Nineteen Something

Les Thugs' Nineteen Something is a great leap forward from their previous releases Strike and As Happy as Possible. While they stick to the hook-happy ditties that made them France's best-loved punk rockers--evidenced on cuts like "Side by Side" and "While I'm Waiting"--Les Thugs cling fast to artistic growth, downshifting into the misty-sounding "Les Lendemains Qui Chantent" (their first number en Français) and going psychedelic on the organ-burned "Magic Hour." Kurt Bloch, the ringleader of Seattle's Fastbacks, helmed the soundboard to put the "ooh" into Nineteen Something's potent "la la" machine. Bloch's not just a producer but also a fan; his tight-cornered rendering augments Nineteen Something's escape from the confines of typical punk rock.
--Jason Josephes

This CD is more of a 4 and 1/2, but why split hairs. Fact is Les Thugs have put together a really tight bit o' punk rock. The whole thing is a wonderful lesson in balance. The guitars are raw and rough without being sloppy or amateurish. Bass pops and drums crash without getting in the way. Melancholy, angry, with a bit of forlorn optimism. The lyrics are emotional and intelligent, without being pretentious or overly whiny. And they're ...FRENCH! If you are a Mission of Burma fan you will probably love this album. There are a lot of similarities in the sounds of the great avant-punksters of MOB and the relative youngins Les Thugs. Like Burma they push boundaries adventurously without getting too weird. The best songs: Henry's Back, Side by Side, Il Gruppetto, and Magic Hour, but every song is worth the time. A great CD to listen straight through without jumping around. These guys really ended on a high note.
-- transmet451