DTCV - Confusion Moderne (2016)

At its best, DTCV's mix of alluring French pop and gritty indie rock is a perfect example of opposites attracting. On Confusion Moderne, the balance shifts toward Guylaine Vivarat's breezy, charming melodies, though her en français lyrics tackle weighty topics like anarchism, feminism, and environmentalism. Deceptively sweet songs like "Bourgeois Pop," "L'Accord Parfait," and "Vélomoteur" -- which sounds a little like a French version of the Primitives' "Crash" -- are among the highlights. DTCV recorded the album with psych-rock impresario Joel Jerome, and there's more than a little of the stoner rock swagger of their previous album, Uptime!, on "Histoire Seule" and "Conformiste." When the band turns up the volume even more, the results are mixed; "L.A. Boum!"'s guitars could use a little more bite, but the grungy "We Aren't the Champions" and "Capital Ennui" serve as potent reminders that DTCV's wide-ranging influences often have serendipitous results.