Two Thousand

Performer: The French Kicks
Producer: Doug Boehm
Distributor: Fontana Distribution

Notes: The French Kicks: Josh Wise, Nick Stumpf, Aaron Thurston, Lawrence Stumpf. The 2006 album TWO THOUSAND sees the French Kicks continuing to develop a more complex and nuanced sound. The songs aren't quite as simple as those on the band's earlier albums, and the rhythms aren't quite as angular. Rather, the songs exist in a dreamy pop landscape where elements of New Wave, post-punk, power pop, and rock all happily coexist. "Also Ran" is a gorgeous pop confection, beginning with yearning vocals over insistent keyboards before the drums and guitars kick in. "England Will Just Not Let You Recover" also begins simply, with electric piano chords and a two-note guitar riff, the drums tapping out a 12/8 rhythm. More instruments join in and drop out as the song gains in urgency and hurtles toward its conclusion. The songs on TWO THOUSAND are typically layered like this, arrangements that grow in complexity and that reward multiple listens. Most importantly though, the Kicks can still make you dance.

Spin (p.102) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "French Kicks have evolved into an undeniably classy rock outfit..." Alternative Press (p.214) - "Brooklyn's French Kicks always manage to seem young, playing their tender post-punk that's so pristine, it sounds fresh-scrubbed on every new effort." CMJ (p.5) - "French Kicks go for delicate guitar canoodling, some offtime beats and a clean recording..."

They were never as trendy as the Strokes or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but nonetheless, New York City's French Kicks were a mainstay of the early 2000s Big Apple rock renaissance. Originally known for being the band with a singing drummer, the French Kicks underwent several line-up changes that led to drummer Nick Stumpf taking over traditional frontman duties. A certain coulda/shoulda tag always dogged the band, but one listen to their sharp, hip mod-pop is proof that the boys did just fine for themselves.

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