"Fancy lads can go to hell, the new wave of powerpop is taking place in Marseille."
I have nothing against fancy lads myself (all types are welcome here!) – but this new wave of French powerpop is certainly catching attention, with bands like Alvilda and Foodfight contributing to a resurgence in jangly, retro-inspired French guitar pop. This new self-titled album by Flathead is a great addition.
Hold Me Like My Monkeys kicks off the album with a verse like Exploding Hearts, and a chorus like a Britpop hit.
Won't Be Satisfied comes straight from 1979. It would fit perfectly on a Powerpearls compilation. Singing "The same old tears, the same old fears" before launching into a chorus the Flamin' Groovies could have written in their prime.
They continue to straddle the decades from 70s to 90s with jangling guitars and singalong melodies, landing somewhere between The Only Ones and The La's on songs like Far Away.
The sound may not stray far from their influences, but they do it well and they occupy their own niche among their contemporaries in the current powerpop landscape.
Available from Wanda Records (DE), Dangerhouse Skylab Records (FR) and Take The City Records (ES).