Europe.

Whilst previous albums have had more of a 70s focus or just a calculated compilation of tracks from any era, "Bande A Part" sees the melodic Euros taking a more 80s, goth theme for the song selection. A few exceptions occur in the shape of Buzzcocks and Cramps covers but for the most part it seems they're giving their graceful touch to an era full of morbid yet classic music for the freaks. When pondering what to write I kept wanting to run with the idea that the reason this album and this band is such a success is their ability to completely strip down a song and leave the lyrics completely open, free from any form of disguise. But that's really only a side note in why this band manages to work. Truth be told, and I'm sorry if this comes off as sexist, but the singing makes everything about this music sexy. They manage to make songs that seemed so amazingly sexless and even creepy have a warm sexual edge. This obviously isn't true to the punk covers but if you actually thought Bauhaus "Bela Lugosi's Dead" or Echo & The Bunnymen's "Killing Moon" contained any level of sex appeal, then there is something seriously wrong with you and this logic works on "Heart Of Glass" unless Debbie Harry's deadpan pitching really did something for you.

Nouvelle Vague now have an incredible advantage. They clearly enjoy working through decades past of popular music and there's no shortage of people who want to hear a bunch of French chicks sexify all their favorite songs. They're an enjoyable listen even to people who aren't too big on the originals and they handle the songs with enough skill to not piss off the covered songs diehard fans. I really can't see how there's anything but an easy ride ahead for this band.

Nouvelle Vague - Killing Moon
Nouvelle Vague - Bela Lugosi's Dead

Unexpected bonus:
Ahh, why not.

Echo & The Bunnymen - Killing Moon
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead